Hi gang...hope you can help with some advice as i hope I haven't ruined
the rest of the summer for the family! I was just throttling down and
coming out of plane at about 18-20mph when the bottom fin and aluminum
propeller on my stern drive Mercruiser 4.3 Alpha stared hitting some
boulders that were sticking up from the bottom. The fin now looks like
it may be bent a slight bit and there are numerous small bends in the
prop fins and a few chips as well. I have switched out the prop and
tested it out and do not feel any vibration..seems to be running fine,
but I am concerned that I should have it inspected and not be running
it....have my test runs already done damage? Is it ok that the fin is
not completely straight?

but I am concerned that I should have it inspected and not be running
it....have my test runs already done damage? Is it ok that the fin is
not completely straight?

I'd say you got off lucky ... I lost about an inch off my old
Mercruiser skeg. And if the skeg is not causing any steering problems
as is, then my opinion just carry on boating ... maybe have it
straightened when convenient ... if it bugs you enough. Aluminum props
.... good idea with rocks around. If you'd had steel, you might have
done damage to the outdrive ... my opinion ... with aluminum not
likely.

OT: my new Volvo Penta outdrive is manufactured flat across the bottom
.... to save us more adventurous boaters the embarrassment of that
jagged missing inch ??? There are now a few scratches from drifting
across a shoal (drive up, in neutral) to get to bass area. I'm sure the
techs will have some comments when I go for that 20 hour service check
:-)

"Mike T" wrote in message
ups.com...
Hi gang...hope you can help with some advice as i hope I haven't ruined
the rest of the summer for the family! I was just throttling down and
coming out of plane at about 18-20mph when the bottom fin and aluminum
propeller on my stern drive Mercruiser 4.3 Alpha stared hitting some
boulders that were sticking up from the bottom. The fin now looks like
it may be bent a slight bit and there are numerous small bends in the
prop fins and a few chips as well. I have switched out the prop and
tested it out and do not feel any vibration..seems to be running fine,
but I am concerned that I should have it inspected and not be running
it....have my test runs already done damage? Is it ok that the fin is
not completely straight?


Good advice from others already.

I will only add that you can get a skeggard cover for the skeg if it looks
pretty nasty after being straightened.

http://tinyurl.com/s4g3w

I shreaded my skeg before. Took a good 4 inches off it and completely
destroyed my prop. I had both rebuilt for about $350.00. The bad part
of that mishap was that when I hit bottom I cracked the water jacket
(1976 Merc 115). It's amazing how they can build those things back up.

Jesse

JimH wrote:
"Mike T" wrote in message
ups.com...
Hi gang...hope you can help with some advice as i hope I haven't ruined
the rest of the summer for the family! I was just throttling down and
coming out of plane at about 18-20mph when the bottom fin and aluminum
propeller on my stern drive Mercruiser 4.3 Alpha stared hitting some
boulders that were sticking up from the bottom. The fin now looks like
it may be bent a slight bit and there are numerous small bends in the
prop fins and a few chips as well. I have switched out the prop and
tested it out and do not feel any vibration..seems to be running fine,
but I am concerned that I should have it inspected and not be running
it....have my test runs already done damage? Is it ok that the fin is
not completely straight?


Good advice from others already.

I will only add that you can get a skeggard cover for the skeg if it looks
pretty nasty after being straightened.

http://tinyurl.com/s4g3w

Thanks for the advice guys...I have memorized the lake charts, but they
failed to include the massive boulders on the bottom in this spot...and
I had just turned my depth sounder on as I was coming into this area
that was new to me, but it was just a second too late. Water is really
low this year, so it is not normally a dangerous area.

The prop I am using right now is a borrowed stainless 4 blade 21P
(previous was 2 blade with 23P) and I think I am in love...sure notice
the power difference and it has made me want an SS prop, other than the
thought of having to replace it if I do this again. I don't really
notice a steering difference with the bent fin. Should I be repainting
over the scratches that were made?



jesse wrote:
I shreaded my skeg before. Took a good 4 inches off it and completely
destroyed my prop. I had both rebuilt for about $350.00. The bad part
of that mishap was that when I hit bottom I cracked the water jacket
(1976 Merc 115). It's amazing how they can build those things back up.

Jesse

JimH wrote:
"Mike T" wrote in message
ups.com...
Hi gang...hope you can help with some advice as i hope I haven't ruined
the rest of the summer for the family! I was just throttling down and
coming out of plane at about 18-20mph when the bottom fin and aluminum
propeller on my stern drive Mercruiser 4.3 Alpha stared hitting some
boulders that were sticking up from the bottom. The fin now looks like
it may be bent a slight bit and there are numerous small bends in the
prop fins and a few chips as well. I have switched out the prop and
tested it out and do not feel any vibration..seems to be running fine,
but I am concerned that I should have it inspected and not be running
it....have my test runs already done damage? Is it ok that the fin is
not completely straight?


Good advice from others already.

I will only add that you can get a skeggard cover for the skeg if it looks
pretty nasty after being straightened.

http://tinyurl.com/s4g3w

Well I am feeling a lot better about things from all your advice. I
also went to see my Mercury service shop today and he talked me into
sticking with the aluminum, so I ended up buying the same prop that I
had..setting me back about $300cdn. His argument was that if i had
done the same thing with a stainless prop, i would likely be paying him
a ton more to check the leg and possibly more due to the shock since
they have little give when they hit something.

He also confirmed that I should not worry about a small bend in the
bottom fin of the leg (can't remember the name he used for it) unless I
was having steering problems.

Thanks again everyone!


Shortwave Sportfishing wrote:
On 21 Aug 2006 10:14:44 -0700, "Mike T" wrote:

Thanks for the advice guys...I have memorized the lake charts, but they
failed to include the massive boulders on the bottom in this spot...and
I had just turned my depth sounder on as I was coming into this area
that was new to me, but it was just a second too late. Water is really
low this year, so it is not normally a dangerous area.

It's always a good idea to scope out the area slowly anyway. There
are areas of a local lake I've fished for over 30 years that I
recently discovered are a hell of a lot shallower that I first
thought. :)

The prop I am using right now is a borrowed stainless 4 blade 21P
(previous was 2 blade with 23P) and I think I am in love...sure notice
the power difference and it has made me want an SS prop, other than the
thought of having to replace it if I do this again. I don't really
notice a steering difference with the bent fin. Should I be repainting
over the scratches that were made?

I hope you mean a 3 blade, 23 - I don't think I've ever seen a two
blade.

Know what you mean about the four blade though - makes one hell of a
difference huh?

Mike T wrote:

small bend in the bottom fin of the leg

skeg.

sam

On Tue, 22 Aug 2006 17:24:45 GMT, Shortwave Sportfishing
wrote:

Leg - skeg - you say potato... :)

Leg and skeg are different, but you know that right?