Helm cable tensioning

[Tmacmi]

I had to remove the helm cable to remove the rudder. I am now reinstalling.

The cable was fairly loose when I took it apart. Is there a rule of thumb for tensioning it?

[slug]

Originally Posted by Tmacmi

I had to remove the helm cable to remove the rudder. I am now reinstalling.

The cable was fairly loose when I took it apart. Is there a rule of thumb for tensioning it?

To check the wire tension, turn the system against a rudder stop, then hang a weight of 10-15kg on the wheel to pre-tension the wire.
Now tighten the loose wire on the quadrant. It is only necessary to do this to one side. Over tightening will reduce the feel on the wheel and will make the system feel stiff.

[Orion Jim]

This is the Edson Marine guide. There is a section called “Steering Wire Tension”.
https://edsonmarine.com/content/EB381SteeringGuide.pdf

[Bill Seal]

Just make sure the cables are led to the correct groove!
on our "professionally maintained" ketch, they were crossed and rubbing on each other, so I, rank amateur that I am, crawled down and fixed it.
It ain't rocket science