The function of a skeg is to protect the gear case and propeller on your boat's motor. You may run across a stump or run through mud or sand, which can wear the skeg down or even cause it to break off. When damage has occurred, your boat may not run smoothly down the water and could be a safety hazard. The skeg should be about 3/4 longer than the outside edge of where the prop spins (figure A). If the skeg is worn down, then you're at risk for damaging the gear case, which can be expensive to repair.
Most boaters have a machine shop make their repairs, but on this episode of DIY's Shipshape Boating, host John Greviskis will show you how to do it yourself with a little help from a welder. He will demonstrate how to cut off the damaged section of the skeg, weld on a new piece, and then paint the parts to make everything look new again.
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