Kink in Avocet skeg cable

Advice
#1

Got a kink in the skeg cable first trip out in my new Avocet. Am baffled on access and best approach. Don’t think I can get my head and an arm through the hatch. Tried Valley Kayaks. No reply. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. !! Thanks, Nani.

#2

Kink
Can you actually see a kink in the line? My skeg seemed to be jammed on my last outing but when I beached the boat and turned it over, I just had a small rock jammed between the skeg and skeg box. If it actually has a kink I would think you would have to disconnect one end and try to pull it through. (I’m no expert on skegs though…just a thought.)

#3

check skeg box

– Last Updated: Apr-09-13 5:49 PM EST –

Second checking the skeg box for rocks - very easy to get a small pebble jammed in there. If the skeg won't go down, don't force it or you will kink the cable (whether it was kinked or not before). If it is kinked and you need a new one, contact your local Valley or North Shore dealer (not Valley directly) and they can get you a new cable. The cables are metric wire so not equivalent to US made wire rope. Changing out the cable is relatively easy - no need for gymnastics inside the hatches, again ask your local dealer.

#4

here you go
http://www.kayakacademy.com/pages/tips/Skeg_Repair/Valley_Sea_Kayak_Skeg_Cable_Repair_2011_and_later.html



You don’t have to get inside the cockpit to change out the skeg cable. You detach it from either end and pull it out from the other end.

#5

another source for info
A thread on a different board.

http://www.westcoastpaddler.com/community/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=5906


#6

WD40??
The Kayak Academy folk recommend lubricating the cable with WD40. I thought that any lubrication would just attract sand and grit. Thoughts?

#7

No WD-40
WD-40 is greasy and attracts dirt and grit - not what you want in your skeg cable. If the cable is fine, the cable housing isn’t loose somewhere along its length, and there isn’t a rock in the skeg box, and it’s still sticky, you can lubricate the cable with graphite or a dry lubricant such as McLube (available at boating stores like West Marine) or a teflon spray.