Needing replacement skeg - 1989 200hp Mariner

[tristanlee85]

Last fall, I had a bit of a mishap with ramping a tree in the middle of the river which dinged up the prop and skeg. I've since had the prop repaired, but the skeg still needs works. I ended up getting a Panther skeg guard, but the additional thickness and lack of torque wedge made a noticeable decrease in performance. The boat always wanted to pull one way and required so much strength over 60mph it was almost impossible to hold on to (no hydraulic steering).

I would like to get a replacement skeg that I can have welded on. Since there is a lot of meat left to this, I would assume the right template can be cut out to weld on to the factory skeg. In my search for replacements, I have found a number of different ones (http://www.firstchoicemarine.com/c-392-skeg-products.aspx#Filter=[ManufacturerID=236*Sort=0*ava=0]) but I am not sure which one is best for my lower unit.

Is welding on to the existing the way to go, or should it be welded directly to the housing?

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B6IcI8X55ouebGlubUFLWmNWQUU/edit?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B6IcI8X55oueQjBQUEdUZ0RfMGs/edit?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B6IcI8X55oueZGtrUTZ4Z09qZmc/edit?usp=sharing

 

[Chris1956]

Re: Needing replacement skeg - 1989 200hp Mariner

I was unable to get the pictures to load. However, Merc used to sell replacement skegs. You could have one of those welded on. A torque wedge could be added to it as well.

 

[wired247]

Re: Needing replacement skeg - 1989 200hp Mariner

4043 wire from a spool gun works best for the cast aluminum of the skeg. TIG welding develops way to much heat and IMHO doesnt work all that well doing lowers. Ive had much better luck just building them up with weld material from a spool than I have from welding a plate onto the lower. The plates almost always snap off if and when you hit some rocks. Ive never had a full weld metal repair fail.

 

[JB]

Re: Needing replacement skeg - 1989 200hp Mariner

Megaware SkegGuard by KeelGuard - iboats

 

[Faztbullet]

Re: Needing replacement skeg - 1989 200hp Mariner

Amazon.com: REPLACEMENT SKEGS by T-H MARINE SKU 3106388: Everything Else
$33

 

[tristanlee85]

Re: Needing replacement skeg - 1989 200hp Mariner

Thanks for the replies.

@JB - I'm not looking for another skeg guard since the one I have now caused a significant pull on steering at high speeds. Unfortunately I don't have a picture of the guard installed while looking directly at it. Otherwise you would be able to see how it does not fit will with the thickness of the skeg. The guard was symmetrical where as the skeg itself had a little more "meat" to it on the right side which caused the guard to install slightly to the left.

@Faztbullet - Thanks for the link. I was able to find a sizing chart on the T-H Marine site which showed me which one to purchase so I ordered it last night.

Hopefully these images work:

 

[1FASTLASER]

Re: Needing replacement skeg - 1989 200hp Mariner

Wired gives some good advice. Just make ABSOLULY sure the person doing the welding is a PRO. I being a certified welder/fabricator and high performance boater knows all to well what can happen with a half *** job on sketch repairs. If done correctly you can have piece of mind. A skeg coming off at speed results in smelly drawers at the least.

 

[BatDaddy1887]

Re: Needing replacement skeg - 1989 200hp Mariner

Also, after you get the skeg situation straightened out (pun intended), you may need to help adjust the steering problem with the trim anode above the prop. Turning this left or right a bit helps with boats that pull to one side or the other for various reasons.

 

[wired247]

Re: Needing replacement skeg - 1989 200hp Mariner

You are running an SRX prop with a wide pad bottom . I assume you are surfacing that prop to get the most out of it. You'll need a long-ish skeg to get good steering control out of it. Use a torque tab on the side of the skeg to cut down on the steering torque. Lose the adjustable tab . It does nothing out of the water. I have the same setup on my boat and have run it up to 86 MPH with very little steering torque. .

 

[1FASTLASER]

Re: Needing replacement skeg - 1989 200hp Mariner

Tristanlee what kind of boat is this on?

 

[1FASTLASER]

Re: Needing replacement skeg - 1989 200hp Mariner

Good eye wired. Ya know he might be money and safety wise ahead to find an empty case and rebuild especially if that's a go fast boat and I think it is. I think I know what model boat that is but not positive

 

[wired247]

Re: Needing replacement skeg - 1989 200hp Mariner

The other thing is if you arent surfacing that prop you need to. Its designed to run at or above the pad. I run mine about an inch up and the steering is relatively easy. Are you running dual cable or hydraulics?

 

[tristanlee85]

Re: Needing replacement skeg - 1989 200hp Mariner

Great information, all - especially you wired247! Let me give you a little more background on the setup since you've caught my attention. And forgive me if I over-explain anything as this boat was given to me by my dad a few years ago, so I have been trying to catch myself up on all the details so I know what I am dealing with.

