Possible Skeg Crack?

[Carter Powell]

I was noticing on the skeg of my sportmaster lower today there is what appears to be a 1" long crack running horizontally about 1.5" above the bottom of the skeg and about a half inch from the trailing edge forrward. I am not sure if it is a crack or a casting flaw but i can just barely feel it with my finger nail. I have seen a lot of broke skegs but nothing way down low like this and running parallel to the bottom of the skeg. If it is a small crack would it be advisable to have it ground out and welded since it is so near the bottom of the skeg or just leave it alone.

Many thanks, Carter Powell

[peedeerooster]

I would definetly get it fixed. I don't know anything about your boat or how fast you are running. But, I will tell you I had a mirage ski racer and had a cracked skeg come off and go into the prop at 110mph and it could have killed me. I will never again run a fast boat with a cracked skeg. That was one wild ride before I got it stopped.

[kingsbiship]

Do a driveway magna-flux! Clean it as good as possible... and after drying
spray a highly evaporative chemical... such as brake cleaner, laquer thinner
or whatever... and watch the crack! If there is a crack... it will appear dark!
Good luck!

[Carter Powell]

If it were a small crack what type of rod would be best to weld it with.

Thanks, Carter

[Carter Powell]

If this small crack had to be welded, what type of rod would need to be used? Since the crack is so close to the bottom of the skeg I am not worried about it breaking at the weld. Help!

[Jimboat]

Carter - if you do have a crack, better to fix it now. Best approach is to get a shop to check your skeg with a dye-penetrant examination (magnetic particle flux testing won't work, since your skeg is aluminum). You might find more cracks than you see now. Then have a good aluminum welding shop dig out the crack, and reweld. good luck!