Steering cable replacement 2002 SN 196

Here is the outcome of changing the steering cable on my boat but first I want to thank everyone that replied. Special thanks to Keith for sending photos which gave me a baseline to work from.

I called Sea Solutions, formerly Teleflex, and was told the 20’ cable that they now sell, model SSC15420, is actually 20’ 6”. They also informed me that the original cable, which was still on my boat, was 20’.

Armed with this information, I taped a small diameter plastic tube to my steering cable under the bow and routed it in front of the air intake duct to the hole in the floor. I don’t know if this is a coincidence or not but all I needed to route the new cable in front of the duct was 6 more inches.

That being said, I toyed with the idea of installing a 21’ cable. There is plenty of room along the hull and the radius coming into the hole in the floor would have been more gradual than the 20’ (actually 20’ 6”) cable.

So what did I do? I bought and installed model SSC15420, the 20’ cable. It’s snug against the duct but it works fine. Please see the four photos below.

If I had to do it again, I would buy the 21’, model SSC15421. Why?

The obvious reason is to have a more gradual radius. The second reason is the air intake duct is made of a fabric material (It’s beginning to get brittle and crack. I did duct tape the holes you see in the photos.) and with the 21’ cable it would not be rubbing against the duct.

I hope this helps anyone that has a 2002 Ski Nautique 196 with a heater that is thinking about replacing the steering cable. By the way, the two control cables are still on the aft side of the duct and they should be on the bow side according to Keith's photos. Not sure if they come in a longer length. Some day I might have to find out the answer to that question.

That bundle is separate. You will not have to unwrap it. Just unscrew those four bottom screws and start pulling and if it hangs up see what else you have to take apart. Trial and error.

The Air Box and hole deal will become more clear once you have the kick panel off and you see what you are dealing with. I think.

boo wrote: Donald, Trust me on this next statement. If I perform this task successfully, I will post photos and instructions. I wonder why there are no steering cable replacement forums on the 2002 Ski Nautique 196 closed bow? No answer expected.

Tom, it is just my opinion, but the 2002 is still considered a newer boat. I doubt it but you might find some photos and some step by step on Planet Nautique .com. Normally, that is where the new boat stuff is found. Correct Craft Fan is a very valuable resource but most of the guys on here have boats from the 60-90. When someone needs older boat help on Planet Nautique, they tell them to go to Correct Craft Fan.com. Many of us post of both sites. This early 2000 stuff is just now getting the hours and years that these repairs are starting to see wholesale rebuilds in general.

Maybe I am wrong.

Donald

Donald,

Thank you very much for your reply.

1) I will not remove the four upper screws as you recommend.

2) Awaiting the photos of your kick panel, hopefully, front and back views.

3) If possible, please send a photo of the wing-nut attachment and the bar, too. I was unable to see the starboard side of my fuse / circuit breaker box so I'm assuming the wind nut is on that side. If the fuse / circuit breaker box does separate from the kick panel then I won't have to uncoil the harness wiring in photo 6. Removing the kick panel would then be a very easy task.

4) Also if possible, please send a photo of the area that your steering cable goes through the floor.

If I get the kick panel off, it appears I need to remove the top clamp on the air intake duct. This will allow me to feed the cable farther into the bow and then angle the cable through the floor at an angle closer to horizontal with the top of the air intake duct disconnected.

I'm getting ahead of myself here. At this point I simply need to know what the front and back of your kick panel look like.

Trust me on this next statement. If I perform this task successfully, I will post photos and instructions. I wonder why there are no steering cable replacement forums on the 2002 Ski Nautique 196 closed bow? No answer expected.

You are correct about the rudder connection. It's fully accessible under the trunk's floor.

Awaiting your photos.

Sincerely,
Tom T.

[QUOTE=boo]


#1 - Has anyone ever removed the driver's side forward kick panel? This is the panel that is forward of the driver's feet. The panel has approximately 6 Phillip's head screws and bolts in it and the fuse box is visible through it. (Some of the screws/bolts are quite long and appear to be holding the fuse box in place.)

Boo, Yes I have, many times, but it was on a 2002 Sport Nautique so maybe I should not respond to the thread, but oh well. I actually did it last week and it is out of the boat and in my garage so I can post a back side photo of it tomorrow and it will answer most of this question for you. The fuse / breaker box sits in a aluminum cradle with a swing gate arm. Those four screws hold that cradle to the kick panel. Do not remove those four screws. You will just be giving yourself extra work. I did it that way the first time I pulled the panel. There should be two screws on the left hand side and two on the floor on a dark colored L-Bracket if my memory is correct. That is how my panel is attached, yours looks different so I would loosen those four bottom screws, but not the four top screws. I see that your boat has a heater because I see the heat vent. Then you have to jiggle / wiggle the panel out of there. It is kind of tricky. Be careful not to break the white backer board. I will post a photo tomorrow and it will help you a lot to understand. There will be a wing nut that you will remove to swing down a bar to pull out that fuse box / break box and it has a ton or wires running to it.


#2 - Has anyone ever replaced the steering cable on a 2002 Ski Nautique 196 closed-bow?

No, buy my neighbor did on a 2000 Air Nautique this summer which is identical to my 20o2 Sport Nautique Helm if you add ballast and I provided some technical help and prayer assistance to him. His issues were getting to the rudder with the factory hard tanks in the way. With a Ski Nautique you should not have that issue getting to the rudder. You just need to tie a rope to the old one before you pull it out to help you guide the new one in. If you do not, you are screwed.


#3 - Do I need to remove that forward kick panel to change the steering cable on this boat.

Oh yes, in my opinion you do, you will need every opening you can get. Just like Uncle Todd told you, remove the Driver seat would likely also help. That is also a two person job to get someone to hold a 1/2" wrench on top of the bolt while you are wrenching the nut off the bottom of the seat bolt. You can not reach around the seat with your other hand to get to the far corner bolt. I learned this also last week. I changed a cable in my 80 and I was thinking last week that when I have to change the cable in this 2002 Sport, it is going to be a lot harder running the cable under the helm the way it changes directions and such. You need as much room to get in there as possible.

Please only reply if you've changed a steering cable on this year and model Nautique.

These models are all built on the same principles so many of the ideas cross over so try to be open minded and you will get more help faster.   I would do a search on all cable change out threads for tips and ideas and they will cross over to the job that you are about to take on.   Learn to cuss, it will also help.

That bundle of wiring you are seeing is Correct Craft wires all boats for every option, Team Edition. It must be more cost effective for them to buy one wiring harness from their vendor. Then they sell the boat as a Signature Series, Limited Series , or the Team Series. Depending on which series is ordered the boat gets loaded with those options like heater and shower. You are seeing the bundle of wiring for those unused options. On a boat like a Sport, people will add blast pumps and use the factory wiring a switches to run the non OEM pumps.

Donald

Tom, pull the kick panel and the drivers seat. Find a friend and work together on the pull. I've done several but not an 02. I don't think there are any tricks needed on. Your boat