cable size for a 21 hydro

[Chris Wood]

Hey guys

I was just curious, has anyone tried to use a .150 cable on a 21 hydro. and if so do they hold up..

And does anyone out there make one besides ed huey??

I have always run a 3/16 and was just toying with the idea

any and all advise is greatly appreciated

thanks

chris

 

[Scott Schneider]

Have run .150 cable for years on all my .21 size boats. They hold up quite well with props under @ 45/47mm. Only twisted up 1 in over 10 years. Scott

 

[Chris Wood]

what brand do you run scott??

and do you know are they about the same price as the 3/16

 

[Scott Schneider]

what brand do you run scott??
and do you know are they about the same price as the 3/16

I do them 2 differant ways. #1 prefered is to take old prather .187 welded stub cables and unsolder the stub. They are hardened and long.

I use .150 Square cables from the Pipeline, AKA: Tom anderson. cut them to lenth and using stabright silver solder assemble them into the prather stubs. The hole in them is @ 3/8" deep and .150 in diameter. A sweet snug fit.

#2 is to purchase the bare stubs from octura and solder them like above. They are a little softer steel and not as long.

Tom also sells the .150 Sq drive collets. Using .150 as a square drive is SUPER TRICK and very friction free. Scott

PS. I can build a cable w/stub for @ $7.00 to $10.00 pending on stub shaft.

 

[TomMoorehouse]

what are you guys trying to do with this? save weight? is it worth the difference?..... just trying to understand

 

[Scott Schneider]

what are you guys trying to do with this? save weight? is it worth the difference?..... just trying to understand

<_< Less rotating mass for one, less surface area = less drag and lighter weight. In a .21 this is all for the better.

Those little engines feel every bit of drag or resistance, Any efficiency you gain is speed and performance on the water. And this go's for ALL boats.

You might ask the same of the electric guys, why use .098 or .125 cables and not .187? You most likely would get the same anwser. Scott

 

[Ric Carpenter]

I have used them for years too with no breaks

Just remember to get some sort of an "S" bend in them to keep the "whipping" freuency high enough not to be troublesome.Some of my early hydros just had single smooth bends and the stuffing box didnt hold up very long

The "S" bend cured that.

 

[Ron Zaker Jr]

Chris,

I have tried the .125 and .150 cable.I twisted both of them(twice) exiting buoy 6.When you start adding pitch those cables just don't seem to hold up for my application.

Ron Zaker Jr B)

 

[Chris Wood]

Thanks ron and scott

Scott hit it right on the head. That's what i am going for

Ron, I wondered about that but was curious, the more i think about it ya the electric guys run them, but they don't have near the torque our motors do.. or the weight to push i guess. maybe i am wrong..

Just something I was kicking around.

p.s. ron is there anything you HAVEN'T tried lol...

I have also been debateing the s- bend. just wondered if it was worth it or not..

thanks for the input everyone

 

[Ron Zaker Jr]

Chris,

Do the electrics turn hard and load the prop? I always thought they were Saw guys for the most part,big difference in the load.A few of our 40 boats in D4 are starting to twist the 3/16 cables,when really hammering the turns on the short course(Kenosha) so with that said maybe things are going to change in driveline design.Yes,I have tried alot of things but still more to go.I feel as long as the driveline has some "sweep" and is aligned properly the S bend will not show any MPH increase.No one has proven that the S bend is faster on the water.My 2 cents on that.

Ron Jr