Dyneema rope for usage as helm cable

[Nicholas Keller]

I was reading through posts using a search on helm cable. Looking for the best options for helm lines, coated cables weather it be vinyl or nylon obviously where the most common choices. Flag pole nylon rope with stainless steel core was also mentioned. However what really caught my attention was dyneema rope. It makes sense, they use it in place of cable on modern tow trucks, in place of cable on off-road winches and in rock climbing. The stuff is resistant to abrasion, dimensionally stable (resists stretching), chemical resistant, UV resistant, stronger than steel and light weight. So…..does anyone have first hand experience using this stuff in place of helm cable, if so is it good? What are the hidden draw backs? Or is it outright impractical for usage as an outboard steering line?

I fully expect this to be controversial, most new technologies being utilized in vintage applications are highly contested. That being said I am looking for all opinions, positive, negative, neutral or otherwise.

[need2fish]

I think your question can be best answered by comparing the attributes of each cable.
o Diameter
o Tensile Strength
o Flexibility
o Lifespan
o Coating Material.

I have boats that are 50+ years old, including a hydro, and haven’t seen the need to change to a different cable.

The only bugbear I have is long periods of exposure will cause UV damage — the coating gets brittle and cracks.

[Nicholas Keller]

That is where the UV resistance of dyneema is very appealing. No shell to crack and is very UV resistant if I’m not mistaken. Tinsile strength is higher than steel and stainless. Diameter is smaller than coated steel per strength so going with whatever fits in sheaves will just make it stronger. Flexibility it can be used in way tighter bends without damaging itself ( sub two inch).

[modhydro]

We switched to this on all of our raceboats over the past few years and will never run steel cable again.  It is stronger and while you would think anything running over a pulley would be the same, this stuff is like adding power steering is is so smooth.

 

2 users thanked author for this post.

76-j, Nicholas Keller

[davidk]

What diameter?  3/16?

[boscovius]

I looked at the Dyneema page.  There’s a lot going on there.  Which style of Dyneema rope did you intend to use.  I might also be interested in replacing the steering cables on my boat.  Winch line too.

[Nicholas Keller]

I am planning to use Amsteel going to try 1/8 th which has a load rating of 2300lbs. Going with us domestic Amsteel instead of an off shore brand. I feel the price will be justified and quality will be higher.

If my sheaves and drum don’t hold it well enough then I may opt to use a larger size. Which will only increase the maximum load strength. However I’m experimenting with the 1/8 in hopes it rides in the sheaves and drum well and will provide maximum smoothness, reduced input effort and overall better feel.

• This reply was modified 2 years, 11 months ago by Nicholas Keller.

[LeviPittman]

I used it for stays on my hobie cat with good results and as long as it will grab the pulley on the steering column I would think it would be ok. But its been my experience that its pretty slippery and I don’t know if it will bite into the helm pulley.

[modhydro]

I am pretty sure the stuff I got was 5mm…..

[Nicholas Keller]

fitted the boat with 1/8 Dyneema, waiting to test on the water, seems to hold the helm drum well. Rides in sheaves well even where the splices are buried feed through the engine sheaves well. Going smaller diameter helps as the diameter of the bury increases overall diameter. Steering setup is so much quieter and way smoother than coated stainless cable.

I still need to test the setup, and time will tell as to the longevity, only concern is the guides along the hull that are loops of stainless wire but without having much bend at those locations and being free of burrs I think it will be just fine.

[Author]

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