Winding cable and drum boat steering 

Your video here got my family out on the water with the old Fishabout that we were taking for its maiden fishing session. Thanks so much for the great work that you do putting these videos out helping us stay on the water.

Got my steering back.... thanks heaps mate... cheers

Love it. She swims over to ask if you need a beer! She’s a keeper. LOL

Thanks for the tutorials! Have just redone the dodgy cable on my new (old) boat this morning which was held by just 2 turns behind the wheel. Very valuable to be able to refer to. Cheers Stu.

This video was very helpful. I screwed up the first time I did it, because I had the ends of the cable coming off the wrong side of the drum (turn to port and we went to starboard (and vice versa). The key the 2nd time was carefully thinking it out in my head: if I turn the wheel to port, that pulls on the starboard-side cable and turns the front of the motor to starboard, turning the boat to port (and vice versa). The other thing was making sure the cables were tight using a turnbuckle.

@dangarstu you sir, (and eddie.) are bonafide eastern treasures. From me in California, with much 🚢 ❤. thank you for your uploads!

Just want to thank you so much for this video. I bought my first boat recently and the drum steering came apart. After watching your video I realised the precious owner didn't even wound it correctly. I had no idea about boats but got it all working now. So happy. Thanks Stu!

Thanks for this video, I'm replacing the steering cable on our 78 Hourston Glasscraft and the pulleys were straight fwd but I'm glad I watched your video otherwise I wouldn't have had the main steering pulley wound correctly. I guess one shouldn't always copy the previous owners job. Very helpful easy to follow vid! Cheers!!

Eindelijk een duidelijk filmpje over hoe ik deze kabel moet maken. Ik ben je voor altijd dankbaar dat JIJ mij dit geleerd hebt. Groetjes een amateurtje.

Thank you sir. I picked up a vintage inboard with dodgy steering and the first few minutes explaining the drum explains what is going wrong. Kudos!

Great video, I’m not quite there, but I did take my cables off yesterday with the steering wheel, and my old cable from 1962 was coated in plastic, that was totally decaying. Thanks.

Did mine a few weeks ago. Thank you for the awesome video! Couldn't have done mine without it.

i watched this a while ago which gave me the confidence to do it myself. today I watched again and successfully got my steering working. just as the weather is improving too. you're a bit of a legend around these parts. keep it up mate.

My last two projects on two separate boats, you sir have showed me exactly what I have to do. Love your channel and I am now a subscriber. Good dude! Thanks

Stu - you gave me the courage to tackle a fickle handle on an electric trolling motor.... I know, not the same as an outboard but a electro-mechanical device that needed repair. I ordered a $20 rheostat to effect the repair..... thanks for your instilling a sense of confidence in those less knowledgeable.....

I am late to class, but I have my homework with me. Thank you so much for the help! If you see this in the next week or so there should be a video on my boat build.

Very useful (the only information I've found on this subject) Thank you so much!

Exactly the video I needed, and the ONLY one I could find. Thanks!

Thanks for this, got us out of trouble and now we can enjoy out boat more👍🏻😁

Thanks for your help dangar marine great videos and so helpful

Great. Now I know where to start on my new(1976) boat where it all let go yesterday, somehow. I was pulling a pretty tight turn under power when it let go. Great video!!! 👌👍

Well done! Thanks for doing this one!

Love the program. Taught me a lot, THANKS 😊 SO MUCH ,I TRUST YOUR KNOWLEDGE.

The Baritone Channel-I agree wholeheartedly with you! Thank you to Dangar Marine for helping out a new boat owner all the way up in Des Moines, Iowa, United States! Our family found a small 1962 Pipestone last fall and cannot find ANY information on it?! I came across your vid on our 2nd trip as my engine was seizing up and figured it out with your help. My drum steering also came apart this past weekend while we were out on the water, so I had to think quick and bum rig it to get back to shore.(nice rug burn on my shoulder, left as a battle scar). The prior owner had 2 wires running forward and wrapped them at the drum. Now, I’m glad we haven’t taken it out to a larger lake to let it loose yet?! From your comments, that does NOT sound like a good situation and we dodged a major bullet. Also, being stuck in the middle of a lake floating like a dead stick doesn’t sound like a good time. Pulled up your channel and it’s great to always find what I need for our boat. Fixed it this morning-Easy Peasy, lemon squeezie. I know our 3 kids appreciate us sticking to plan to get out tomorrow!! Thanks again from up North, Stu!! Keep up the great work!!!

Finally!....I now know what he is saying at beginning of every video. DangerSTU.....I always thought he was saying Dangars TWO.

Thanks Stu. Just bought an old bomb and it really just needs the steering fixed. I already had the cable laying around, so I'll fix it tomorrow. Nice Vid. Nice and clear. A lot of help. Ta.

thanks for the video save me a lot of time and money trying to figure it out myself

Thanks mate, this video helped me to fix up my old steering system. Cheers

Very helpful, I have steering again thanks to you.

