If it is a big bend, yes it will affect performance and yes it will likely snap off if you try to straighten it. How bad is it bent?
If only minor, you can try to adjust for it using the trim tab. A bent skeg will cause you to veer off course. Is that a fishing boat or a high speed ski machine?
Straightening cast aluminum is a difficult task. Sometime heat can make it malleable enough to straighten it, but it is a task best left to the pros. I'd rather have a bent skeg than a busted skeg.
A mild bend can be straightened. You need to use a large hammer on the backside to act as a anvil and absorb the shock wave. My preferred hammers ara a small 2-3lb sledge as the anvil and a midsized deadblow to hammer with.
Move the anvil hammer around, not awlays in the same place, on the backside on the bend. Hammer on the surface sticking out with light to moderate blows, not always in the same spot. Keep your your hammering hammer and anvil hammer inline with the radius of the bend.
You'll see what I mean about the anvil absorbing the shock wave. It'll bounce away with every blow. You'll get a feel for where you get the mamimum bounce, indicating the most efficient effect. The aluminum will just bounce back without that.
Don't try to take it all out at once. It should take fifty to a hundred blows.
My preferred hammers ara a small 2-3lb sledge as the anvil and a midsized deadblow to hammer with.
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Don't try to take it all out at once. It should take fifty to a hundred blows.
I took a bend out similar to the right motor in your picture. I was afraid of breaking the skeg, so I used a rubber mallet with a wood (2x4) anvil braced against my thigh. It took over 100 blows and a little bruising.
I doubt it made any difference in performance (we're talking a heavy fiberglass trill-hull here) but it's straighter and I feel better about it!
I bet you can hammer them out! Just did 2 Bravos just as bad using a dead blow,a solid cinder block for a base and lotsa medium blows over and over.Now straight! Sand n painted,now great!
i want to use the boat for speed so they will need to be straight
