This is my 1st rudder kayak a Necky Tahsis (circa 2004). I didn’t realize how big the holes for the cables were until I stuck my head inside the stern hatch and saw all the light coming in.
How would you go about sealing the holes, particularly for rolling? Do you use a grommet or some kind of sleeve/plastic housing? Is this the way these kayaks came from the factory or am I missing something? … Hard to see the depth of the holes but that part of the hull appears to be extra thick or has something built up behind it. Thanks!
In my 1999 Necky Arluk 1.9 the rudder cables and guides run in a glassed in portion of the deck until they emerge in the cockpit. I’ve never noticed any significant amount of water getting into the boat from them.
Of course my boat was Canadian built before Johnson Outdoors bought Necky and moved it to the US.
JB weld tubing on the inside with a bead around the tube. Roughen the tube with sandpaper somit adheres better. Cut a piece about 2" let a half inch show on the exterior. If the tubing you get is a bit lose heat it with a heat gun and roll it in your fingers and it will be real tight . Tape up the outside so if the JB weld comes through to the exterior you can shape it to a small bevel. You don’t really want soft tubing it won’t wear well. Current Design sells plastic tubing that’s stiff.
If you’re using tubing you can put an extra piece on the cable and let it float either inside or outside the hull. If it wears slide the new piece in place. Same thing with a grommet be case you can’t get new things on the cable without re-rigging it. You’ll have to remove the thimbles then you can never redo the cables because they’re to short.
I just need to paint the seam.
Will test how much water actually seeps in and jimmy up something to close the holes. If nothing else it’ll protect the steel cables from rubbing.
