Skeg Guards???

JohnS · #1 05-12-2003, 09:54 AM

Question of the day........

Anyone know who makes, and sells, a good skeg guard??? I would prefer something in stainless. While on my little Keys adventure this weekend, I found some shallow areas I was not intenting to find and well, I cleaned some of the paint off of the skeg on the new motor. That will teach me to follow a marine patrol. Ya, I followed him, was running in 1 1/2 feet of water doing about 40. Anyway, I know I have seen them, just don't know where to get them...

John

ScottM · #2 05-12-2003, 09:59 AM

John,
There was a discussion about this within the past month or so, search the archives and you should find it. Trayder made a good suggestion/observation - using a stainless skeg guard on the lower unit may cause electrolysis. But it may not be an issue for you if the boat is trailered.

TUGBOAT · #3 05-12-2003, 05:27 PM

JohnS
Welcome to NO Water ! I was gonna put one of those ss guards on Mine.I was talked out of it because if You Do it Again(hard) it could & probably BREAK it off especially if You bolt it on.?? My last trailer was very low & at low tide My motor would drag the ramp( NEVER hit Bottom anyWhere)HeHee!Is this true? & bent the skeg,I bought a replacement skeg,ended up straight'n out & painting the same one.
Any way call Jeff at Dalton Marine 305-258-1499
List $159.00 Your cost 129.00 or so,Not sure what kind of engine Ya got.
West Marine has replacement skegs bout $22.(Mark) in Cutler Ridge
Tell'um "TUG" sent Ya.
Scream'n Reels' [img]images/icons/cool.gif[/img]

JohnS · #4 05-12-2003, 06:07 PM

Oh, I didn't break it off or even come close. I just ran out of water. Ya know, if were the old boat, I wouldn't have cared much because well, I had done it so much and the guy that had it before me had done it too. Ya know, get the spray can out every once on a while and shoot it up to make it look pretty. As soon as I did that, whoops, I would do it again. I am just thinking I will try to pretect this one from the same old thing, being it is new and still looks reel purdy, well, it used to. Heck, I left the boat in the water for two days down there and I am now in the process of re-polishing that polished stainless prop that got etched from the salt water and now looks like it was sand blasted.....

Thanks for the info Tug....I will give em a call..

John

TUGBOAT · #5 05-12-2003, 07:38 PM

"2" ways to polish a Prop
1."W F O"
2. Sands Cut(arrive High Tide depart Low Tide)
I prefer the first !
Scream'n Reels' [img]images/icons/cool.gif[/img]

[ May 12, 2003, 06:40 PM: Message edited by: Capt. Brad ]

JohnS · #6 05-13-2003, 01:59 AM

Thanks Scott,
I went and looked, found the webpage for it too..

www.skeggard.com

My boat is trailered 99 percent of the time. The most it will ever sit in the water is three days so the electrolysis should not be a problem. According to their install though, they say to just install the guard, use it as a template to drill the skeg, leaving the guard in place, and then bolt it in place. If I do get one of these, I will remove it after drilling to seal the aluminum on the inside of the holes and then install so the salt can not get to it. The paint will then act as the barrier between the aluminum and the stainless to minimize any problems what would arise..... According to the website, there is no drop in performance though, I doubt that. But, even if there is, do you think anyone would really feel or even see the difference? I doubt it because it would be so minimal......I am already running 63 with the new boat. If anything, it would slow me down to a more realistic speed...

John