it is easy to assume and skimp. I got a few hours on the shaky mini clubman Sunday and got close to fitting the motor, controls and steering gear.

The cable pulleys looked good, and ran well too. So I thought give a good tug on the cable to be sure and with a crack I rolled over backwards on to the lawn with cable flying all over the stern portside pully had come adrift of its spindle which had suffered corrosion against the stainless U part of it.

Better a wet backside than a red face mid sotton water

This reminds me of the steering hub nut nearly being off another of my craft which too I noticed during maintenance.

For those who don't already know, beware also of plastic coated steering cables - they corrode internally and you can't see it!

Suggest using only stainless cable, and only 7 x 19 construction which is the most flexible. Terminals should be looped back and clamped with 2 bulldog grips. I saw a raceboat turn over very rapidly a few years back due to a steering cable failure at full chat, the engine just went to full lock, flipped the boat and broke the transom.