Skeg repair

[RT Firefly]

Greetings,
Our son inherited a 1972 4HP Evinrude. Bottom 2 1/2" of skeg is gone. Other than welding, are there any other suggestions for replacement? Bolt on? Epoxy? JB weld?

I fully realize welding IS the way to go. Just looking for possible alternatives.
Thanks.

 

[OldDan1943]

I am not sure if I totally understand.
IF it is actually gone, perhaps you can find a used skeg on the web or a new skeg on the web or contact Evinrude. They may have some lower units laying about.
IF you have the pieces, aluminum welding after disassembly, is the way to go. Joining it with JBWeld or epoxy you might lose the part in the near future due to vibration or touching the bottom again.
Many times these small engines are manufactured for different brands.
This may help.
Once you get the part number you can do a net search for the specific part.

 

[Alaskaflyer]

I had some success with a bolt-on guard when we bought a 9.9HP Merc with a shark-bite-shaped section missing from the skeg (lol) a few years ago for a good price. I was cynical that it would work but I ended up being very happy with it, sold it to the next owner along with the skiff with no concerns.

 

[OldDan1943]

The fog in my feeble mind has cleared enough to remember a connection between Evinrude, Johnson. Might want to scour the net for a Johnson and see if the skegs match.
As I said, some outboard companies manufactured the smaller HP motors under different company names.

 

[HTurner]

Greetings,
Our son inherited a 1972 4HP Evinrude. Bottom 2 1/2" of skeg is gone. Other than welding, are there any other suggestions for replacement? Bolt on? Epoxy? JB weld?

I fully realize welding IS the way to go. Just looking for possible alternatives.
Thanks.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/373104803131?hash=item56dec77d3b:g:SxEAAOSww~9fATm9


There are three others.... in separate auctions

 

[RT Firefly]

Greetings,
Thanks all. Pretty well what I figured, as well. Weld or replace. Still worth asking, IMO, as I've seen some pretty innovative solutions to lots of problems here on TF.

 

[PMF1984]

Johnson and Evinrude were the same in ‘72.

Used lower units are around (as shown in previous post0

Google around

 

[psneeld]

Or run without, seen plenty of those too.

 

[OldDan1943]

Or run without, seen plenty of those too.

The skeg is there to protect the prop.
If you insist on running without a skeg, I suggest you have at least one spare prop and a pocket full of shear pins.

 

[jleonard]

I snapped one on a 115 years ago and had a nice piece of aluminum and had it welded on after I rough shaped it. If I recall it was not expensive to have welded.
I did the finish grinding and painting.