have anybody ever done this ? see pic

[action20]

this is so weird. i didn't even hit rock. the skeg just broke off. luckily i was only goin about 60 and it felt like blow out.

i had just screamed by a Baja @ 85 mintes later the skeg went flying off.

has this happened to anybody else ??

[toyomirage02]

yes i seen that happen to a person with a baja and a mirage you got lucky you didnt get hurt,the guy i know with the baja broke ribs,the mirage idont think he barlky felt his but the prop did

[stvhelm]

that happened to me a long time ago and I seen it a few times on other peoples boats. the skeg will start to crack at the trailing top part of the skeg and work forward. You can usually catch it before it happens if you check your skeg in that spot each time you use your boat. most of the time its from an added on torque tab thats not adjusted properly. in most cases it will start to show a hair line crack long before it snaps off.

[Adam McKeon]

We were out on the creek one after noon and had three boat racing at the same time . The one in the middle (STV Euro) had his sgeg break off and the boat did a 90mph U-Turn. It was pretty sick looking. Pinned him against the boat and he couldnt pull his foot off the throttle so it was jamned to the floor. Needless to say, He **** his pants and We Got It On Tape!

[vic peters]

is dat a xr6? if it is we did da same thing on a new steckbauer after maybe20 1/4 mile runs. it was not fun. we were at marble falls tx at da ihba event when it turned loose at about 300' out bote went sideways but still finished da run. i thought driver f*^%$k up till we got it on da trailer. need to watch those skegs real close for cracks... especially on a xr6 w/alot a power. good luck... vic:eek:

[action20]

i guess i'm lucky i wasn't hurt.

another expensive lesson.

thanks for the info.

I will take helmuts advise and check before everytime on the water.

[Cp]

Been there done that. When you get your new one, start check the juncture at the top of the skeg where it meets rear of the housing EVERYTIME OUT.

[WATERWINGS]

Me too,

....and it looked just like that.

I had just taken off and was running about 60 MPH when it let loose, the wheel just turned real hard in my hands, and after that, to get back home, the motor had to be turned at about a 30 degree angle to go straight.

Oh yea, put a crease in my prop too.

stvhelm,

How do you determain if the torque tab is set correctly?

The only way I have heard is tape the steering wheel where the motor is exactly staight and when going straight on the water the tape on the wheel should be straight up???

[Tom D.]

I got one that looks like that. I never felt a thing. Didn't notice untill I got back to the dock.

Tom

[Capt.Insane-o]

did'nt notice much, steering just got heavy, prop did'nt like it. Sportsmaster with about 50 hours on it. Went back to a 200 case with bob's, handles better.

[Ro Yale]

Yea I had that happen at about 100 mph. I went through the side of the boat. The boat went left and I went straight. Then the boat flipped and ripped the entire transom out still hooked to the engine and ripped the entire left side off the boat. NEVER STRAIGHTEN a bent skeg........ Glad your not hurt.
Later, Ro
;) ;) ;) ;)

[Scream And Fly]

Definitely glad you didn't get hurt.

John, to adjust the torquetab correctly, it must be set to your boat's TOP speed. If your boat tops out at 90 mph and you adjust it so there is no torque in the wheel at 75, you over-adjusted it, and it will place extra stress on the skeg. Adjust it only enough to allow you to steer the boat to maintain perfect control - no more.

Greg

[WATERWINGS]

So, I will probably have torque on the wheel at 60-70-80?

[Scream And Fly]

Unless you have hydraulic steering, yes. Remember, overadjusting your torquetab will greatly increase the loads on the skeg, and with it, the chances of failure.

Greg

[WATERWINGS]

I've had some with a very small amount of torque tab, and the touque was so bad that I would have just as soon stayed home!

So I guess the tape on the wheel would only apply to WFO?

At that speed I had some slight wheel torque, mabey I was about right???:confused:

[espen]

Our boats are in the borderline of beeing an aircraft... we should learn from them and have a check list maybe on the dash to go trou every time out boating/flying....

check : cracks on the fin
steering systems
Vest,helmet.restraints
+++???

[thaw ripper]

:eek: Check this one out! ouch:(

[Racemore]

DON'T,DO NOT have that skeg welded and put it back on a single engine boat that is surface piercing.You might not be so lucky when it comes off again.There is a 90% chance it will.Got the T-shirt.:cool:

[Balzy]

This one let loose at 97.6 on GPS. Boat wanted to go left all of a sudden. Glad I was in the ol' faithfull HST. When it's all over and I trim it up, Nick Kaye says " Hey Balzy, your reverse gear looks really good" LOL :eek: :eek: :eek:

More pics and the whole story at:http://www.fortunecity.com/olympia/montana/513/id33.htm

[Cp]

.....I thought we were talking about skeg failures? I think Balzy's skeg is intact on the bottom somewhere with a bit of the case attached? :D

[WATERWINGS]

If the boat turns right when you let go of the wheel, why does it turn left when the skeg goes?

What caused the side of the case to open, because it was light duty, (not a CLE?)

[Balzy]

200 coned JC's. Looks like I snapped a blade and it all came apart. Mine was prbably not a normal skeg snap..........

[AnthonySS]

Always the same break....

[Firestarter]

Had a buddy break a new stock sportmaster on his way through 100mph, and did his best impression of a champ boat. He got luckey, but it turned so hard, it stripped the gears out of the helm.
1- sportmaster
1- 30 lab cleaver
1- Morse helm

EQUALS a very lucky driver with an empty wallet.

RT

[Racemore]

Waterwings,the reason the boat goes left is because the prop turning right walks the stern to the right leaving the nose to the left causing the sudden turn. If your off the throttle fast enough it will straighten up.If it hooks hard(you were to late) the boat will go straight as it gets down in the water.If you experience it once you'll feel it coming ,you learn to get out and counter.trying to run real high engine heights will give you a little experience that you don't really want.:cool:

[WATERWINGS]

That makes since, but why does the boat turn right if you let go of the wheel?

[sho305]

The prop also walks your motor over against the steering; prop walking right makes the motor want to pivot, and then the boat turns right if you let go. (Not the same as walking the whole boat around, when the skeg/LU stops steering)

My 85 force skeg was broke the same way with a little left in the front. Don't know how it got broke, but am glad I don't care it is welded now at only 45mph:) That must really suck on those high buck units.