So it's 2024...I have owned my Impex Force Cat 5 since 2009. She is a solid boat and we have had a lot of fun together. I managed to develop a chronic heel injury last summer training for Bromont, and I have not run since January 1st. So my warm weather sport will pivot back to kayaking. That means repairs and upgrades for rhe old girl!First, the skeg wire needs replacing. There are a handful of blogs out there from 10-25 years ago discussing this procedure.
I visited The Boathouse in Dorval, a sailing equipment store and purchased 2.5m of 1 x 19 Stainless 316 cable. Size was 3/32". The almost equivalent of the OEM of 3mm is 1/8", but I read that 1/8" is y fat and may have trouble travelling in the sheath.
Ordering this wire online is very expensive. Locally it cost me $2.75.
I removed the skeg with a rubber mallet and it popped out. I measured the wires together, and the replacement is notably thinner. At least that's how it looks. Hoping it works!
I got out my heat gun and applied it to the epoxy where the wire joins the skeg. Using a screwdriver I eventually removed the epoxy and original wire.
Then I backed the existing hole with duct tape.
Discussing this procedure with my friends at The Boathouse we agreed that G35 epoxy was the best choice. So I mixed a bit and applied it to the hole once I had slipped the wire in the top hole.
I also applied some G35 to the hole that the guide rod in the slider fits into. It has been annoyingly popping out...I'm not sure it's built that way! Hopefully that takes and my skeg toggle doesn't pull it out anymore.
Next day:
The G35 has set and I installed the wire and popped the skeg back on with my rubber mallet. I clipped a bit off the end of the wire at the toggle.
The glue on the rod held....I tightened the toiggle screw and my skeg is working like new!
