Hobie MirageDrive PSA+Question - Kayak Fishing Adventures on Big Water’s Edge

ProfessorLongArms · 04-30-2020, 12:18 PM

Sooooo before going out yesterday, I checked the tension on my MD180 like I always do, and noticed all of my cables were a bit loose. I tightened them all down to where I'd been recommended by Andy and noticed that they almost all ran close to the bottom of their respective bolts. I guess the cables are showing a bit of stretch, or perhaps that's just where they originally were.....

Anyway, On the water yesterday, 3 miles from shore, my drive popped loose. One of the locknuts on a chain cable just walked right off and into the ocean.

Your PSA: Get an extra cable or two with lock nuts, some extra cardi-pins for your fins, find a small wrench that fits it, and put them in a ziplock bag that lives with a kit that always goes out with you. That would have been one hell of a paddle in an outback against wind and current.

My question: This one's been on my mind quit a bit lately. My outback is going on 3 years old, and it seems like a pretty common milestone is the breaking of a cable in the middle from flexing back and forth. Is there a telltale sign (perhaps such as all of your cables getting loose at once) where you know that break is on the way? Has anyone on here ever gone so far as to just proactively replace their cables, or at least keep a full set on hand?

04-30-2020, 12:18 PM	#1
ProfessorLongArms Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2017 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 401	Hobie MirageDrive PSA+Question Sooooo before going out yesterday, I checked the tension on my MD180 like I always do, and noticed all of my cables were a bit loose. I tightened them all down to where I'd been recommended by Andy and noticed that they almost all ran close to the bottom of their respective bolts. I guess the cables are showing a bit of stretch, or perhaps that's just where they originally were..... Anyway, On the water yesterday, 3 miles from shore, my drive popped loose. One of the locknuts on a chain cable just walked right off and into the ocean. Your PSA: Get an extra cable or two with lock nuts, some extra cardi-pins for your fins, find a small wrench that fits it, and put them in a ziplock bag that lives with a kit that always goes out with you. That would have been one hell of a paddle in an outback against wind and current. My question: This one's been on my mind quit a bit lately. My outback is going on 3 years old, and it seems like a pretty common milestone is the breaking of a cable in the middle from flexing back and forth. Is there a telltale sign (perhaps such as all of your cables getting loose at once) where you know that break is on the way? Has anyone on here ever gone so far as to just proactively replace their cables, or at least keep a full set on hand?