My old boat had that set up, it was arm strong steering with my 70 johnson for sure. I didn't like it from day one and it failed at the worst time at sea handy to the rocks it went hard over in a tight circle. I had to disconnect the throttle controls and steer it from the motor. I could have thrown me overboard into 45 f water. Cheers mate.

Video was a massive help thanks mate

That was the best explanation I’ve done this before with other videos and basically I had to teach myself and I forgot how I did it so thank you so much mine came apart today and I had to steer from the back and pick upFor crab traps it wasn’t fun can’t wait to rebuild it will add the turnbuckle so that it will stay tight when I lift the motor that seems to be my problem

very helpful thank you very much. I have the "rig" in tact, just took off the 2 d-shackles either side of engine to allow slack so I can wind the drum back properly. I was struggling, came home, saw this will give it another go now. thanks again.

Thanks for this. Very useful

Great video. Thanks

Too hot outside so im inside drinking a coopers mid watching this, I'll also have one for you Stu.

A lot of moving parts and places for things to go wrong. I've never seen a set up like this (albeit I've only been boating for about 6 years). Good to know, thanks!

THANK YOU!!! Very informative and content = spot on!!!

Another great video , thanks again mate

great work stu your the man

Happy New Year Stu!! Nice work too!! Haven't seen one of those steering systems in a long time!!

Brings back memories - my first boat, about 40 years ago had this arrangement :-)

I think my 1969 Starcraft mariner V had this setup back in the day. The tensioner springs are still flopping around in the stern, no one ever removed them. She was converted to single cable steering before she became mine. This was an interesting one though. Always wondered what those springs were for in my boat. Happy new year Stu, thanks for posting this.

Thanks Stu ! attemped my replacement cable today..Took a couple of attempts as I was upside down, back to front and got myself tangled with the cable .Great video and very handy to know.

Good job...thank you 👏👏👏

Awesome vid stu, gave me confidence to fix it the first time round and turned out great :) unfortunately released the tension on the cable by unhooking starboard side from the engine and unwound the whole thing so i am back again- Might want to duct tape the steering together if anyones thinking about undoing cable to move wires around lol

Very helpful, thank you!

Good show mate, you answered alot of my questions...

Very well done thank you very much sir

excellent video / well explained - give the editing department a slap on the back! I'd add now is a good time to put a drop of lube on the pulleys and there is a right way and a wrong way to install a U Clamp - and should there be a lock nut on the U Clamp - thank you for posting this

cool video

Thank you 😊

Top stuff Mate.I had an old glass runabout with a setup like that with crusty cables and pulleys.My Quinny has the teleflex steering now which is so much simpler and better.That visitor was quite friendly wasn't she?I bet it's been busy there over Christmas.

You're a lifesaver. I bought a 4.4 metre aluminium runabout with a drum and pulley steering this week and have lost steering a couple of times already due to the cable dropping off the pulley. I have been searching for the correct set up everywhere but this is the only video that clearly shows how to do it. Is it possible to retrofit push/pull rotary steering systems to older boats? Keep up the great videos!

thank you

Second to watch first to like. Haha. Wish I saw this months ago. I just took it out and put in modern steering

I love this!!! What do you do if you don't have a center channel?

where was this video last summer when I was pulling my hair out!!! - thanks, great job.

If you have the type of drum that contains no slot, but contains a cable lock-down in the middle, then put the midpoint of the cable in the lockdown and secure it with screws. (Note first see that your steering wheel and outboard motor are straight.). Then, wind the aft half of the spool using the wheel and tape it off. Then wind the fore/front/open half of the spool using the other cable and tape it off. Then, making sure the cables exit the drum from above (the top side) the drum, thread them back to the engine. Key points: make sure the cable exits from the top of the drum. Leave a few empty turns on the drum so the cable has a place to go when you turn the steering wheel. Make sure the steering wheel cable pulls in cable on the opposite side of the boat from the direction you are trying to turn (boat steering works by pushing the back of the boat in the opposite direction of the turn). It doesn’t matter if the cables exit the drum in the middle of the drum (like in Stu’s case) or at the fore and aft part of the drum (like in my case) either system works. Thanks for the video Stu it was super helpful!

Thanks for the info. I have a question for you if you can somehow answer it. I have the same type of set up on my 73’ Starcraft Holiday. Except on mine the drum doesn’t have the cut out long the middle for the cable to wrap over. I have holes at each end on the the flanges. No matter what I do I can not get it to work correctly.

Im here because i just purchased a boat and was about to take it for a spin today and realised the steering is opposite 😂

Thank you!! :))

Thanks Dangar. I understand this video is a little old, but, do you have a video on a refresh of the steering drum shaft and wheel assembly? Mine's gnarly and I don't want to beat something apart that isn't meant to come apart.

Cloths line works well, it is a steal cable with the the protection of rubber against corrosion.

Thanks for the excellent video. What is this type of cable called? I keep seeing others that are more than just plain cable. Can I just get and stainless cable from the hardware store?

