Installation of a Safe Skeg replacement skeg

Installation of the Safe Skeg by Panther. Also available at Cabela's, I am told.

My current boat came with a broken skeg. The prior owner replaced the broken appendage with a plastic unit. The plastic unit shattered when I recently hit an unmarked pipe.

This Stainless unit was suggested by one of our members. Rod.....Poor Man's Boatwright. I appreciate his help in finding a proper fitting unit.

Installation was straight-forward. Just drill two holes and slip it on...! Ha! Nah, of course, it wasn't that easy. Not too hard, but not that easy, either.

As you can see by picture #3..my 40 hp Johnson has a lower-unit drain plug positioned right where the top of the replacement skeg fits. I had to cut a half-round hole to accommodate future service on the engine. No big deal, but if you don't have a Dremel type tool.... and some fiberglass re-reinforced cutting wheels, you will have to find something to cut through the thick stainless steel.

After I scraped most of the old glue off from the former installation, I was able to tap the new skeg up most of the way and mark and drill the holes. As you can see, the skeg did not fill all of the way up to the bullet. It is mounted on some heavy aluminum, so I do not anticipate any issues.

I am filling in the two gaps at the forward and rear of the skeg. I will fill them with fiberglass and epoxy so no junk will be trapped and dragged behind the boat.

regards, rich

I would think JB Weld would be better than fiberglass.

JB Weld is great stuff. It is Epoxy mixed with metal shards or whatever.

I am using Epoxy. The fiberglass is really just used as a thickener to fill the voids. Thanks for the idea. I probably could have used steel / bronze wool, too. Rich

Do you think trimming some of the engines skeg would have allowed this part to slide on farther??

re trimming....sure, but I didn't want to weaken the most important support portion just to gain an half inch or so. rich

In my opinion you don't have it on all the way. I chipped the skeg on the lower unit of my runabout, and bought something similar to what you have. I had to pound it all the way on, but it fit, all the way up, and almost looks factory. I would try some light persuasion with a hammer.


my $.02

Hey Rich, I tend to agree with eclipse, a lil persuasion with a hammer should bring it all the up the skeg. If you don't have a rubber mallet use a 2x4 to take the blow from a steel hammer so as not to ding up the new skeg, you should be alright then. The new stainless skeg looks good. Let us know how it goes,Good luck.

Well, it is already on. Since the holes have been drilled and it is on solidly, I will leave it where it is.

I did slam it up as hard as my rubber mallet would allow. The picture makes the space difference look WAY more than it really is. The reason for that is that the picture shows the section in the back that broke off all of the way up. The area in the front, which shows about a 1/4 inch of open space, is the only real difference.

Thanks for the suggestions. Rich