How to Select Control Cables for Your Boat

Owners of recreational boats with thermal engines who wish to modify or install remote controls must follow a few essential rules.

The first very important aspect to consider when you want to buy new control cables is the engine manufacturer. Johnson/Evinrude and Mercury/Mariner boat engines require special control cables because the clamping system is different. Otherwise, most boat engines use a universal cable type 3300C with threaded ends. To avoid problems, it is very important to specify the type of engine you are buying the cables for. Unfortunately, a "universal" cable is not compatible with Johnson or Mercury engines, but it will work fine with Yamaha, Parsun, Suzuki, Tohatsu, Volvo Penta, Honda, etc.

The second very important aspect is the length of the cable. If you have already installed the remote control console, you just need to remove the old cables and measure them. It is very possible that when you order a new cable, you may not find the exact length of the old cable. If you are faced with this situation, always choose a longer version than the one you had installed on the boat.

If you've never installed a remote control system before, you'll need to measure the distance from the engine to the console. For outboard and inboard engines, the distance is measured as shown in the picture below:

After measuring, add at least half a meter (3-4 feet) to allow the engine to move.

For the actual installation of the control cables, it is very important to follow the instructions in the user manual for the engine, as there are small mounting variations from model to model.