new steering cable-why did I ever wait?

Took the cover off the boat last week to summerize and could not even turn the steering wheel (I knew it was stiff last year, but forgot about it). Went to the dealer (Sail and Ski in Austin...very awesome dealer), picked up a new cable for about $180.00 and dropped it in in under 1 hour. The most time consuming part is getting the motor box and back seat out of the boat.

Man what a difference! What made this project the most fun of all is that my 10 year old boy helped out from start to finish. He (by himself) removed the kick panel, unbolted the cable rack from the helm, and walked the old cable out of the boat (while I guided it out from the tube). Going back in was very easy with my son pulling on the rope AND holding the cable rack while I guided the new cable down the tube. My son bolted the rack back onto the helm!

It is hard for me to get my son interested in fixing things with me, but he seems to enjoy working on the boat. This weekend, we (mostly he) are going to re-assemble and install the RWP, connect the water hoses, retighten the belts and fire her up. I can't wait!

David,
Your son will remember those moments for the rest of his life.
Kurt

My son used to do ALL the work, plus getting ready for vacation. He loved it. Been way more handy than his dad his whole life. Those days were fun....me sitting in the garage...trying to stay outa his way.

Agree as to the cable...MM's bro Keith replaced mine last fall and it is sweet!

john

yup the hammer really did the job well of killing it of course haha when we give up and start telling him we want a new one he begin trying to fix but still doen't get his hands dirty as much if i can remember correct since we owned this boat about a year he never got a sponge to wash it after use ahahha

I agree with all of you. I am just so glad at least one of my three boys (10, 13, 15) wants to help and seems interested. When I was a boy, my Dad fixed everything at home. My job was to assist and hold the flashlight. No matter what he did, he needed me to hold the flashlight. Took me a few years to figure out his strategy...kept me interested and watching.

My dad and I worked on and restored cars together for years, just for the fun of it. Now he is getting up there in the years and we live in different towns, so not much of that kind of bonding going on now a days.

The point is that my dad and I are close for this precise reason. I hope I achieve the same kind of lasting bond with my youngest. He's going to need it