removing skeg from motor

[mgs]

I have added hyd steering to my 17 6 ctr console, is there any reason why I can't remove the skeg from the motor of a 90 hp outboard?

[985crabs]

Say what? Isn't your skeg rather an integral part of your lower unit? Are you suggesting that you would grind/cut it off? Hydraulic steering is great and half of the boats in Louisiana are missing some portion of their skeg because of underwater impacts and they are still driveable. The skeg does serve a steering purpose and I just cannot imagine a scenario in which it would be desirable to remove it.

[gnrphil]

Think of the skeg as a rudder, hydraulic steering only helps you move the rudder/skeg it does not replace it. I think you might want to leave it on there, it also helps protect your prop from underwater strikes.

[Juan]

I think (hope) what you are calling a skeg, most of us call an anode. Some refer to the zinc sacrificial anode on the lower unit as a skeg and if that's what you mean, I wouldn't remove it since it protects your motor from corrosion and can be helpful in adjusting engine torque that causes the boat to pull to one side or the other but if your motor is propped and set up properly you could replace the "anode/skeg" with a flat one that still provides the corrosion protection but I doubt you would see any difference in performance.

[Simple Man]

Aug 2, 2019 10:34:21 GMT -6 mgs said:

I have added hyd steering to my 17 6 ctr console, is there any reason why I can't remove the skeg from the motor of a 90 hp outboard?

Plenty of reasons not to do this, most of them already listed here, BUT, if you do feel the need to do this for the sake of science, document your experience and report back please.

[Juan]

I bought a Honda yesterday with a broken skeg and I ordered a skeggard this morning. With my luck I'd hit something the first time out and tear up the lower unit.