Skeg Fix on 60hp Merc

I finally got everything buttoned up and running. Now to fix this skeg before I hit something, do you guys think I need to get it welded or just get one of those skeg guards?

I have a Mac's River Runner on the motor of my duck hunting boat.

lckstckn2smknbrls said:

I have a Mac's River Runner on the motor of my duck hunting boat.

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I like that idea, have you hit anything with it on before? How do you like it?

digi said:

lckstckn2smknbrls said:

I have a Mac's River Runner on the motor of my duck hunting boat.

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I like that idea, have you hit anything with it on before? How do you like it?

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My local river has a rock and gravel bottom so it has saved my prop several times.

Right on! :beer:

Think I'm gonna pick one up. This is perfect for me cause I fish the local lakes and rivers in my area.

Thanks!

Quick question, the river runner shield is obviously going to create some slight drag. Was the performance decrease noticeable? Thanks

Is it bent? Or is it a triangular piece broken off? It's hard to tell in the picture.

Its broken off, very slight bend also.

Decreased speed 4 mph on my 16' Alumacraft mv16 with 9.9 Yamaha, which now tops out at 10.5 mph without the Mac on. On the other hand, in rocky rivers the River Runner works great and saved me more than once. Always tradeoffs.

thanks strander, yea, I just wanted to get an idea of how much drag it creates, 4mph on a 10hp is quite a bit. I guess it's pretty easy to take off so I could swap it whether I'm running the river or lake. Seems like a lot of people are happy with it overall.

I did that to the skeg on my old 13' Boston Whaler with a 25 hp Suzuki. I hit the side of a big flat rock (I know where that rock is now!) and my cousin found the piece of metal that broke off. I never had it welded back on and ran that boat/motor for 4 years with no problems at all. Never damaged the prop either.

Do you have an aluminum prop or SS? What type of water do you run in?

The problem with welding is that the person doing it has to be good. It can be just as strong as it was if the welder is good. Personally I would try to get it welded even if it cost more. The downside is if a poor weld breaks more of your skeg will have to be cut back to get to good metal. That's why you want someone good.

I thought you meant one of those stainless sheet skeg guards. After checking out the Macs I think it's a really good option.
As far as props go, I know stainless is better in almost every way. The one way it's bad is if you really whack an aluminum one it will fold before you bend your prop shaft. I was on a boat last year and my pal bent his shaft on his I.O. Lost the prop and the shaft.
If you have one of those nice prop guards then you could go stainless without worrying about it.

My skeg looked just like yours before I whittled out a new one. Haven't had to replace it since.

digi said:

Do you have an aluminum prop or SS? What type of water do you run in?

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That boat had an aluminum prop on the Suzuki and I ran it on the Delaware River which is all rock bottom where I am. When I sold the boat, I gave the new owner the piece of skeg and he said he was going to use it at the beach so he was going to have it welded back on. I'm still surprised the prop didn't hit the rock since the skeg cuaght the side of it. It was a big domed rock that doesn't make much of a ripple on the surface.

rabbit said:

The problem with welding is that the person doing it has to be good. It can be just as strong as it was if the welder is good. Personally I would try to get it welded even if it cost more. The downside is if a poor weld breaks more of your skeg will have to be cut back to get to good metal. That's why you want someone good.

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^^^bingo - you can always add a bolt-on solution in the mean time, but search out a reputable **aluminum welder.

alrighty buds, I got my river runner installed tonight. It's at a slight angle because I didn't want it too close to the prop. Will it create any significant drag? Or am I good to go? thanks

Interesting - I didn't realize they weren't a full plate on both sides. Whatever drag it makes you're just going to have to deal, it's not like you have another choice at the moment.

I've never broken a skeg, but operating in all this sand and ground shells out here, I can sure wear them down a nub in no time. Whenever that happens, I just take a circular saw and cut it off straight, then cut a new triangle-shaped piece of 1/4 aluminum plate, bevel both sides of the seam, and weld it on there at about 150 amps.

It's important to have that skeg, as this is what hits bottom/obstructions before your prop. Without it, the prop blades will hit, and you'll damage your prop. I've seen quite a few people running their boat with broken off skegs, and a large percentage of those people have prop blades that are so bent, they look more like blender blades. :shock: