Strange skeg break

[EagleMtBoater]

Just purchased a new 21' Monterey runabout w/ Mercruiser 5.0MPI and Bravo3 outdrive. This boat has only 15 hours on it, all hours by me.
Upon pulling the boat out of the water this last trip, I noticed that the rear portion( nearly half) of the skeg was missing! I have owned outboards for over 20 years, and have never seen a skeg broken in this manner. Usually the front of bottom of a skeg is damaged by hitting a submerged stump or leaving the motor down at a boat ramp, or suchCould this be a result of a faulty casting of the lower gear housing?

 

[mtnrat]

Re: Strange skeg break

picture would help

 

[Bilge Monkey]

Re: Strange skeg break

I've had a few come in like that, some even broke flush. I drain the gear oil, pull the drive, and take it to our welder/fabricator who makes one and welds it on for less than 100$. Or you can bolt a stainless skegguard over it and call it a day, all depends on how anal you are i guess.

 

[TilliamWe]

Re: Strange skeg break

With the two props spinning in opposite directions, branches, or sticks, or logs can get caught in between the blades and do all sorts of weird things.