Handling/Skeg ?

[WaYoop]

When I got my boat (used obviously), it came with a customized skeg on the motor along with a trashed prop in the rod locker. I carefully, with a block of wood and small hammer, got the skeg relatively straightened out, but it is missing about an inch and a half off the bottom... Smoothed out the rough edges with a file and slapped some paint on it.

Boat runs well, but does some strange things and was wondering if it is related to the missing lower skeg - only happens when running by myself WFO.

Background info so you can make an educated guess

No plate, mounted on the second from top hole, 23 worked (Mark) Tempest Plus, achieving max recommended rpms and have seen 61.9 mph.. Not an overly loaded boat, and a balanced weight-to-the-rear load.

Symtoms - once in a while the rear end kicks out a bit to starboard while up on pad, skeery the first time, but not so bad after a few! Also, sometimes when you hit that last bit of trim and feel the air under your feet, it flops over bad to the port side, and in a hurry Full livewells/partner and it is on rails, but probably not aired out...

I can drive to prevent walking fairly good (have had the boat about 2 years), but still learning every time out. Maybe I am just getting it up to its limits more often and still behind the learning curve, who knows

Gosh, this got long...sorry.

Is being skeg-challenged causing this?

Thanks for any and all input - Love my Champ - Rob

[csmetreyeon]

Is this the same boat in your signature?

[WaYoop]

10-4




Modified by WaYoop at 8:14 AM 1/5/2010

[pmgoffjr]

Skeg being a little bent or short shouldn't be that big a deal.

What will cause your problems is something disrupting water flow to the prop, like a transducer or speedo pickup.

[WaYoop]

Nothing to disrupt water flow Pat.

Would adding a plate and getting the prop to pad closer to 3.5" make a significant difference in handling for the better? It is like 6-7" below pad as it sits now.

If so, looks like I have to remove some shelving in my garage to accomadate the added length.

Thanks for sharing your knowledge and experience Pat.

Rob

[pmgoffjr]

Sometimes giving advice over the internet is dangerous...I haven't seen your setup, haven't driven your ride, don't have an idea what could be causing the hiccups.

I've had a few boats that did it, something was funny in the prop, changed props out and it never happens again. A few that really ran hard would do the jumpies just before they got to the blow out point. Doubt that is going on here.

All that said, a plate with a motor set at proper height would not be a bad thing at all. In other words it can't hurt.

[WaYoop]

Thanks again Pat, appreciate it.