Mirage Drive Cables Rusting @Swaged Fittings?

Good questions. To be honest I have never done a pre-emptive cable replacement (never needed to), though I usually sell off the kayak I am using after 2 - 3 years to get into a newer model. But you can take that to mean I have been able to make the chains/cables last that long without any failures whatsoever. Also no rust or performance issues. And for about 6 years I was using my kayak more than anyone I know, and pretty much all of it in open ocean waters.

That said, we do take precautions on our annual expeditions. In the early days a couple of the guys were too relaxed about maintenance/servicing (against my advice) and sure enough they ran into issues and have learned their lesson. We haven't had a problem in the last 6 trips, and we usually cover about 300kms per trip. Typically the group is about 6 people. There are always 2 spare chains, 2 spare sprockets and 2 spare masts between us.

I have done pre-emptive chain replacements for customers many times. I often suggest it as being a good idea if there is visible rust on the exposed cable, especially if it looks like it has penetrated the steel cable, which if left to fester eventually will.

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Kayak Fishing Specialist: SLH
https://slhobie.com.au

I personally don't bother about wiping everything clean. I spray all the cables/nuts, chains and pedal adjuster & pivots, I also have some Inox in a small oil can that I use to lube the drum shafts (let it run down the shaft a couple of times) and idler drum. I haven't found that the Inox affects the drive material but I do keep it away from the fins, just in case it has a reaction to the rubber. Obviously the closer you get with the spray nozzle the less overspray you will get and the less 'cleaning' needed, and I haven't found a build up (as yet).

What is the failure mode for a sprocket? Something that one can see coming?

I am building a replacement part inventory. So far, a couple of fin masts and a chain.

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Depends entirely on how well the user keeps chain tension roughly where it should be. 99.9% of instances where we see damaged sprockets is due to the user letting the chain get too loose (usually people who bought second hand kayaks, and were never shown anything they needed to know). Loose chains can damage sprocket teeth, especially if the user is pedaling hard.

Sprockets are otherwise incredibly reliable. I have never damaged one myself. The spares we take on expedition are really just a precaution, because if one does get damaged its a show-stopper. We can't allow that because we are no where near civilization and have a long trek back to mainland. We rely on those drives because we can't always rely on wind.

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Kayak Fishing Specialist: SLH
https://slhobie.com.au