What should I use to repair holes in my skeg?

[mobyjaws]

I guess this is technically a repair question but I'm gonna put it here anyway. The last owner of my 'Rude 1.5 Mate thought it was a good idea to drill a pair of 1/8" holes in the skeg and bolt a 4" x 1" x 1/4" piece of steel to it "to protect it from stumps". I thought about JB Weld to fill the holes but I don't know if that will add any more structural integrity than Bondo. Is there an epoxy that will offset the weakness caused by the holes or should I just fill them and go fishing? Thanks for any info,MJ.

 

[Barnacle_Bill]

Re: What should I use to repair holes in my skeg?

I wouldn't even worry about them. Go fishin!

 

[kenmyfam]

Re: What should I use to repair holes in my skeg?

Fill them and go fishing with whatever.........or take a slightly bigger drill and countersink the holes slightly, then get some 1/8" aluminum welding rod cut to slightly longer than the hole length and"mushroom" both ends like a rivet till it is tight in there and file the excess off. Be careful when you mushroom it not to damage the skeg by supporting the back of the rivet and only hitting the rivet itself. It will make a nice looking repair and blend in very well. However a couple of 1/8" holes will probably not hurt it at all if you leave them alone.
Good luck and let us all know what you do and how it turns out.
Ken.

 

[bassboy1]

Re: What should I use to repair holes in my skeg?

Well, I would just grab the dog and go fishing. Unless you are running a high dollar bass boat, and are looking to get every 100th of a mile an hour, I wouldn't worry one bit.

 

[Solittle]

Re: What should I use to repair holes in my skeg?

A tad of Marine Tex would do it.

 

[Joey One]

Re: What should I use to repair holes in my skeg?

I would tap the holes, install aluminum machine screws with loctite, and file the ends flush with skeg.

 

[JB]

Re: What should I use to repair holes in my skeg?

What Joey One said.

 

[mobyjaws]

Re: What should I use to repair holes in my skeg?

Thanks for all the info. I thought about just leaving the holes as is, but for some reason it just pisses me off when I look at them. Why would someone drill holes in a perfectly good skeg. I obviously knew it when I bought it and it does not detract from it's performance ( 1.5hp ,it's a beast ) but it does go into the "what the hell were you thinking" category. MJ

 

[Chris1956]

Re: What should I use to repair holes in my skeg?

Moby, Those holes are inconsequential. You can fill 'em with caulk or leave them alone, it doesn't matter in terms of strength.

 

[BillP]

Re: What should I use to repair holes in my skeg?

Lay it on one side, tape over the holes on the bottom side and put jb weld or marine tex in from the other side. Let sit 24hrs, remove the tape and go fishing... OR just go fishing and don't worry.

b.

 

[MikDee]

Re: What should I use to repair holes in my skeg?

A tad of Marine Tex would do it.

I agree, nothing beats Marine Tex! better, & stronger, then epoxy, (actually it maybe epoxy based?) and it won't corrode like aluminum or some other metal.

 

[mobyjaws]

Re: What should I use to repair holes in my skeg?

Thank you gentlemen. Marine Tex sounds like the way to go. Even if filling the holes doesn't add any strength it will make me feel better not having to look at them. MJ