Hey guys and gals, picked up a Dagger Alchemy 14L a few days ago. Good used condition overall except the retractable skeg won’t go down using the cable, up is no issue.
I know I’ve read in a couple places the skeg cable set-up was problematic on these yaks.
Any tricks I can try or am I looking at a cable replacement? It does have a bend at the control end so I’m assuming that’s likely the problem but I’d love to not have to replace it it there’s anything I can try.
First thing first, check to make sure there isn’t a rock stuck between the blade and the skeg box part of the hull. Not likely given that you said it goes up ok. But best to make sure as this is real easy to do. You can pop a stuck rock out with a screwdriver or knife.
Looking at the skeg cable in the picture you attached and how it has a bend, does look like a replacement cable is in your future.
Note - once you fix it, get a feel for how much pressure you need to move skeg up or down. If it ever seems harder than that, don’t force it. That is what bends skeg cables. Find what is preventing it from sliding easily and fix that.
Ya I’m pretty sure I’m looking at a cable replacement. Can I just use any cable from the hardware store (same size) or do I need a kayak specific repair kit of sorts?
I’ve only ever heard of people getting skeg wire, so assumed that was what was needed. But I don’t know for sure.
If the skeg is spring loaded it can use cable. Most other kayaks use a somewhat stiff wire. Generally, a kink in either calls for replacement and is caused by trying to force the skeg down when something like a pebble has jammed the skeg. Make sure that the skeg is not binding in the skeg box. Raising the skeg is often not a problem. The damage occurs when you try and lower it. In either case, be sure to use marine grade stainless hardware when replacing the cable or wire. It is often easier to use an OEM replacement if the attachment points are specialized.
Many people drill a small hole in the tip of the skeg and run a short piece of cord through it. That way, if you are paddling with someone, they can come along side and free your skeg or at least deploy it if it is jammed.
I have an Alchemy 14L and the skeg gets stuck very easily. In my opinion it’s a poor design that was improved upon with the Stratos, which has a spring-loaded skeg. Mine bent in the same spot as pictured, and I had to replace the cable. I used stainless steel cable from the hardware store but had to cut down a fitting for the end to make it work. Major PITA!
What kind of fitting? Any chance you could post a pic?
This is a swage fitting, but I had to cut it down lengthwise to fit. It requires a swage tool, which clamps the fitting around the cable. Total PITA.
In my opinion, a cable should never have to push anything. It bends much too easily. I may disconnect mine entirely.
I just replaced my cable. It probably would not have been necessary if I had just removed the pebble jamming up my skag but instead I forced it and bent the cable.
Anyway my suggestion is to go to West Marine and buy the appropriate length of 1/8 inch stainless steel cable and while you’re there swage on a stopper on one end. This whole thing cost less than $15.
My kayak was about 15 years old so removing the old cable from the skeg required a bit of drilling out the corroded end bit. Once you get the new end bit and cable threaded through take some two-part epoxy and seat the new end bit. (JB weld works fine.) Use tape to hold the epoxy in while it cures.
The rest is a matter of threading the end of the cable through the various orifice. This requires a clean cut and then taping the end so that the small individual wires don’t get hung up.
The whole process took me a couple of hours but now that I know what I’m doing I could probably whack it out in half an hour. Of course now that I know NEVER to force it I should not have this problem again!
GOOD LUCK.
I’m dying to know why the companies didn’t design their skeg systems to use bicycle cables. It seems like such a lost opportunity!
(or maybe bike cables are the wrong steel to withstand that much water exposure, and if they used the same end fitting then they knew people would use bike cables despite the risk of cables rusting in place?)
Bike cables aren’t thick and stiff enough to push down/deploy a skeg. You would have design a skeg system that employs a spring for deployment and the (bike) cable would be used to pull the skeg back up. I think this is the same concept with rope skeg.
-sing
