# Skeg protection



## surfman (May 21, 2013)

Anyone ever use one of these? I got one to try out, it is very rocky where I fish and I have already hit one rock pretty hard with my new motor. Not worried about dings and scratches just worried about getting stranded.

Found it at Cabella’s and they had 10 very good reviews.


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## lovedr79 (May 21, 2013)

looks good. i used a macs river runner for a season. did a great job at protecting the lower unit.


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## lckstckn2smknbrls (May 21, 2013)

I've Been using the Mac's river runner for several years with good results. The river I'm on is shallow and rocky.


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## Badbagger (May 21, 2013)

I used a Skegguard... about $120 give or take but well worth it.


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## stevesecotec02 (May 21, 2013)

Another vote for macs river runner, I know its paid for itself several times over. That rockhopper looks nice but they seem to stick down below the skeg and where I run I need to be able to go as shallow as possible.


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## pfflyer (May 21, 2013)

[url=https://www.tinboats.net/forum/viewtopic.php?p=315459#p315459 said:


> lovedr79 » Tue May 21, 2013 4:43 am[/url]"]looks good. i used a macs river runner for a season. did a great job at protecting the lower unit.



X 4


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## surfman (May 22, 2013)

Thanks for the input guys, all good. I also looked at the Mac's, I did not like the way the bracing is perpendicular to the flow. I read all the reviews on the Cabella,s site and they were good just like the ones here but many did complain about loss of performance. I am sure that there will be loses with this one too. I will test it out and see how it does. This bracket is definitely a lot more substantial than the Mac’s which is just a skeg cover, basically. I just received it and it is a work of art for sure.

It sill also be interesting to see how it performs on weeds.


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## surfman (May 24, 2013)

[url=https://www.tinboats.net/forum/viewtopic.php?p=315565#p315565 said:


> stevesecotec02 » 21 May 2013, 19:25[/url]"] That rockhopper looks nice but they seem to stick down below the skeg and where I run I need to be able to go as shallow as possible.


That picture is deceiving, the part that sticks down is about 3/4" below the skeg, and if you don't like it you could cut it off. I imagine it helps the motor "self tilt" in gravel though, I am sure there is a reason for it.

I got it installed, fairly easy, now I just need to find a rock! 8)


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## PSG-1 (May 24, 2013)

On the note of skegs and skeg protection, yesterday, I bought a new ss prop for my Merc 50, to replace the one I've been running for 2 years, it's pretty worn down. 

When I installed the new prop, then I realized how badly worn down my skeg is. That's gonna have to be re-built, as the skeg is intended to strike bottom or an underwater object before the prop hits it, which helps protect the prop. 

More than likely, I'll do it like I usually do, take a saw and cut off the old skeg, nice and straight. Then take a piece of 1/4" aluminum plate, cut it to shape, then bevel the edges of the joint, and weld it to the foot of the engine. 

In addition, I'll also add a small piece of 1/4x1" flat aluminum bar, welded to the bottom of the skeg, as a wear indicator plate. When that flat bar begins to get really thin, cut it off and weld a new piece on. I've used the wear plate method on a few engines I've owned over the years, it's a very effective means of being able to monitor wear to the skeg and fix it before the skeg begins to lose any length and has to be completely rebuilt. Should have done that when the motor was brand new.

My skegs don't ever get damaged from hitting rocks, etc, but they get worn down pretty bad out here in the creek, especially when I dredge going in and out of my channel at low tide. That sand doesn't play around!


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## surfman (Jun 4, 2013)

Okay I installed my Rock Hopper (RH) and finally got a chance to take the boat out and run it. Before I installed the RH the boat would run 26.7 mph on our lake with nothing in it but me, according to my hand held GPS. After I installed the RH I took the boat out again with nothing in it but me and I ran 24.6 mph. a loss of about 2 mph. I then tilted the motor up to its highest setting and the boat ran at 25.4 mph. I could not tell any difference in performance and without the GPS I would not have been able to tell it was on there.

Another observation was that the steering was very responsive almost too responsive. You had to be careful turning too fast ‘cause the boat would really dart left or right depending on which way you turned. Overall I am very pleased with the performance, now all I have to do is test it out on some rocks!

