@BeauSko In the spring when I took it out for the first time for this season, I could barely move the steering wheel, without a lot of effort. We went out on Lake St. Clair and I figured they just needed some time to free up. It got continually worse and in a heavy chop and head wind I had to keep traversing the waves from about 7 miles out to get back in. My hands were cramping. The boat was virtually not drive able as they got worse as the day went on. I was doing work behind the boat and putting on trim tabs before the first trip. I remember I couldn't move the buckets left or right from behind the boat but went up into the boat and moved the wheel which was firm. So I didn't think about it.
I tried lubricating and it didn't help. Called the dealer and they said they could get me in, in 3 weeks, they had that many service appointments already scheduled from existing customers. I ordered cables and put them in myself. Really wasn't that bad. But I do know and the Admiral confirmed, that with the new cables in, the steering was much smoother than it was last year and very noticeable. There was water intrusion in the sleeve of the port steering cable. Apparently it is from a poor design where there is just a rubber boot pushed over the end. You can see two of them if you look. Per
@Cobra Jet Steering LLC , I took Jeff's advice and I coated and keep coating my steering and bucket rods and linkeage with the wax from a toilet bowl gasket. It stays on good for about three trips then I smear it over it again. Keeps the water out. Not sure if there is a better solution, but other members have indicated that they can't even order them right now or get them soon. So I don't want to take a chance.