Forward-Reverse cable coming loose.

[tribologist]

The shift cable came loose at the control leaving me stuck in reverse when i was supposed to enter lock E-21. I shut the engine off and dropped the anchor. The clip was deformed and curled up. I straighten in and reinstalled it and it worked fine

It seems like the cables are fine but its hard to know without reference. Im tempted to put in a new control and new cables.

Anyone else with similar experience? Anyone changing the controls?

Ulf

[NickScheuer]

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We switched from the original singe lever throttle/shift control to a 2-lever Morse unit a couple of years ago when a mechanic said the original probably contributed to my "frying" the transmission, requiring a transplant.

[dkirsop]

I replaced my shifter cable two years ago and everything became smooth as silk. Shifting became effortless and more controllable. It's a simple job. Take your old cable to the marine store to measure up against the new cable as there is some variation between manufacturers in how they measure their cables. Attach a cord to your old cable before you pull it out and use this to pull the new cable back. There is a bit of fiddling at the control and transmission ends to get the final adjustments right but it still only takes about an hour to complete the job.

[DesertAlbin736]

No doubt since our boats are only one hull number apart we probably have the same single lever original setup of the same age and amount of wear. I like single lever vs Morse two lever, but this mishap reminds me to add this to my annual PM inspection/projects list. Might consider replacing both shift & throttle cables at the same time while also inspecting/servicing the mechanism. I intensely dislike breaking down at the worst possible moment because I was penny wise & pound foolish & didn't do my PMs. Not saying you are, but these are very old boats.

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https://www.defender.com/product.jsp?pa ... id=3385942

Stuff (to keep the post PG rated) happens with old boats. Our dear friends, sailing cruise buddies, and fellow long distance trailersailors have gotten bit a few times. In 2016 the the shaft seal on their raw water pump failed, pumping salt water in their bilge, leaving them & us hung up in Nanaimo for five days waiting on parts. Last year they broke an axle on their trailer but didn't replace both axles at the same time & then the other one broke on their way home this year, having rusted through from the inside, leaving them stranded between Boise & Twin Falls, Idaho for four days while the only shop they could find was backed up. That was after their diesel fuel tank sprung a leak from all the jouncing on the way up & leaked gallons of diesel in their bilge, which since their inboard was an aftermarket installation doesn't have the engine pan like our boats. Even after replacing the tank the vent line was plugged & gave faulty gauge readings & they ran out of fuel a mile from Tsehum harbour near Sidney on a calm day & we towed them the rest of the way in. Each of those breakdowns were expensive repairs, their boat being 40 years old, and for most of their cruise in San Juans & Gulf Islands the cabin reeked of diesel fuel (and cat litter since they brought their cat along).

....it still only takes about an hour to complete the job.

Ha ha. Murphy's Law Section 1052 states: "All jobs, no matter how simple or complex, takes at least 4 hours to complete". Comes right after the clause where no good deed goes unpunished.

[tribologist]

Lol, “Zen and the art of motorcycle maintenance”,

The screw was tight holding the clip. Really a puzzle. Maybe it had snagged something in the past and i never noticed. Controls are fairly smooth but new ones and cables are not expensive so i might swap this fall. Im just too busy using the boat.. . I cant locate any numbers on the cables so i would need to pull the cables to measure them or possibly run a line in parallel.

[Desertboater]

Our Albin 25 has the original Teleflex Morse single lever shift/throttle mechanism (hull number 802). When we repowered with a Beta Marine 25 Hp motor, both the throttle and shift cables were replaced. The new cables were Teleflex TFXtreme cables - they were more expensive than the standard Teleflex (now Sea Star Solutions) cables; however, they result in very easy and smooth shifting & throttle control.

Attached is the Teleflex Top Mount Single Lever Control installation & instruction sheet for the original units on these Albins. Also attached is a data sheet on the TFXtreme cables showing the different end connections that can be obtained. Also attached is a Teleflex cable selection guide.

Hope this helps.

[DesertAlbin736]

Desertboater,

Hope this helps.

Yes, that does help, very much! So if I'm reading the cross reference table correctly, ours is the Morse KM type as shown in the photo in my previous post above and in your installation sheet, which if so should take CC179XX standard type or CC635XX premium TFXtreme type? Do you remember which part number your new cables are? Our boat was repowered with the Yanmar 3GM30F around 1990 by owners previous to our PO. Although we have the same year boat as yours, cable lengths may be different with our Yanmar engine, where the throttle/hi pressure fuel pump is to starboard while the tranny shift arm is to port. I'm not sure if the cables were replaced then, but even if they were that's nearly 30 years ago. Ours have been working well, but there is a spot on the throttle cable where the plastic outer jacket has worn through where it rubs up against the engine. This whole thread reminds me I need to pay attention to those cables, and even with the higher price would be prudent cheap insurance to replace them with TFXtreme cables before they fail. Nothing could be worse that having either shift or throttle cable stick or fail in a tight spot or way out at sea. Echoing tribologist, will look into replacing them this fall. In our case we're not busy using the boat now having just returned from the PNW cruise, but it's too hot down here and will be for at least another month to even think about working on the boat. Just one week ago our high hit 110 and is expected to do so again this Saturday. Imagine that, Labor Day weekend & it's 110.