Rock Hopper installed on my motor.


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## muskiemike12 (Jun 4, 2013)

That thing looks pretty slick! I might have to get one for my river rig.


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## MrSimon (Jun 4, 2013)

Considering I just broke the skeg completely off my Honda 40 as well as one of the cavitation plates ... causing me to order a new lower unit ..... this thread could not have been more timely.

Thanks for posting and keep us updated!!

EDIT - Just realized they don't make one for my particular motor ..... do you think one might still fit?


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## surfman (Jun 4, 2013)

He has a web site ask him I bet he could make it for you. Honda used to use Mercury lower units in the begining. I bet they aren't a whole lot different today.


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## surfman (Jun 4, 2013)

Here is the link to his site. https://www.rockhoppermotorguard.com/

Or just google rockhopper skeg.


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## TheMaestro (Jun 4, 2013)

They dont seem to make these for 9.9's... Just larger motors.. Any thoughts?


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## muskiemike12 (Jun 5, 2013)

I was hoping to get one for my 9.9 Rude. You would think that with the most popular motor ever produced that there would be a model to fit it.


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## surfman (Jun 7, 2013)

[url=https://www.tinboats.net/forum/viewtopic.php?p=317400#p317400 said:


> TheMaestro » 04 Jun 2013, 17:18[/url]"]They dont seem to make these for 9.9's... Just larger motors.. Any thoughts?



Did you contact Rockhopper? I don't make em or sell em, I just bought one. My year motor wasn't listed but I bought one for the model and it fit fine. That doesn't mean anything really, but if it is not listed by Cabellas that don't mean the guy can't make it.


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## PSG-1 (Jun 8, 2013)

Like I said in my previous post, my skeg was worn down from running in sand and mud. But I figure this might be helpful to anyone who has broken off their skeg, how to re-build it. 

Here's a few pics showing how I did the repair.


Repair completed, showing the wear plate on the bottom.






Here's one, showing just how worn out the old skeg was, This little piece I'm holding in my hand is what I cut off with a circular saw.


That dredging is tough on a lower unit! The upside is that at least I have water at my dock on an average low tide!




A couple more, showing the wear plate welded to the bottom of the skeg.








As mentioned, this wear plate acts like an indicator, to keep from wearing down the skeg without realizing it. Typically, as you wear down a skeg, the prop wears, too, so, you don't really notice how worn the skeg is until you go to put a new prop on. That skeg is very important in protecting the prop from impact, without the skeg extending below the prop blades, if you hit an underwater object, you'll most likely cause damage or bending of the prop.

With the wear indicator, as soon as you see that 1/4 flat aluminum getting really thin, remove it, and weld a new one on, and you'll pretty much never wear out the skeg, as long as you keep replacing that wear plate.

Every OBM I've ever owned, I've worn the skeg down, and rebuilt it like this, and installed the wear plate. Really I should have learned by now to just go ahead and weld the damn thing on while the engine is new and the skeg is in good shape, instead of waiting to wear it down and having to rebuild it.

Only drawback to the wear plate is that it has to be welded (at least the way I do it) I'm sure someone could figure out a way to make one that would bolt on. In either case, if you operate in a lot of sand, I highly recommend installing something like this.


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## PATRIOT (Jun 8, 2013)

Skeg protection ??? We don't need no stinkin' skeg protection . . . . 

My skeg was well worn when I bought the boat/motor so I trimmed off what was left, leaving about 1.5" so I could mount replaceable skegs, sharpened with a good knife edge, using stainless flat head screws and flush nuts.
15HP Nissan, built during the Reagan administration; back when people took responsibility for their own welfare and weren't looking for a government handout!

(No extra charge for viewing my low-tech PVC transom saver, which stays attached to the trailer even while launching/recovery)


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## PSG-1 (Jun 8, 2013)

Looks like a good bolt-on skeg replacement. 8) 

I like the PVC transom saver, nothing beats good ol' ingenuity!


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## rgp717 (Oct 18, 2017)

Hi,

My first post: I have a 4 cylinder Mercruiser I/O, 110 hp. Is there a prop protector, lower unit protector for it? The River Runner does not seem to have protection past 50 hp.


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