Bent Fin on the Out Drive

ta400man

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
Mar 22, 2006
Messages
46
Well, my luck or lack of luck is not with me. I just purchased this boat and brought it home. There were no mechanical problems. My friend came over and wanted to sit the captain’s seat. I had the out drive down to run the motor for a few minutes. He accidentally hit the trim down button and started to lift up the back of the boat with the motor.<br /><br />Now that out drive has lifted the boat up in the air, I was worried I bent something or dug into the black top. Well he mushroomed the bottom of the out drive fin and bent it slightly to the right.<br /><br />Can I simply bend the fin back the original position and grind down the mushroomed section flush?<br /><br />I don't think I hurt anything else. I have good luck I must say.
 

RubberFrog

Rear Admiral
Joined
Apr 9, 2005
Messages
4,268
Re: Bent Fin on the Out Drive

Start there. If that doesn't work you'll need to get it welded up or buy one of those covers.
 

RubberFrog

Rear Admiral
Joined
Apr 9, 2005
Messages
4,268
Re: Bent Fin on the Out Drive

Oh yeah, slap your friend for his stupidity! :D
 

Laddies

Banned
Joined
Sep 10, 2004
Messages
12,218
Re: Bent Fin on the Out Drive

If it's a slight bend clean it up and run the unit to see if you have steering torque if you don't, don't worry about it, you might bust the casting if you don't know what you doing
 

KaGee

Admiral
Joined
Aug 14, 2004
Messages
7,069
Re: Bent Fin on the Out Drive

I was thinking the same as Laddies. If anything, you might grind down the "mushroom".
 

mike11374

Seaman
Joined
Aug 8, 2005
Messages
59
Re: Bent Fin on the Out Drive

I had the same problem (just a bend) and fixed it by hitting it with a hammer with a block of wood against the fin to deaden the blow. Mine was fairly minor though. You might consider hitting your buddy a few times with that hammer too. No wood block though.
 

Ralph 123

Captain
Joined
Jun 24, 2003
Messages
3,983
Re: Bent Fin on the Out Drive

Like the guys said, straighten and grind as necessary. The skeg's primary purpose it to protect your prop and lower end if you hit bottom (it is sacrificial, it's meant to break first). Then, buy yourself a skeggard (www.skeggard.com).
 

Bondo

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Apr 17, 2002
Messages
71,012
Re: Bent Fin on the Out Drive

RALPH,.......How ya Doin' My old Friend,..????...You came to mind just the other day,.. Wondering where you'd Gone.......<br /><br />As noted above,.... The Casting that is the Skeg, Really Doesn't like to be Bent,+ the 2nd Bend(or straightening it),..... <br />Will Many times just Snap it Off,....<br />Peening,+ Pounding with a BFH,+ a block of HardWood is the Best way to Possibly be Sucessful.......
 

flashback

Captain
Joined
Jun 28, 2002
Messages
3,980
Re: Bent Fin on the Out Drive

unless it buggin the heck out of you, I would leave it well enough alone. like Bondo said, it doesn't like being bent twice.. I had been running around for years with a bent skeg, didn't effect the preformance at all, then one day last year I got frisky and tried to bang it back straight. Yep you guessed it, now I have half a skeg... o well less drag.. :D :D
 

dmarkvid2

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Nov 29, 2005
Messages
478
Re: Bent Fin on the Out Drive

Try using a good size rubber mallet instead of a hammer. There might be a less chance of breaking off the fin, and will not add dents.
 
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