I have this pulley system on my older 14ft aluminum boat . i’m going with a newer 20 hp 4 stroke . should i stay with pulleys or go with a rotary steering setup

Super helpful video, thanks so much for uploading! Any reason you used an uncoated wire? Could this same process be done using a coated wire? I'm thinking I want to do used coated just for extra corrosion protection...? Thoughts?

Happy New Year (even though you had it a day before I did here in San Diego, CA... :) Most steering wheels have a "center" or straight ahead position that's pretty clear. You didn't mention anything about getting that right, or pretty close to right, is there a trick to ensure that, or just eyeball the motor when hooking everything up? RichE

Would it be possible to show a quick video of the cables running to pulleys from the center console pulley showing the cable to rear pulley and how it runs to the motor? Thank you sir! Awesome video converting my boat to a center console and now I have a pretty good idea on how to do it just need few more info

Hi Stu, Just about to tackle this job with your help, Thank you sir! I wonder if the tension of the cable has to take into account the motor being tilted forward? I did one years ago and had a bit of trouble with the cable being to tight. Love your videos and I have watched most of them. I figure this will be a two beer job.

I would like your opion on this type of pulley/cable steering system.I just bought a 1966 starcraft 14 foot V hull. She has a Classic Mercury 50 hp,which I understand to be 45 hp. She has this pulley/cable steering.but instead of metal cable its plastic, which is showing its age with cracks in the plastic cable. I was wondering if I should replace it with a new metal cable and pulleys. Thanks for your video,Scott

I am doing this job in the next day or so, I just wanted to ask if I face the front of my boat and look underneath to access the drum am I best starting to attatch the wire at the top of the drum nearest the steering wheel or the bottom of the drum? Also if I need to start at the top of the drum do I take that wire off to the left or right

I have been trying to locate a spare replacement drum hopefully in Australia but not much luck yet. Any links from anywhere?

What if your drum doesn't have a groove that goes straight across?

how do you put the cable on the pully if the drum does not have a grove down the center ??

Hey Stu. love watching your channel. I have a boat with a drum that doesn't have the slot to lay the cable in. yang you give me some advice on how to go about winding a new cable?

Have you switched any boats from cable drum to push pull cable?

Were can i get a new steering drum ?

On this very type rig, (cable/drum) how is the steering wheel itself fastened as i need to remove mine to fix cracks on my dash?

What size and type of springs do you use

Excellent demonstration, Stu. But please, won't you share with us.... how it is that you know that there's nothing worse than coming up just a bit short on cable?? Or should I even ask? Hmmm... I can just imagine.....

a few months ago I saw the light that was "teleflex" Never looked back....No more drum cables for me... I once wound the cable on in reverse whilst lying in the boat the night before . This error resulted in quite an embarrassing fishing trip.. "Harder to Port ! Harder to Port !!!!! " oh dear

hi there great video only problem I have is on drum I only have 2 separate groves and not like yours will lots of grooves how do I sort it

How do you connect the cable to the motor?

Hi Stu, Thanks for sharing this one. The boat and motor don't look old enough to have this steering setup. Was it a personal preference of the owner? I am guessing that this system could be more reliable for boats that live in the water.

Guessing when you finally set your turnbuckle tension that you semi-permanent Loctite Blue (medium strength) thread-lock adhesive. Sure hate for it to vibrate free. Other option is to lock engine in the up position tighten, then lower the engine to increase to operating tension.

What does the spring do?

Hello Stu, I noticed that you're using steel cable; is this the best type to use for this kind of project? I'm looking to replace the cable on my steering system but I think mine is just nylon. Thanks, Noah.

Hey D Stew, what's the minimum number of turns for this to work? I am going to re do mine but I don't think I have enough cable!

Where can I buy a pully and cable system? Can't seem to locate a source.

l am taking on a self-designed boat....which has pontoons ( 6 ft apart at center.) ..lm thinking a drum system..can manage both rudders and engine.........should I connect the 3 with linkage , and then attach cables ...? ( uhg..)

I have a question I'm looking to buy an 1978 evinrude 115 v4 I went today and pulled a compression and 3 of the four showed 91psi and 4th showed 90psi. my question is shouldn't compression be much higher and would it be worth buying without costing me major money. motor hasn't been started in 7yrs and was checked on cold start.

Any one know where i can find a replacement drum

I bought a zodiac with a cable steering unit, but the pulleys are missing. It’s not steering unit with a dum, but with cogwheel and a chain that decays to two cables. I doubt between to restore this cable steering unit or buying a new mono cable steering unit. The “paddle wheel effect” of the Honda 4 stroke 50PK could be too unpleasant with the cable steering unit. What would you do?

wehre you can buy this?

always good weather, nice shores, plenty of outboards to work with.... man , you are in heaven;) im so envy... is there anything wrong there? i mean, seriously!??

Haven't seen one of those in 40 years.

could u do a video on converting a old tiller steer motor to remotes :)

If my cables both run down on side of the boat do I wind the drum the same way?

Ok 👌