As an aside, I have thought about potentially losing steering many miles from port. While this doesn't address this particular question, there are a few ways to potentially deal with such an issue all of which involve manual steering. Obviously if one has a kicker, one can get the main(s) line up strait and use the kicker to steer. The other option is to lash/duct tape, a long handled object to the main and steer it manually (after disconnecting the stuck cable). I seem to remember someone on this board who did just that with a paddle and some duct tape. Anyway, it is something to consider.
One more thing, the cable steering tends to get stuck when it spends a long period of time without use. On my 22 I never had a problem as long as I was using the boat at least monthly all through the winter. However, if I let it sit for several months, that's when I had a problem. It's a good idea to go out in the winter months and turn the wheel a few times every couple of weeks to keep things loose. Also, and this is most important, check to make sure the steering is loose PRIOR to pushing off a dock at launch (especially that first launch of the year). It can be really difficult if you've pushed off the dock in tight quarters in a marina or at a launch and then realize you have no steering. I found this out the hard way but was lucky that the steering broke loose with lots of force from the wheel.
