Steering cable advice.

[Scottina]

Does anybody have any advise for running steering cables on my boat? What is the best way to measure for the correct amount of cable? I have a old 50 hp mercury!

 

[hotrod53]

Re: Steering cable advice.

Here is how you figure it:

http://www.iboats.com/basics/measure_steering_cables.html

I can however tell you that mine didn't go quite so well. I used this formula, which is widely used, and I had an old cable that was frozen to go by. The cable is printed on the side, and in my case a 13' cable. I would have thought that the cable would go from the helm straight to the motor, not in my case. I had to loop the cable under the rear making it appear to be too long. It works fine and it is installed exactly like the original cable, but I'll bet that I could have used a 12' cable.

 

[Scottina]

Re: Steering cable advice.

I don't think that I have the same system. I have pulleys. It is an old system. Not very technical. I am just trying to find out how much cable to buy.

 

[chrome dome]

Re: Steering cable advice.

measure down both sides of boat from steering hub to motor, passenger side will be longer coz longer distance to centre of steering wheel,
did this recently on 14 ft speedboat, used around 30 ft of cable, better to have too much than not enough