Valley Sea Kayak Skeg Cable 3mm Dia. Original Equipment
Valley Sea Kayak Skeg Cable 3mm Dia. Original Equipment
Valley Sea Kayak Skeg Cable 3mm original Valley Kayak skeg cable. We offer a choice of standard replacement part which is over sized and must be cut to length when installing or send us your old cable and we will custom cut a new cable to match your old one (no extra charge).
This cable will also work on WS Tempest and Zepher that use a steel cable with no swagged end fitting at the blade end (Roto Molded models 2004-2010 and (glass) "Pro" models 2004-2012 Last two digits of S/N are the model year). The original cable for these kayaks is discontinued. Valley cable is slightly smaller diameter, but better quality and less prone to kinking.
To install a skeg cable, the ends must be cut cleanly. In order to cut the skeg cable yourself, you will need a cable cutting tool designed for cutting stainless steel cable up to at least 1/8" diameter (3mm). Such tools are often called "aircraft cable cutters". Regular wire cutters, lineman's pliers, etc. will not work for this type of cable (we've tried). Even to work just one time the cutting tool must be rated for cutting stainless steel cable. The cable cutters that work typically cost $50-$70 and are a hard to find (try bike shops, marine hardware stores or if you can find a really good old fashion hardware store). Some customers report success with using a 1" dia. abrasive disk cutting tool on a Dremel rotary tool.
No two kayaks have exactly the same length cable -- even if they are the same model kayak. So the standard replacement part is over-sized (8' long), and must be cut to fit when installing. (Note, measuring the length of your old cable is not accurate enough. We need to lay your old cable side by side with the new one while cutting it.). If you want to have a spare cable, now is the time to get one - ordering two of the same sized custom cut cables at the same time will save you money for shipping. Indicate your choice of the above options with the menu above. If sending us your old cable, put a copy of your prepaid sales receipt in the box with your old cable so we know who it belongs to. Anything else that you order at the same time will be held for shipping till we receive your old cable - so if you want other items shipped sooner, make a separate order and payment for just the cable.
Note, about 90% of the time a bent skeg cable can be straightened well enough by hand or with two pairs of pliers that replacement isn't necessary. A slight waviness in the cable after straightening is usually okay as long as the cable slides through the poly tube sheath without sticking. Waves that are shorter than an inch or still have a tight kink will likely stick and bend again, but a cable with long gentle waves usually works as good as new.
On Valley kayaks new enough to have the skeg cable inside a tube at the cockpit control end, the only place the skeg cable is likely to bend is in the first few inches above the skeg blade. Often this can be straightened without completely removing the cable from the kayak, and if this works it will save a lot of time. However, it is easier to straighten the cable if you take it all the way out so the choice depends on where and how badly the cable is bent. The steps start out the same regardless of whether you to attempt to straighten the cable or replace it.
We have written instructions for replacing a skeg cable on pre-2011 WS Tempest model kayaks, but Valley skeg systems are similar. See Tips Page - Skeg Cable Repair .
Tip: It's often optional but after cutting the cable we sand the end round so it is easy to feed through the skeg system (sand in one direction only so you don't fray the cable). We use a belt sander with a 150grit belt for this but it can be done by hand with a sanding block. If you feel the cable stop while feeding it through the skeg system turn the cable in the direction that tightens the twist in the cable while gently pushing it in. If you have us custom cut a new cable to match your old one we will sand both ends.