What does a skeg do on an outboard motor?

Asked by: Dolkar Storch

The skeg is the lowest point on an outboard motor (pictured above). It acts as a precise rudder, which allows your boat to turn safely and effectively. It also protects the propeller from getting caught in debris in the water or other hazards the boat may come in contact with.

Does a broken skeg affect performance?

Easily repair a broken skeg on your outboard or sterndrive. The skeg of an outboard or sterndrive gear case provides much directional stability and steering ease. Whether caused by running aground or due to some land-bound calamity, a broken or damaged skeg adversely affects handling.

How important is a skeg on a boat?

The skeg of your outboard or stern drive motor serves two highly important functions. The skeg acts as a precise rudder, allowing the motor to turn your boat accurately and safely. This function is especially needed by high performance boats such as bass boats where on plane the skeg plays a critical role in steering.

How do you fix a broken skeg on an outboard motor?

Just I don't like doing that first thing I do is take the lower unit off and I take it into the shop. It's also a good idea. When you're doing this to change the water pump. Save some labor.

Can a skeg be replaced?

Bay outboard & I/O skeg replacements are made to replace the original skeg on outboard and I/O drive units that have been broken off or damaged so full protection of the prop can be maintained.

How do you repair a cracked skeg?

And maybe help you out if you're trying to do your project. Now some of you might be asking how strong is this solder can it really do what i need it to do will it hold my stuff. Together.

What do the fins on a boat motor do?

Hydrofoils work to help a boat reduce drag and increase speed. Because water provides resistance to a ship trying to move through it, the resulting pushback can make a vessel slow down, even at peak operation.

Do I need a skeg?

Skegs are used only to assist in the tracking of a kayak.



In cross winds and following waves, you can deploy a skeg to help your kayak track straight. When the skeg is no longer needed, it can be raised back up inside the boat and has no effect on the performance of the kayak.

Is skeg or rudder better?

The biggest advantage of a rudder is in following seas where the ability to steer the kayak with your feet and keep it from broaching provides a significant advantage over boats with skegs or boats with nothing at all. This allows you to use all of your energy for paddling forward.

How does a skeg work?

A rudder blade deflects water in a particular direction, causing the boat to turn; a skeg creates resistance to the turning affect caused by the wind and causes the boat to go straight. In both cases, the devices are being used to make a boat track straight when the wind is trying to make the boat turn.

How much is a new skeg?

While the price you pay will depend on the dealership, the MSRPs for Scag mowers range between around $4,800 to nearly $21,000.

What does a SCAG on a boat do?

It’s in the name—a skeg guard protects your skeg from damage. A Hydro-Shield skeg guard and hydrofoil not only protects your skeg and improves your boat’s handling but also creates lift for reduced drag, helps your boat get up on plane quicker and stay on plane at lower speeds, and allows you to run in shallow waters.

What does the word skeg mean?

Definition of skeg



1 : the stern of the keel of a ship near the sternpost especially : the part connecting the keel with the bottom of the rudderpost in a single-screw ship. 2 : a fin situated on the rear bottom of a surfboard that is used for steering and stability.

Why is a skeg called a skeg?

The word originates in the Scandinavian word for beard; in Old Norse, skegg.

What part of the boat is the skeg?

A “skeg” is an aftward extension of the keel intended to keep the boat moving straight and to protect the propeller and rudder from underwater obstructions.

What is a skeg fin?

A skeg is a fin (also called a tracking fin) that is either built-into your kayak’s hull or can be attached to it. It is used to help keep your vessel going straight (tracking) with minimal effort when the wind and waves would affect the boat’s handling. It achieves this by trimming the boat.

Is a bigger skeg better?

The more skeg you drop, the greater its effect on your course in the wind. Keep in mind that too much skeg can be as bad as no skeg at all! Fixed skegs – A fixed skeg is either permanently attached to your hull, fitted into a holder from which it can be removed, or dropped into a purpose-made slot for use.

What is the little fin above the propeller called?

It’s called a “trim” tab or “torque” tab. It’s actually part of the sacrificial anode attached to your anti-ventilation plate (“fin”).

What is a boat’s keel?

keel, in shipbuilding, the main structural member and backbone of a ship or boat, running longitudinally along the centre of the bottom of the hull from stem to stern. It may be made of timber, metal, or other strong, stiff material.

Are bilge keels safe?

So, the major advantages of bilge keels include a shallow draught and great protection when grounding. In addition, a bilge keel can dry out on a flat bottom and some designs are also able to perform better windward than long keels; similar to fin keels.

What is chine on a boat?

Chines refer to the sharp changes in angles in its cross section. These angular chines appear along the outline of your boat’s hull and in the area where the hull intersects the underside of the boat.

What happens if a keel breaks?

As the basic integrity of any yacht depends on the counter-weight of keel against the mast structure, it is a given that when a yacht loses its keel, it will capsize and not right itself. With this as a given, the structural integrity of the keel is one of the most crucial elements of the yacht’s structure.

Can keels be repaired?

Keel repair may become necessary from many sources of damage such as groundings, keel bolt corrosion, actual lead keel corrosion problems on the surface and internally within the casting. Any of these scenarios can be a safety factor and a possible structural issue that must be addressed as soon as possible.

Are bolt on keels safe?

This is the only sensible and safe way to attach the keel to the hull. Using keel bolts is potentially dangerous. We should outlaw keel bolts for any boat which has an ‘extreme’ keel design, and not just for new boats; existing boats should be retro-fitted too.

Can a cracked keel be fixed?

The definitive repair is to drop the keel, check the bolts, perfect the mating surface and reattach on a fresh sealant bed.

What is the Catalina smile?

For some sailors, there is a common maintenance ritual that occurs every spring—repairing the ballast-hull crack or cracks where the leading edge of the ballast keel meets the hull. This annually reoccurring crack is sometimes referred to as a “Catalina Smile” because it often occurs on Catalina sailboats.

How do you keep a keel from rusting?

The best way to treat an iron keel that’s rusting is to sandblast the whole thing and apply a complete, new, epoxy-based coating system.