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Post by gtightline on Aug 23, 2015 9:42:39 GMT -6
Anybody ever use one of these. I hit something last Wednesday and broke off a piece of the skeg, about the size of a quarter on my 115 Yamaha. I was wondering if installing one of these protectors will effect the handling...The outfit that makes them claims that it does not, but I never trust what the manufacturer says anymore..any first hand experience from anyone here? www.keelguard.com/skegguard.html
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Post by Juan on Aug 23, 2015 10:53:35 GMT -6
I've considered buying one of those too. My skeg is about half the size it should be. The skeg is there to protect the prop from hitting anything and damaging the lower unit and since there's still enough there to do that, I just filed down the rough edges where it broke and painted it. It wouldn't change anything if I were to add a skeg guard, but it sure would look better. No skeg will protect you from those evil crab traps.
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Post by gtightline on Aug 23, 2015 12:14:54 GMT -6
Dang!!! now that's what I call a cluster ***K...hahaha...you must have been moving at a good clip Juan...I see what you mean about your skeg being down to the nub..I think I'm going to pull the trigger on the "SkegGuard".. I found them on Amazon for $77.68. I'll take a picture or two after I install it, so you can see what it looks like.I hate seeing those chunks out of the bottom end like that....I also see where you had that dol-fin...I put the Sport SE 400 on mine and took it off within 1/2 hr of trying it out,it did nothing except make the boat feel heavy and slow, didn't do squat for the porpoising..
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Post by freezerfiller on Aug 23, 2015 13:54:31 GMT -6
A friend of mine has one of those skeg guards, and he likes it... although he didn't have an opinion before he broke off his skeg.. He did have an issue (not sure what) and they were responsive and swapped it out the next day.
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Skeg Guard
Aug 23, 2015 15:43:23 GMT -6
via mobile
Post by gnrphil on Aug 23, 2015 15:43:23 GMT -6
Like Juan my skeg is a little short, I thought about a skeg gaurd but read about one that messed up the water flow to the prop which messed with performance. I'm firmley on the fence with this one.
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985crabs
Captain
2000 V1900 Bay Series, Yamaha 150 Carb. 2
Posts: 1,309
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Post by 985crabs on Aug 23, 2015 20:32:11 GMT -6
Any boat in southern LA that is used for marsh fishing is likely to lose a part of its skeg. Mine is no exception. I have a Skeg Guard which is, essentially, a prosthetic skeg. It's awesome. Buy one now. You will not regret it.
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Post by gtightline on Aug 23, 2015 21:41:27 GMT -6
Roger that...I'm going to Bass Pro in the morning and get one before I'm left with nothing but a nub myself...This is the one I'm partial to. www.basspro.com/SkegShield-Skeg-Guard/product/10200068/I did a little research and it seems like this is the one that will work best for me, it appears to be the one that will conform best to the original shape. I found one earlier today for less money, but after reading a little I found that a few people hand some changes in boat performance with the cheaper one. I want to keep it as close to the original shape as possible....Thanks for the input all.
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985crabs
Captain
2000 V1900 Bay Series, Yamaha 150 Carb. 2
Posts: 1,309
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Post by 985crabs on Aug 24, 2015 7:08:25 GMT -6
Yeah, they are not one-size-fits-all. There is likely one made specifically for your motor so you have to get the right one. The scary and painful part is drilling the holes in your lower unit to attach the thing. Once you get past that, it's a piece of cake.
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Post by freezerfiller on Aug 24, 2015 11:35:07 GMT -6
The scary and painful part is drilling the holes in your lower unit to attach the thing. Once you get past that, it's a piece of cake. That is definitely one of the few times you don't want to strike oil when you are drilling!!
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Post by gtightline on Aug 25, 2015 6:48:37 GMT -6
That one looks like it would do all kinds of weird stuff to the performance of your boat...
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Post by Juan on Aug 25, 2015 11:49:28 GMT -6
Congratulations to the forum. We must be getting more mature and sophisticated or at least showing incredible restraint. Generally any mention of lower unit drilling and sanding would generate some sort of a sophomoric response, which I also appreciate. You have me dialed in... I had actually searched YouTube for a video I had seen on another forum of a couple doing the wild thing on a jet ski and it was titled: Offshore drilling. rofl Probably a good thing I couldn't find it since we try to keep these posts "family friendly"
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Post by gtightline on Aug 25, 2015 14:00:43 GMT -6
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985crabs
Captain
2000 V1900 Bay Series, Yamaha 150 Carb. 2
Posts: 1,309
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Post by 985crabs on Aug 25, 2015 15:43:41 GMT -6
Looks nice. How'd you straighten out the stump? I put a heat gun on mine and whacked it with a mallet, but nothing happened. I quit before I broke something so it isn't 100% straight up and down. Still steers straight so I don't know that it matters. Just curious.
Crabs
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Skeg Guard
Aug 25, 2015 17:37:23 GMT -6
via mobile
Post by gnrphil on Aug 25, 2015 17:37:23 GMT -6
Crabs , you'll have better results with a blow torch to get it good and hot then place a piece of 4x4 on one side and hammer it straight. I think I'd take the lower unit off to do it.
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Post by gtightline on Aug 25, 2015 18:20:30 GMT -6
I used a small propane torch and just heated the area that needed to be straightened, took a 4x4 and a small hammer to beat it straight. Did it all while the lower unit was still attached. If you do it with a propane torch instead of acetylene, the propane is easier to control, and heat the area slowly, it didn't take much...you gotta take your time, low heat is the trick. I then took a hand file and started smoothing out all the nicks and bumps, again the metal is soft and easy to work..To me the hardest part was the drilling, I drilled half way through on one side then drilled the other side all the way, still broke a bit, but the hole was straight..hahaha ..They really make it seem easy, and it really wasn't too bad..I think when they say 10 minutes to put it on, they mean on a new skeg that is still in perfect condition. Mine had chunks missing out of it and was bent...
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985crabs
Captain
2000 V1900 Bay Series, Yamaha 150 Carb. 2
Posts: 1,309
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Post by 985crabs on Aug 25, 2015 19:52:49 GMT -6
Outstanding. I think I'll live with my imperfection for a bit longer until I get into all that. I'm sure you did the right thing. I don't have a torch though.
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Post by gtightline on Aug 26, 2015 8:11:38 GMT -6
This is the type of propane torch I used. You can get one at Wal-Mart for about $20.00 more or less...I agree with you, if your skeg is on there and your boat tracks straight I would just leave it alone. No since in fixing what ain't broken, for sure.
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Post by Juan on May 7, 2016 17:32:37 GMT -6
Well, I bumped into the dam at the river the other day and bent the skeg on my Optimax.. I made the mistake of trying to straighten it without first heating it up and broke a chunk about the size of a 50 cent piece off so I decided to buy a skeg guard... actually bought one for the Yamaha too. Found a site where they were on sale for $74. Took maybe 15 - 20 minutes to install each one. They look slightly different than gtightline's model since they have a small hydrafoil on the very bottom. They claim they won't affect the boat's performance at all..actually improve handling at idle speed and that makes sense to me. Had to drill two 1/4" holes in each skeg and there only has to be 2" of skeg to be able to mount these things. I'll be trying out the Optimax tomorrow and I'll let ya know how it works.
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Post by Juan on May 8, 2016 13:42:25 GMT -6
How do install a picture using tapatalk?
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Post by Juan on May 8, 2016 13:43:57 GMT -6
How do install a picture using tapatalk? I think I've got it Attachments:
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