Skeg? broken off below propeller - repair options

[Eddie Mullins]

The skeg (not sure of term) located on the bottom of my motor has been broken off. Is this repairable without replacing the complete lower unit?

 

[jkust]

Re: Skeg? broken off below propeller - repair options

Depending on how much is left, you can put a Skegguard on it. I saw them at Cabelas for 109$. Replacing a broken skeg is their main purpose.

 

[blouderback]

Re: Skeg? broken off below propeller - repair options

Another option is to have your local welder repair it. Make sure to drain the oil first, and make sure he's done this before. I think he has to worry about getting it too hot. It can be done, though.

 

[slasmith1]

Re: Skeg? broken off below propeller - repair options

Local prop shops tend to do the best repair jobs I have seen on these and you usually can't tell it has been repaired after.

 

[mark_gober]

Re: Skeg? broken off below propeller - repair options

Lay some knowledge on me....what exactly is the purpose of the skeg? Wouldn't a motor still work with a broken one?

Mark

 

[cell]

Re: Skeg? broken off below propeller - repair options

Lay some knowledge on me....what exactly is the purpose of the skeg? Wouldn't a motor still work with a broken one?

Mark

It would...Say if you didn't have a skeg now.You went boating on your lake.Your cruising along ,and a damn log,or rock came out of no where.Now instead of breaking your skeg you now just ruined your $300 ss prop. Now if you had a skeg IT would be broken.Not your prop.

 

[Eddie Mullins]

Re: Skeg? broken off below propeller - repair options

Thanks for the replies! It is almost flush with the bottom of the motor so there's nothing left to bolt to.

I have decided to take it in for a carb cleaning / rebuild so I will see what the local shop says.

Seeing as how skegs are designed to take abuse, and potentially get broke, why wouldn't they make them bolt ons that are replaceable

If and when I get it repaired, I will have to investigate getting a gaurd to beef it up.

 

[cell]

Re: Skeg? broken off below propeller - repair options

I thought about this for a while.To me it would seem that if a skeg was bolted on there would be weak spots where the bolts go through the skeg.Thus depending on the location of the bolts if it broke there is a chance of not having enough material to do a proper repair....but sometimes I think to much too.

 

[saumon]

Re: Skeg? broken off below propeller - repair options

It would...Say if you didn't have a skeg now.You went boating on your lake.Your cruising along ,and a damn log,or rock came out of no where.Now instead of breaking your skeg you now just ruined your $300 ss prop. Now if you had a skeg IT would be broken.Not your prop.

That is the main and only purpose: to protect the prop but, mainly, the lower unit gears and the PTT unit. It's made out of aluminum for a reason too, to "give" when it hit something, and that's the reason why i think that aftermarket replacement products like Skeguard and others were useless: if you hit a rock at 20 mph+ and your skeg is made of SS, what you think that would happen to your power trim unit? Busted seals!

 

[Eddie Mullins]

Re: Skeg? broken off below propeller - repair options

That is the main and only purpose: to protect the prop but, mainly, the lower unit gears and the PTT unit. It's made out of aluminum for a reason too, to "give" when it hit something, and that's the reason why i think that aftermarket replacement products like Skeguard and others were useless: if you hit a rock at 20 mph+ and your skeg is made of SS, what you think that would happen to your power trim unit? Busted seals!

That's kind if what I'm thinking.

I guess I'm think of them as like a shear pin that is suppose to break rather than breaking something more important (expensive).

Why wouldn't it make sense for them to be a bolt on with the bolts designed to break? Hit something, bolts/skeg breaks off , then you bolt on new one. Makes more sense to me than having to weld to repair a part designed to give (break).

 

[saumon]

Re: Skeg? broken off below propeller - repair options

That's kind if what I'm thinking.

I guess I'm think of them as like a shear pin that is suppose to break rather than breaking something more important (expensive).

Why wouldn't it make sense for them to be a bolt on with the bolts designed to break? Hit something, bolts/skeg breaks off , then you bolt on new one. Makes more sense to me than having to weld to repair a part designed to give (break).

Cause, most of the time, they dont broke completely but slowly chip. As an example, i hit mine maybe 10 times when speed trolling (4-6 mph) in shallow water (2-6 ft) against rocky bottom and approx 1/3 is missing. It still goes just under the prop level but i'm borderline; maybe another hit or two and i'll have to bring it the my friendly prop shop owner for a rebuild.

A shear-pin type of system either broke or not, there's nothing in-between, so an aluminum fin is a more flexible design.

 

[verado7]

Re: Skeg? broken off below propeller - repair options

take it to a prop shop - they can weld it and generally know what they are doing - dont just try to weld it up like you would anything else - sometimes you need to strip the bottom out so as not to heat up the seals .

 

[Joker757]

Re: Skeg? broken off below propeller - repair options

I've broken mine before and my local shop was able to weld a new one on. They had to remove the components from the lower unit behind the prop as not to damage the seals. Cost me 2hrs labor.

 

[Johnny Ringo !]

Re: Skeg? broken off below propeller - repair options

Another option is to have your local welder repair it. Make sure to drain the oil first, and make sure he's done this before. I think he has to worry about getting it too hot. It can be done, though.

pack in ice above where the welding will take place and weld a little at a time and keep heat from rising too high.