damage to skeg during storage

Hi. I posted a few times before, but couldn't get on under old name. We were storing a 1999 203 in a neighbor's storage building at our camp. Our boat was the last one in and we had removed the batteries and had the motor down for storage. While we were out of town for our son's wedding the owner of building moved our boat to get other boats out. He didn't lift the motor and called last night to say about three inches came off skeg. I think he was moving slowly at the time, but should we worry about any other problems that may have occurred because of this? This is our first bass boat that we bought a few years ago from C&O. It is in beautiful shape and we try to take really good care of it. Any opinions, does a repaired skeg show? I sure hope not! Thanks.

I have seen where people say it doesn't make much difference. I really do't know. If it were me, i'd have it fixed. I never leave anything of mine broken. Good luck. It shouldn't be too much money either. I believe they can just be welded on . http://www.bassboatcentral.com/boardstuff2/beers.gif

Sorry, I didn't make myself more clear. We are definitely getting the skeg fixed, I just meant could there be any other unseen problems in the motor or steering or transom or anything from this happening. Thanks.

You can send it to me......pay the round trip freight and I'll fix it for free.......and you'll know it's been done right!

Wow, that's top notch Todd. Wish we had service like that up here. http://www.bassboatcentral.com/boardstuff2/beers.gif

I had a skeg welded back on a 70 johnson that's on my dad's boat as far as paint you cant even tell!

3" ... Wow! I'd check to make sure he didn't distort or crack the gearcase. I've banged my skeg on some rocks before putting some dings on the bottom of it, and had it repaired at a prop shop a couple of hours from here and it looks as good as new.

The one I damaged it broke off about an inch below the gear case and bent the prop shaft pretty good and bent up the prop!

Yep--Them "BO DARK" stumps are Texas tough. http://www.bassboatcentral.com/smileys/Laugh.gif

No I hit a pipeline in Keith lake off the coast was running about 40 or so and they only marked it with signs about 5"by by 5"!

Thanks so much for that offer, Todd. All of you at C&O left a great impression on us as to how a company should really be run. You went beyond what was asked in a lot of ways.

My husband found a prop shop up by our camp that seems to have a good reputation so after he gets up there to assess the damage he might just take it there. With fishing season for us about two weeks out now we are hoping just a weld job is all it takes and no further damage was done. Thanks, again!

Several years ago I bent the skeg (no breaks or chucks out of it at all) on my 94 175 merc EFI that was on my previous champ - a 184 contender. I did it making a shallow water take off in some mud in back of a creek. Nothing real severe- I had seen numerous boats with the same tell-tale bend, and was not really concerned about it at all, and the dealer questioned why I really wanted the skeg replaced when I took it in. They called me in to look at it a few hours later. The case was cracked the entire length of the skeg and while not very easy to see on the outside of the housing, it was plain as day on the inside. The housing was scrap. I think it just depends on how much side drag is put on the skeg to break it off, but it is definately possible to do more damage than simply break off the skeg. I hope yours is not, but you should monitor your lower unit lube real close for a while.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by ribbit_man &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Yep--Them "BO DARK" stumps are Texas tough. http://www.bassboatcentral.com/smileys/Laugh.gif </TD></TR></TABLE>

Yeah, thanks to ChampioNman, there's one with a chunk of my skeg on it too in the mouth of Caney at Big Sam ... http://www.bassboatcentral.com/smileys/stirthepot.gif http://www.bassboatcentral.com/smileys/ohwell.gif

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by ontariohound &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
My husband found a prop shop up by our camp </TD></TR></TABLE>

Where is your camp? And by the way I can sympathize with you. The guy that stores my boat lifted the tongue with a tractor to pull it out of it's storage building. He lifted it way too high and took all the paint off of the skeg for about 4 inches. I guess I should be thankful I didn't lose anything other than paint.

Our camp is on Point Peninsula, the other side of Cape Vincent. We are going to have Don's prop shop do the repairs. They are in Clayton. Have you heard of them? With all the shoals around the 1000 islands they probably have a busy summer schedule! Where do you fish-around Alex Bay or come down to the lake?
We fish alot around the Chaumont Bay area, largest freshwater bay in the world!

Going today to assess the damage. Keeping our fingers crossed it is not major.

Keep us posted...got my fingers crossed that there is no other damage....

I rarely fish Lake Ontario. If I do it is out of Fair Haven or Port Bay. I have never fished Chamount, but I think there used to be a motel there called Passin Wind Motel. I never forgot that! I usually fish down river near Chippewa Bay. Are you headed to Oneida for the B.A.S.S event in August? I grew up in Fulton so we weren't very far apart. Maybe we will be able to trade a fishery this summer. (up-river vs down-river)

Well, we sure aren't far apart. When I put Syracuse it was just general. Really we are between Fulton and Phoenix. My husband was born in Fulton and went to school there until 8th grade when he started going to Phoenix.

He is signed up for the Elite Series, but on the waiting list. I don't think he'll make the cut. He fished in the Series on Champlain last year and Oneida the year before. We have a fishing tournament in Chaumont to raise money for the Golisano Children's Hospital in Syracuse. My son died of cancer when he was 15 eight years ago so we try to raise money in the fight against childhood cancer. Maybe you would have that weekend free. We haven't set a date yet, but will be soon. Last year we raised $10,000. The pros have helped us alot by donating things, signing hats and posters, etc. They are a bunch of great guys. My son loved to fish and this is one of the ways we have chosen to honor his memory.

Be glad to share fishing spots with you.

Thanks to everyone who answered the post. We are leaving now and I will report back when we return. Enjoy your weekend.