Chipped my skeg

[nosaj]

The saying that most issues happen at the dock is so true. I failed to trim up after loading yesterday due to the anxiety from the current I was fighting. Once the boat was on the trailer, it was sitting crooked so I decided to back it back in the water to level it. When backing, the skeg dug into a groove on the ramp and chipped of a 1" x 1" chunk off the very back section near the bottom.

Will this cause any issues? I can't see it changing performance, it just looks bad. I plan to take a grinder and smooth it out next weekend and repaint.

And other ideas?

 

[jkust]

Re: Chipped my skeg

Not certain without pics, but the skeg guards the prop. You'll likely operate fine with the damage. A skegguard is an option to cheaply cover the damage.

 

[metriccrescentwrench]

Re: Chipped my skeg

I plan to take a grinder and smooth it out next weekend and repaint.

That was gonna' be my suggestion. I've done it using my Makita grinder and a sanding disc, worked like a charm.

 

[Fireman431]

Re: Chipped my skeg

I chipped mine on an underwater rock. Cut clean, filed smooth, painted. No noticible difference. As noted in the first post, a SS Skeg Guard is an aftermarket bolt on repair.

 

[robert graham]

Re: Chipped my skeg

I knocked about a quarter-sized piece out of my skeg...got some JB Weld Quick Set, put it in there with a putty knife, filed it, painted...never know it happened!....leave your broken edges rough and ragged so the JB Weld has something good to bond to. Good Luck!

 

[Texasmark]

Re: Chipped my skeg

Just get your grinder and round it off. I hit a submerged concrete bloc once anchoring a marina with my new Merc and it shaved off the front 2" of the skeg. I just did what I told you and had a rounded skeg like Merc had in the '50's and 60's and never knew the difference.

Mark

 

[Vegas Naturist]

Re: Chipped my skeg

I guess I'm a little more anal about my boat, so when I "chunked" my skeg I had it rewelded, but that's just me. Roberts suggestion in post #5 might be a reasonable alternative though.

John