Swallow Yachts Forum > Technical

BC26 Motor Control Cable Routing

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Nick Orchard:
Hi Andy

I don't think the control cables fail due to a stiff gear box I think it's due to the tight radius bends that you get when you lift the engine. (By the way the smaller Mercury engines are re-badged Tohatsu). This is particularly bad on our Yamaha 9.9's, especially the gear cable, because the gear lever on the engine is outside the top housing, so the cable support bracket sticks out a long way both forwards and sideways. It's a bit of a game when lifting the engine manually to get the cables between the two steering rods, and it can only be done with the engine tilted right over to starboard. When the engine is up the cables are pressed fairly hard against the floor and my cables have developed a permanent kink just behind the attachment point, so not good. The good news is that it looks like all engine makers now have the gear lever inside the housing and the two cables disappear into the front with no external bracketry, to there should be much less of a bending problem.

Alistair and I have decided to change our engines for a number of reasons, partly because they're now out of warranty, and partly because we're getting old and fed up with getting on our hands and knees to pull the thing up and down, so we want to join you in the power tilt division. It's taken a while to decide what to buy, but as as it's a little off this topic of control cables I'll start a new thread.

Nick

AndyB:
Hi Nick,
Not sure why I said Toshiba - maybe because Tohatsu is not recognised by the spell checker and it changed it and I didn't correct it on my review. I have now changed the comment.

The firm has a contract with the marina to service their RIBS and boats and the firm specialises in outboards and RIBS so has a lot of experience in this area.

I specifically asked why these cables failed and if there is anything that could predict it so I do not get caught without an engine. His professional advice was that the issue is around stiffness and age of the cables exacerbated by the mating of the control box to this particular engine and not tight radius bends. We were talking about my setup. It's his professional advice which I thought I should share as it contradicts what was in the earlier posts on this subject.  He did the service on the boat and also serviced the control box and lines although I forgot to ask what that entailed. I did not ask about the Yamaha's so it maybe different for them. However I have purchased spare lines of the type described earlier in this post so just in case I am caught out I can change them at sea and get home.

I do not appear to have any kinks in the control lines and can only recommend the power tilt/start motor although the engine does feel heavy and I was glad I did not have to remove it. Matt may have adjusted the mounting in later models as he has made changes elsewhere as problems appear. I will take copious photos of the setup for your other post.

My experience with outboards have shown multiple reasons for outboard failure - one I found most difficult to find was an overheating engine which turned out to be a hole in the fuel pipe that only opened to let in air and not leak petrol. Changing the line (only 6 months old) was a last desperate act before buying a new engine! So I am sure with this case that there will be multiple reasons for cable failure.

On a separate topic this last season I managed to raise and lower the cruising chute in the manner you described when I came down to see you. So will continue with your method and not purchase a snuffer. Thanks for this advice although a bit off topic for this post.

Best regards
Andy B

Jonathan Stuart:

--- Quote from: AndyB on 17 Jan 2023, 09:17 ---engine does feel heavy and I was glad I did not have to remove it.

--- End quote ---

The first year I had the engine serviced I used a company well known to me but I couldn't take the boat to them so took the outboard off. I can confirm it is heavy - about 40kg from memory. That was the first and last time I took it off and subsequently used someone that could accommodate the boat. At least I neither damaged myself nor the motor when carrying it!

Graham W:
Please excuse my ignorance but if the control cables fail, can the outboard be controlled without them, as we ordinary mortals have to do with our smaller and cable-less outboards?

Nick Orchard:
Graham - re engine control if the cables break - to some extent yes you can take control but it may depend on which engine you have. On the 2016 vintage Yamaha the gear lever is on the outside of the engine cover so you can grab/kick it for F/N/R, which is what some of us have had to do to avoid serious collisions. The throttle terminates inside the engine cover, so if that breaks then you'll need to get the cover off and fiddle with the throttle by hand, which won't be easy while trying to steer. The new Yamaha (and also other makes) now have the gear termination inside the cover, so you'll have to get the cover off quick to get at the lever inside.

Andy - I'm not going to argue with your expert, I'm sure there are plenty of ways to break a control cable. What makes it difficult to manage is that the wire strands break inside the outer plastic cover so you can't see it happening and you never get any warning of what's going on inside. When the last strand breaks then all the load is on just the outer plastic which gives way immediately. In hindsight I think it should be possible to realise that strands are breaking because the throttle/gear behaviour will probably change subtly, perhaps getting stiffer, or the gear not engaging properly and dragging, but it was certainly too subtle for me.

(Well done getting the kite up and down. I recommend NOT doing what I did last time out - when the wind started getting a bit too lively and I decided to get it down, having a senior moment I stupidly changed my method and released the downhaul clutch while it was fully loaded and I was holding the line just behind the clutch. Consequence was that the line ran out at 90mph and nearly took the top of my finger off. I won't do it again!)

Jonathan - yes engines are a bit heavy and I think the Mercury with power tilt is nearer 50kg than 40. The Yamaha with manual tilt is supposed to be about 45kg. However, as the BC26 is conveniently fitted with an A-frame over the engine you can use this to attach a block and tackle to lift it on and off with very little effort. I've also developed a method of getting the engine from the boat onto the pontoon using a long piece of 4x2 supported on the A-frame roller at one end and on a roller on a tripod on the pontoon at the other. I've done this every year for service, mostly single-handed and only nearly dropped it in the dock once! Pics available if anyone wants more details.


 

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