Pulling Cable below deck...short sighted builders

[London_RIB]

As an owner of a rib, I see I have every right to complain about the manufacturer of the rib... but given it's the 2nd make of the rib which I have owned I now come to this conclusion that our two most reputable rib builders are a bit short sighted... Ribcraft and Ribeye - owned both makes (Ribcraft 7.8, and Ribeye 750) and on both ribs I needed to pull cable from console to the A-Frame.

Both manufacturers have put something like a big pipe which runs underneath the deck and even Ribcraft has passed a rope to makes it easier to pull....BUT! The size of the pipe is so small, and the outboard cables are pretty thick which means with fuel pipes and the engine, steering, and shift cable there's simply no room for passing any new cable!

I am quite disappointed by this, as it goes to show the lack of vision or even flexibility when designing the rib, and the cheapest, and easiest option; for the builder and not the consumer, has been put in place...

[Pikey Dave]

Originally Posted by London_RIB

...........a big pipe which runs underneath.......BUT! The size of the pipe is so small,...........

Sooo! is that a really big small pipe, or a small big pipe? AFAIK the Ribcraft is 4" which is about as big as will fit under the deck, I've had a couple of RC's & will soon be on my 3rd, & I've never had problems pulling cables through ( & believe me, I have a lot of "stuff" at the back end)
Use plenty of lube & be gentle If you are having a boat built from new, they will always fit a 2nd duct if you ask.

[CJL]

Ditto. Never had a problem with the under deck cable on the Ribcraft either.

You must be caught on something. Are you using a mouse line or just shoving it under the deck and hoping it appears in the console?

Chris

[Nos4r2]

I think there's another member on here that's had exactly the same boats as you, London_Rib. Might be worth asking him if he's had the same issues.

I think his ID was Vandad.

Might just be a funny echo in my head though.

[Xk59D]

i can't comment on the ribeye but my RC has a single 3-4" dia truck under deck, plenty of room in it. i'm sure the wires are all tangled in there which may explain why things are difficult sometimes.

IMO a bigger issue is water always gets in them, i'm currently contemplating how to dry mine out before sealing it with non stick tape.

cheers

[Nos4r2]

Originally Posted by Xk59D

IMO a bigger issue is water always gets in them, i'm currently contemplating how to dry mine out before sealing it with non stick tape.

cheers

Don't. You'll never dry it out properly. if it's done properly it's probably even got drain holes in it, so you'll never manage to seal it either. All you'll do is create a damp , stagnant area under your deck that's far more likely to cause you issues than it is if air can flow through it.

[Pikey Dave]

Originally Posted by Nos4r2

Don't. You'll never dry it out properly. if it's done properly it's probably even got drain holes in it, so you'll never manage to seal it either. All you'll do is create a damp , stagnant area under your deck that's far more likely to cause you issues than it is if air can flow through it.

I don't think the RC ones have drain holes in them, but I'll ask.

[biffer]

I'll post a pic up later of a tool I made up that helps big time. No sense keeping it to my self now I'm retiring


Sent by mobile thingy

[two stroke mick]

Dont laugh but for tight spots like this KY jelly works well without any fear of damage to the plastic/ rubber componants

TSM

[kerny]

Originally Posted by two stroke mick

Dont laugh but for tight spots like this KY jelly works well without any fear of damage to the plastic/ rubber componants

TSM

Also known as Fairy Liquid...

[Searider]

What are you trying to put through?

[jyasaki]

Originally Posted by Searider

What are you trying to put through?

That was a great question to address the prior 2 posts.

jky

[Barrowboy]

I feel your pain. I've recently had a mission trying to install the new transducer cable in my Ribeye. Ended up disconnecting the bilge pump wiring and attaching a line to it before pulling it through (praying it would stay connected) in order to give me a messenger through the conduit into the console. If it had parted I would have taken a feed for the pump from the nav light circuit!

Anyway, once the messenger line was installed it was relatively straightforward to get cables run through, although my conduit is similarly congested with cables and the 12 pin plug for the transducer is a fairly sizeable lump to get through.

Once I'd got it through however, I found a tad annoyed to find that it was 3' short so had to buy a 10' extension in order to reach the back of the plotter!

[HDAV]

Always goes easier with lube.......

31-358 - IDEAL - LUBRICANT, YELLOW, 77, BOT, 0.95 | Farnell element14

[boristhebold]

Originally Posted by London_RIB

As an owner of a rib, I see I have every right to complain about the manufacturer of the rib... but given it's the 2nd make of the rib which I have owned I now come to this conclusion that our two most reputable rib builders are a bit short sighted... Ribcraft and Ribeye - owned both makes (Ribcraft 7.8, and Ribeye 750) and on both ribs I needed to pull cable from console to the A-Frame.

Both manufacturers have put something like a big pipe which runs underneath the deck and even Ribcraft has passed a rope to makes it easier to pull....BUT! The size of the pipe is so small, and the outboard cables are pretty thick which means with fuel pipes and the engine, steering, and shift cable there's simply no room for passing any new cable!

I am quite disappointed by this, as it goes to show the lack of vision or even flexibility when designing the rib, and the cheapest, and easiest option; for the builder and not the consumer, has been put in place...

I have to completly agree with you, having done lots of work on fitting new stuff and replacing an A Frame on my cobra it was a right pain in the backside sorting the cables out and pulling various through. I have two right hand parts in the pipes as they come up the back of the boat and up through the console.

If wanting to pull new stuff through then try a good deal of talcolm powder along the cable you want to pull through, that does help, but if you really have limited space due to pipe size you may have to pull all out and then clean, dose of tal and redo all.

Yes I wished manufacturers would put much bigger pipes in or simple a run along the deck that you could potentially uncover.

We need a calsberg rib.

[boristhebold]

Just thinking about my post perhaps we need a new sticky post entitled - Dear Rib Manufacturer these are these things that you should listen to from Rib users, good and bad points of rib design which might help some manufacturer create the ultimate rib.

[Johnscubanut]

I used those conduit rods, fibreglass (Screwfix sell them) quite thin & bendy which join up to whatever length you need & by taping the the cable to one end with a bit of fairy liquid & gentle pursasion the cables can be pulled through easily! Hope this may be of help to you?

[nugent]

Have refurbed a few over the years and this works as my trunking ,
Six inch both sides why builders do not use larger is beyond me,,, more modern stuff is better as less stuff to run but make it simples

May look Heath Robinson here. But all glassed up it works reall well

[Wibs]

I found working from one particular end was easier than the other when replacing the steering on my Ribeye.

It seemed the duct had a tighter bend at the console end than the stern.

For me- working from the console end and pulling the cables through to the stern worked.

....and using a load of grease.

Two man job though and not easy.

[Pikey Dave]

Originally Posted by boristhebold

.....it was a right pain in the backside.....

Originally Posted by two stroke mick

.......for tight spots like this KY jelly works well without any fear of damage .........TSM

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