The prop is a 27SRX. I have had it reshaped and finished by DAH Propellers out in WI. Since the skeg got torn off, I've already shipped it back out to them to fix it up for me again. Jeff out there knows the exact setup I have to fit the prop for. The boat this is on is an 87 Norris Craft 17.5' with a 200 Mariner that I mentioned before.

As you can tell from the old skeg, it had the torque tab riveted on the right side. Now I have read that torque tabs in many cases are just a "bandaid" for a poor setup, but in this case I beg to differ and believe it's critical for the control of this lower unit's design. I do have a replacement torque tab on the way though. As for the trim anode, my understanding from Mac Crumly down at Norris Craft is that it's only useful at idle speeds. Obviously anything else above that and this prop and nearly out of the water.

I received the replacement skeg today in the mail (the RS-1 as suggested above) and it's thickness is nearly double of my existing skeg, and the bottom edges are more round than square like the original. I am afraid that this thicker skeg will cause a major change in how it handles... in a negative way.

The steering is the original Mercury Ride Guide - two cables. Hydraulic steering is my next investment, but that's after I fix the lower unit. The one piece of the puzzle that is missing is I cannot figure out who built this lower unit. I don't know if it was a standard unit that was modified for the nose cone (as my dad calls it) or if it was molded like this. All I know is, I do not want to spend the money to have a new skeg welded on if the person involved does not understand the lower unit they are dealing with.

Here are a few more pictures to get an idea. These were taken last year when I picked the boat back up from Norris Craft after Mac and his crew restored it.

 

[wired247]

Re: Needing replacement skeg - 1989 200hp Mariner

The nose cone is called a nose cone or Low Water Pickup Nose Cone. That is a Bobs machine nose cone on a standard Mercury lower. The SRX prop is a great prop. I run a 29 pitch DAH worked prop and its a great unit. Little slow out of the hole but its a 29 pitch prop. Duh. Scoots right up to the mid 80's. In any case the rivet on or weld on torque tabs are not a bandaid by any means. They make a significant difference that helps prevent crabbing by counteracting the prop torque. Its a design feature that was incorporated on several factory lowers. You need to run that prop center line at or above your hull bottom

 

[tristanlee85]

Re: Needing replacement skeg - 1989 200hp Mariner

There used to be a 29 pitch on here some years back, but from my understanding, not only was it a dog to get out of the hole, it required a substantial amount of more RPMs only to gain a few MPH, so he went back to the 27.

I appreciate you educating me more on this matter. As I mentioned, the skeg I got in the mail is almost double the thickness around the edges and not quite as long. I don't know if that is standard and the original one was machined down, or if they make thinner ones. Another thing I noticed is, the original skeg was more flat on the left side with more of a bevel on the right (as you can see here: http://patentimages.storage.googleapis.com/US6558213B1/US06558213-20030506-D00000.png). The one I just received is symmetrical. I am sure that makes a difference too.

 

[tristanlee85]

Re: Needing replacement skeg - 1989 200hp Mariner

A little more research turned up that what is currently on the unit is a swept skeg vs the straight skeg I just received. I have searched online for replacement swept skegs, but unfortunately nothing turned up. I tried to get ahold of Bob's as well to see if they do this type of repair work, but no one was available. Do you know if sending the lower to them is an option to have it repaired?

 

[wired247]

Re: Needing replacement skeg - 1989 200hp Mariner

Yeah, you are going to have a difficult time push a 29 pitch prop with a 150. The 27 pitch will work. Either a swept skeg or a rivetted or weld on tab on a standard thin skeg will help the skeg stay on better. The skeg on mine has a full weld material constructed tab which is always an option but you need someone who will do it out of 4043 wire and spend the time sculpting it in. Its a lot of hand work. I did mine all myself but to pay someone would be in the $500 range.

 

[1FASTLASER]

Re: Needing replacement skeg - 1989 200hp Mariner

Due to the nature of the Norriscraft your DEFINATELY going to want to run higher on the plate as wired told ya especially with a surfacing prop. Which in turn means your going to have to have that skeg back in shape to get the full potential of your combination. I would call Bobs and see what he recommends. Feel pretty sure he will have what you need

 

[tristanlee85]

Re: Needing replacement skeg - 1989 200hp Mariner

...going to want to run higher on the plate as wired told ya especially with a surfacing prop

That's one thing I never checked was the position of the prop to the bottom of the hull. I know it had been adjusted countless times over his years of fishing.

Yeah, you are going to have a difficult time push a 29 pitch prop with a 150. The 27 pitch will work.

I am going to eventually get my hands on a 29 once I get everything back in order and see if I can't find the sweet spot for it. The motor is in fact a 200, but the 150 stickers were added since the boat is only rated for 175 at its length. Keeps you out of trouble that way.

I'll try to reach Bob's again tomorrow. I'm hoping I can get this done right for < $1000, but that's being optimistic.

 

[wired247]

Re: Needing replacement skeg - 1989 200hp Mariner

but the 150 stickers were added since the boat is only rated for 175 at its length. Keeps you out of trouble that way.

Yeah, Mines built as a 225 pro max so I keep 200 stickers because my boats rated for a 125 .