Simple Skeg protection

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dndrich
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Posts: 164
Joined: Tue Jun 07, 2011 7:13 pm

Simple Skeg protection

Post by dndrich »

SCAMPers:

I will be making skegs finally before too long here. I want to put something easy to work with, and easy to replace if needed on the bottom of the skegs for when I drag the boat onto the shore, or onto the trailer. Thoughts here?
Daniel
SCAMP #330 Wildflower
Sebastopol, CA USA
miguelito
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Joined: Thu Oct 04, 2012 10:54 am

Re: Simple Skeg protection

Post by miguelito »

Hi Again,
I had some stainless "shoes" fabricated for the skegs, and it was fairly expensive, but they'll never need replacing. I've talked to people who have "UHMWPU" plastic shoes, and they are also very durable, but they seem to change shape a little depending on the temperature. A very practical approach would be to just use oak or some hard wood laminated to fit the curves and coated with several layers of 'glass or carbon or kevlar. Most of the time the boat gets dragged up onto the flat trailer where I have plastic cleats to hold it in place, and there's not too much other "dragging around" of the boat on the beach because it is fairly heavy. Spending money on some beach rollers and saving money on the sacrificial skeg bottoms might be a way to go. If you just put several layers of heavy glass on the bottoms of the skegs, I can't imagine needing to repair or replace them in a long time to come, and it is easy to shape and finish the glass.
Good luck
Mike #170 TOR
dndrich
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Posts: 164
Joined: Tue Jun 07, 2011 7:13 pm

Re: Simple Skeg protection

Post by dndrich »

Looks like UHMWP could work well actually. My skegs are going to be so complicated for me to make, I really want them to last! My plan is to make them out of 3/4 inch oak plywood cut and laminated. Then glued and screwed on, and shaped. Then glassed in place. Somebody bought the stainless protection from Gig Harbor for the glass SCAMPs. That looks like a good but expensive solution. I will look into that. Once again, thanks for the advice.
Daniel
SCAMP #330 Wildflower
Sebastopol, CA USA
headonz
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Joined: Thu May 07, 2015 2:10 pm
Location: Motueka,Nelson Bays NZ

Re: Simple Skeg protection

Post by headonz »

I used 30 x 10 aluminum flat bar screwed on with 50mm c/s stainless screws.Surprisingly hard wearing ,they have taken a beating and look like new .I expect them to last a very long time.Easily replaced.
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knasman
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Location: Portland, OR
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Re: Simple Skeg protection

Post by knasman »

Rich,

I purchased some of the UHMW HDPE from onlinemetals.com and cut the skeg runners out of that. Woodworking tools work on it for cutting to size and beveling the corners. I bedded mine down in silicone and put a silicon bronze screw in every 4in or so. Four years later, they are doing great.
Keith Nasman
SCAMP Zephyr #161
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ElHeffe
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Joined: Tue Aug 26, 2014 6:35 pm

Re: Simple Skeg protection

Post by ElHeffe »

I used UHMW plastic also. Works great.

I still have 4 (2 pairs) black UHWM skeg protectors laying around. They are 2"w x 6' long. I think I promised one set to Howard (or maybe Melissa D?) but failed to deliver them.
The other set it available for anyone who might like to pick them up in the Seattle area. Just PM me on this board.
PTPuffin #284
Aug 2014 SCAMP Camp
http://building284.blogspot.com
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