Skeg.... Fix it or leave it alone?
 

What would you guys do with this other than replace it?

Leave it alone or square it off?

Bravo one on a 21" boat with low speeds.

Thanks

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...ps227ac8f0.jpg

On a smaller boat at lower speeds, I don't see that as having a significant impact on performance/handling, so from that point of view it doesn't seem like it's worth fixing, especially if you think there is a chance for it to happen again. I would leave it alone...

If that was my boat i would not worry about that. I have seen people run boats with no skeg.:eekdrop:

find a local welder that can weld aluminum and get it fixed shouldn't cost more than $50. That's exactly like mine looked like before I welded a piece in and smoothed it up. It was more of an eye sore than anything

File it off at a smooth angle and paint it, purely for looks only. That won't hurt a thing.

Ya I hate how it looks. Have to explain it to some ******* at the launch everytime I go out. It was like this what I bought it.

Thanks guys.

Buy a skeg guard on-line---under 100 bucks--drill 2 holes--tap it on--DONE !!!! Looks good and it will not need painting !!!

do not use a skeg guard they screw up the water flow to the prop

I would just file it down to a straight line and paint it. It happened to me and that's what I did. Looks great afterwards. I believe that skeg is to help with steering and to protect the prop a little. You still have enough skeg to do its job.

Is it really an issue with Skeg gaurds. Was considering getting one for mine.

Yes, I have a buddy that put a skeg guard on and it changed the performance of his boat.

I would leave it also. I have a piece missing like that on my offshore boat and there has been no change in performance at all.

Arguments for and against skeg guards. Against: mentioned above and; drilling into the skeg and weakening it with the mounting bolts.

When you pick up your skeg guard stop by the auto parts store and get some stick on vents to put on the boat hull at the engine room.Get a car braw for the truck also and maybe some of those car lashes. http://www.carlashes.com/. That would be way cool at the boat launch. SERIOUSLY NO SKEG GUARD!

Not a fan of skeg guards. If it was mine I would have a piece welded in and then body work and paint it. But I'm anal about how my props and outdrives look. If nothing else do as Brian says (Sydwayz) and dress it so it doesn't look like Jaws took a bite out of it and paint it.

I spit my coffee all over my keyboard.

If it bothers you.. Just get it welded. I watched a guy run 88 mph in a little charger STV (18 foot speed boat) with NO skeg.

Tell them its a new race design being tested. If they have to ask they don't know, right? I sure the guys on OSO can come up with some good stories for it too. Not to worry it won't hurt anything.It is a conversation starter.

Cut an inch off the bottom with a jigsaw, file, done.

Merc dealer has a replacement skeg available. just cut off what you need and weld it on. For that repair you wouldn't even have to take the gearcase apart. YOU know it will bother you to see it broken.....Just do it.

Skeg guards make me as an outsider looking at your boat say "What else are you covering up and too lazy to fix?" Smooth it down, create an attractive design and paint it or be the envy of the party and get yourself another lower, easy enough.

Cut it, file it, call it good.

WOW--You guys act like a nice stainless steel skeg guard was a piece from the Devil !!! Here on the West side of Florida, the water no matter where you go, is very shallow at times and most people touch the bottom, which is all soft sand, almost everytime they go out to party at a sand bar or to a pub and grill----Soooo you end up spending more time sanding and painting your skeg because it gets all scraped up from the sand....There are more boats with skeg guards on them then not...AND as far as it effecting the water to the prop?????? Don't know who came up with that one ???!!!

If you don't think it effects the water to prop why do people spend thousands to have there lower blue printed? ski boat.. fishing boat.. who cares! Performance boats care.

Skeg guards are like curb feelers or pocket protectors.:cartman: Don't be that guy!

If you have time to do it, then do it right. Weld a piece in, flap disk it and paint.

Wow, I guess I'm a nerd. I have not one .....but two skeg gards. One on each drive of a 99-29ft Baja Outlaw with pretty much stock power that run's 70 no problem. If i take them off how much faster can I go?

I use my boat, but I don't intentionally abuse my boat. I have drug the drives heading up river at Havasu, just a little off line, it happens. I have had the skegs in the sand on beaches at Havasu and other lakes. Again it happens. I have never had to paint my skegs because they looked thrashed with paint gone. I do care about the looks of my boat, and I personally like the looks of the shinny skeg gards with the polished stainless props. But then again, I have a bimini top too. No Pocket Protector or a key ring hanging from my belt with 100 or more keys, or a cell phone and multi tool hanging on my belt, or a tramp stamp or any tat for that matter (oh...I'm gonna get it for that) and I don't drive a Pacer, but I do have two Skeg Gards. lol ;)

Only thing going on my skeg is a condom for protection. :lolhit:

Lets see a better pic of that prop...Maybe it's just the reflection off the drive but it looks like it hit the chunk of skeg?

if you take off the skeg guards you may pick up a few mph, also if you want the skegs to look nice just sand off the paint and leave them clean. Or you can just sand them to clean them up and make sure the water flow to the prop is as clean as possible.

This has been an interesting read!!
I have skeg guards on my 38 and now I'm thinking maybe I should take them off......might be those last 3 mph I need to beat my buddy!
Are they seriously that bad to have?

I would file it down paint it, cut the other one to match it so when the dipchits at the launch ask why your skegs are like that tell them it made your boat go 15mph faster.

fix it the next Time you have the lower off for Maintenance!

I had a piece welded in mine like that for $25.00. Most prop repair places can do that or know someone that can do it. Mine was so perfect after being welded that it only needed a small amount of spray paint and the repair could not even be seen. Jeff Wurl