[tribologist]

I have 5ft 3” throttle cable inside my engine box. Shifter is longer but im going to re-route it and make both the same. From tip at control to plate on engine bed is 8’ 7” so im getting 14’ long ones. Im probably buying 3300 cables. Its not a very demanding application.

[hetek]

I have a two level Morse control box but more importantly, I just wanted to mention my new cables...

I bought the TFXtreme cables for my throttle and shift functions and if I had to do it all over again, I would opt for the standard cables, at least for the throttle.

Seems the TFXtreme cables are a bit too smooth. This is fantastic for the gear shift (like butter!) but not so for the throttle. The engine's throttle return spring will actually make my lever creep back to idle!

Rather than change out my brand new cables I just installed a drag, designed just to add a bit of friction to prevent throttle lever creep. I suppose I could also remove the throttle return spring, but having a bit of tactile feel is better than not.

[tribologist]

Replaced the shift cable. Used a 14’ 3300 Xtreme https://www.defender.com/product.jsp?path=-1&id=3381958. $41.99. I was going to change controller but the single lever ones are $399 and up and a bit large. Im going to look over my old one in the fall. It took about 1 hr. No murphy involved. Shifts perfect now.

[TorreyWP]

Glad you got the job done, you won't be disappointed by the Xtreme cables. The way that cables are built has come a long way from the original cables in these boats.

I also made the switch from the original twin lever to a single lever control box and upgraded my cables at the same time. I suggest watching eBay for a control box if you are still interested. I saved a bunch and got a nice single lever Morse box in good shape. Beware of knock offs that do not have the same smooth action.

[tribologist]

Lol! Looked on ebay and tons of chinese knockoffs show up. I just went through an ordeal with a counterfeit Smith Little Torch... im going to take mine out and carefully inspect it this fall. Then I should be good for as long i have the boat.

The beauty of keeping it is that all settings are figured out. Real time saver. I will change the throttle cabel as soon as we get back from this weekends NYC/hudson cruising adventure.
Ulf

[DesertAlbin736]

Keep those pics from your NYC/Hudson cruise coming, like the latest posted on your "Doing DA Stuff" thread. Especially like the one of Lady Liberty viewed through the side window from the driver's seat. And the view of downtown NYC. How is it going upstream on the Hudson? I guess the river is tidal there, so do you need to wait for flood tide or slack to go upstream? Or is the current weak enough to go against the ebb tide? If so, what's the speed of ebb & flood currents?

I notice sometimes your signatures sometimes mention Groton, CT, other times South Windsor. When you do NYC & the Hudson, where are you launching from?

Here's a similar view out the window from our driver's seat of a large ketch fogbound off Sidney Spit, a small island near the city of Sidney BC on Vancouver Island.

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Going back to your gas-in-the-fuel-tank issue, as I research next year's possible Triangle Loop adventure (going clockwise from Brewerton on the west end of Oneida Lake) I'm looking on the 'net at where fuel docks selling diesel are & the distances between them.

Also, I notice in your photos you mostly keep your cockpit enclosure canvas rolled up & the cockpit open. In your thread about the dinghy sling there's a picture of your boat on the trailer with the canvas in place. Looks like the stock design with a small rear flap window & no side windows. Our boat came with the same thing, which to me was unacceptable, since we like to keep the canvas up for shade but absolutely need the ventilation. That's why I made a new one with screens, flaps, & side windows, and widened the back window. That way the entire boat can be screened in yet be able to see out the sides. Or completely roll up the back & sides. Also made vinyl windows that can velcro over the screens so even if it's cold & rainy you can be snug as a bug in the cockpit & still see out. Outer flaps can be closed for privacy & keep the sun out. Of course with the original single bow frame you still have to climb in over the aft cabin & not the sides. But at least if you're caught out in cold & rain you're completely sheltered & can still see out the sides & back. If you got hold of a walking foot sewing machine & sunbrella material, with help from Sailrite how-to videos you could do something like that if you had a mind to. Maybe even modify the existing canvas if it's in good shape. In our case the canvas was pretty trashed to begin with.

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ps, hint, if you want your photos to appear in the left margin, use the "Place inline" button in the upload box.

[tribologist]

That is a nice canvas cover. I think I will re-sew some seams this winter and also put some band under a few areas that are wearing but I think I let it live another year.

I loosened the throttle cable at the control and I was able to control the throttle by hand. That will give many more years of service so the new cable is going on a car ride back to the defender. I also took the cover off the control and wiped it clean and re-lubricated it with spray lithium grease.
I don’t think I gain any reliability by pulling it apart. There is always a possibility of messing something up bu taking it apart. It seems very robust and i did not see much black sludge. Making sure those curved cams has grease on them is probably a good thing. Wipe them and give them A squirt with white lithium grease every few years. CRC makes one and Toyota dealers has one to. Its common for window regulators. The nut around the fwd-reverse button is all that holds the cover.

[tribologist]

I have 5ft 3” throttle cable inside my engine box. Shifter is longer but im going to re-route it and make both the same. From tip at control to plate on engine bed is 8’ 7” so im getting 14’ long ones. Im probably buying 3300 cables. Its not a very demanding application.

Thank you Tribologist for posting this. Time to change the throttle cable too and now i know how long to order!!!