: Hi Brian,

: Are these walden fittings you're referring to? Or do you have any other
: ideas? My thoughts were to look into types of bicycle fittings, or types
: of cable tv fittings. Others? Small hydraulics fittings? Accelerator
: cables on cars?

Mick,

What I was referring to are the plastic tubing and fittings that are available at hardware stores. They're typically used for water filters, ice makers, coffee machines, etc. in lieu of copper tubing. The tubing is typically a milky color, 1/4' OD, ~1/8" ID. It is used with brass compression rings and fittings on the ends that can be conveniently glued into a skeg box and control system. It will serve as the outer, watertight housing for an actuating cable, much like the housing of a bicycle cable. BTW, bicycle cable housing is not stainless and therefore is not suitable for kayak applications.

It's possible to use either a braided cable or a solid wire inside the poly tubing, though I feel that the solid wire approach is superior for a push-pull system such as a skeg. I haven't looked for a source for stainless wire yet, but I'm sure it's available from industrial suppliers or hobby shops. Speed shops may also sell it for use as safety wire.

You can attach it to the skeg by making a 90 degree bend 1" or so from the end, feeding it through a small cross drilled hole in the skeg, then bending the end again to keep the cable in place. At the other end, the actuator slide need be nothing more than a plastic cylinder or ball with a hole drilled through it (a large plastic bead will work) and a small set screw that pinches the cable where it passes through. If you have a Walden dealer anywhere near you, take a look at the system on a Passage and you'll see what I mean.