Any one have trouble raising the Skegs on P&H boats? I have a 2010 P&H Scorpio LV that is next to impossible to raise the skeg after fully lowering it. I think the cord may be to weak to handle the tension load.Dropping the skeg even half way is not easy to reset. Any one else with simular issues? I thought of changing the cord to something heavier like a rudder cable. Will this cause more problems than I already have?
Have you seen/tried this?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zzw_QGRRtG8
Move the barrel lock back to relieve some of the tension and the skeg will be easier to raise (last bit of video).
new line
call the office and ask for dave - and request new skeg line upgrade. there is a new line we are using that is less friction and allows for smoother operation - if you have this problem.
asheville office number 8282541101
most of us are at Salt Lake City right now for the outdoor retailer show - however - dave should be able to get you sorted out.
i have same boat ,same problem…
i have talked to P+H and they are awesome…they will send you a skeg line replacement kit and the shop you bought your boat should be happy to fix it. Mine is going in this weekend. I don’t think it’s the red nut in the skeg box…it’s the line!
Silicone Spray
Spray some silicone lubricant on the slider bar and plastic slider. This made a tremendous difference - from nearly impossible to move to effortless. The slider does need some periodic lubricant to avoid binding. Use actual lubricant rather than something like 303 (which just made mine gummier).
P&H skegs
2007 and back don’t have this newer “pinch” skeg.
Some like it, some hate it. Have no dog in that hunt. I’ve seen the video by Mark Pecot of Team P&H on youtube and it is useful, well done. But the skeg problems are not always due to the owner’s unfamiliarly w. the “pinch” motion. Sometimes they just stick.
I have seen the pinch skeg get stuck and refuse to go in, refuse to lower, refuse to budge when it’s halfway - on several 2009 and 2010 boats.
Very frustrating on the water for the proud new owners.
Glad to see P&H does issue a replacement - because they should! A reliable skeg just makes a $3500 boat better LOL.
I second that…
– Last Updated: Aug-03-10 4:39 PM EST –
and i would refrain from spraying anything on a new boat...they (P+ H) recognize it as a real issue, and are sending the kits out free, the new skeg line is much thinner...the others are to thick and are binding...spray will not help this issue..if it does i would think it might just be a temporary fix. It's hard to wait for the new line to come in, but will be worth it. My advice would be to just leave it and let the shop make it right, and they will! hopefully they are closer than almost 100 miles as mine is!
Thanks
Thank you for the quick response from P&H. I will contact you guys next week. Thanks for the Customer Service!!!
Silicone Spray
You don’t need to worry about using the silicone spray. It is part of regular maintenance, and solved my problem with my Cetus. Doug Cooper explains about this at the end of the “Video 1” link here. http://www.phseakayaks.com/skeg_system
If your skeg cord is not blue, you indeed should get the upgraded cord. My 2009 came with the new blue cord, and I would be surprised if your 2010 did not have the new cord.
Also, on these videos, pay attention to technique if this system is new to you. You don’t want to squeeze the button to release the skeg, but rather push it forward and then slide it to the new position. It is all explained in the video.
The P&H folks will sort you out, and you should find the skeg adjustment effortless after that. My slider got coated somehow with something rough and/or sticky even though it was a “like new” demo. As soon as I used the silicone as explained by Doug Cooper (and P&H rep Sean Morley) everything worked great. A night and day difference.
Hmmm…
they didn’t mention this to me. where do you get the spray?
Any decent hardware store
In fact there are a bunch of them - it might be worth checking with the P&H folks to see if there is one they particularly recommend.
get a lightweight silicone spray
at any good hardware store, as mentioned, and spray on lightly but completely. Gently wipe off excess. Easy. takes minutes.
even better than silicone
– Last Updated: Aug-04-10 10:21 AM EST –
If you want to make something run smoothly, nothing beats McLube, and it doesn't mess up finishes down the road the way silicone does.
"Harken McLube SailKote" is available at marine stores or online, and it's pure magic in a can.
standing behind this skeg system
i’m impressed with their support and it’s badly needed. great on paper, but terrible in action, this skeg is a boondoggle. i say this with hours of personal time into my girlfriends Capella with mulitple part and line replacements, now the whole thing from a to z. nothing but frustration with this skeg system, she may yet return the boat.
ugh…
not what we want to hear!
Called P&H today
Talked w/ the folks at P&H in Asheville today. They should be shipping me the stuff to fix my skeg shortly.Spoke with a guy named Denver.No hassles. Will let the P Netters know how P&H makes out. So far so good.
Skeg fix
I had my skeg get progressively harder to move on a trip with my Cetus to the point where I broke the latch to get it to move. When I got back, I tried WD-40 on the slider, and ever since the skeg slides like a dream. I told P&H and they sent me a replacement latch, which I installed, and a replacement cord, as I had the initial cord in the Cetus. The cord replacement still sits in my garage as I do not need it.
Peter
Slider
Peter, as I mentioned above, that was my experience as well. Also, as per above, P&H recommends a silicone based lube as part of regular maintenance. I’m sure other lubes would work as well or maybe better.
A way to tell if it is the slider is this:
- Push the skeg up manually, and tape it there with some type of temporary tape, like masking tape.
- Now see if the slider moves freely with no skeg tension upon it. It is is still sticky despite no tension on the string, you have a slider problem.
- Lube the slider and keep moving it until it moves freely.
I wonder if something gums up the slider bar on the trip over the Atlantic. Mine was positively sticky and seemed to be almost coated with some type of sticy preservative.
You may want to try…
…lubes like Boeshield T-9 or CorrosionX, which are specifically formulated for wet, corrosive conditions. They’re a lot more durable than silicone lubes.
P & H quick response
Parts to fix skeg arrived yesterday. Only 2 days after calling P & H. They sent me the whole kit minus the skeg it self. Hope to do the repairs on the next non paddling day.