Pontoon Boat & Deck Boat Forum

Just looking for advice on fixing my bent and cracked skeg. Maybe about a 2 inch crack/tear and slight bend. Did not realize it was damaged after I had hit a rock before I realized my trim was dropping to full tilt down. What do the experts suggest for a fix? A new stainless steel skeggard or try to have a welder fix it. New skeggard approx $110 and weld shop that specialized in aluminum welding say it will cost about a $1 a minute and is less than an hour job. They have not seen the boat yet, I just explained it to them. My concern is which will be stronger? Will aluminum weld weaken the skeg or will drilling the skeg with 1/4" holes for the bolts to hold the skeggard weaken it more? Plus it's bent. I was going to try to straighten it out a little with a rubber mallet. What do you think?? Any advice would be much appreciated!

A big C clamp using 2 pieces of wood and slowly tightning. Pounding might work but I think might break it. If clamp works live with crack or get it welded. Hell on Tenkiller half have skegs broken off and don't fix them.

LR is right don't hit it with a hammer, rubber, steel, feathers, it will break off. I have never seen it fail to break. It only bends one way then off it comes. I have never lost one or broke one but I did bend one and never fixed it, not a problem.

Well, before I read the replies I wacked at it a few times with a rubber mallet. I guess I got lucky because it didn't break. I consider myself lucky with a slight bend and took to the welder. He said it would break too if we tried to bend back any more. He welded it for $20. I was pretty happy about that too. He even gave me a beer while I was there!

Sounds like a good guy, cheap and a free beer