Bent skeg

[steplift20]

I damaged my prop and am going to replace it but I also slightly bent the skeg, how can I straighten out the skeg? If I put a back of wood on one side and lightly tap the skeg ,do you think it will bend back?
Be very careful putting your boat in the water at Atlantic highlands at dead low tide .

[phatdaddy]

If not too bad, should be able to do it. I d try to use a dead blow hammer if u have one, or rubber mallet.

Go slow and easy

[steplift20]

Not a metal hammer? You think a dead blow hammer would have enough power to straighten it? It's a very slight bend not to bad. Should I put a block of wood on the opposite side?

[phatdaddy]

I would use the dead blow against it with a wood block on the other side. Better yet ,dead blow against dead blow if you have two of them.

If it s not too bad, might just run it as is, probably not notice it. Worst case, if it snaps ,they can be replaced.

[Destroyer]

Leave it alone unless it's really bad. It's aluminum. Hard to bend. Even harder to bend back. You are taking a chance on it snapping off if you try to bend it back cold.

.

[cfelton]

If its not too bad I'd leave it alone. If you try to bend it back without heating it good chance it will crack. My old lower unit skeg was bent alittle, never gave me any trouble. Aluminum is very brittle!

[steplift20]

It's not bad at all but it is bent. I'm going to try to straighten it but I will be very careful .
I will USA block of wood and a mallet. Tap,tap,tap. I'm hoping there is no damage to the liver unit or engine ,I'm going yo replace the prop this week.
That friggin AHMM marina at low tide is a danger. They rebuilt the ramp and put in a curb at the end so that it would keep trucks from sliding down but the curb must be to high. They do have a sign saying the end of the ramp but who would think its high enough to damage the prop and skeg. Dam it.

[oteps]

I have never had any luck bending aluminum back, it always breaks. KNow anyone that can weld aluminum?

[Pipe_Dream]

Never heard of a curb at the end of a ramp before.

[steplift20]

Thank you, you heard of it now.
Atlantic highlands marina ,rebuilt the ramp a few years ago and put a curb at the end to prevent dumb asses from sinking there trucks. I guess they never heard of wheel chocks . So at low tide you can hit your skeg and prop like I did. I have been using that ramp for over 30 years and never had a problem till now.