The pivot on my QCCs skeg box has begun leaking. Something I know others here have dealt with. A few years of salt and humidity finally taking their toll. Serious corrosion on one side and a degraded (neoprene?) washer.
Way I see it I have 6 options:
Just caulk it up and let it go a while.
Glass a patch over it (and wait for complete failure of components).
Get some replacement hardware from Phil and restore pivot/spring to like new.
Replace whole thing with a new slider skeg. Maybe that slick kit from Pat. Maybe be stupid and fabricate something myself. Already have 90% of the parts.
Cross over to the ruder camp and either fabricate my own or get one of Pat’s over stern rudders with either his steering system or a tiller setup. Patch and fair the slot.
Do same but with understern/ski type rudder. Wouldn’t need a big one and could be pretty cool. I rarely have the stern in less than a foot of water. Have it out of the water on waves wakes more.
Even with my skeg control mod I’m not a fan of the spring loaded skeg (which is working 100% otherwise). Decisions, decisions… Don’t really need another new project.
Option 3 seems most efficient - just not as cool - and not looking forward to getting the rusted parts loose or messing with the spring assembly. Maybe QCC has already gone to a new skeg system (option 4b) since SealLine’s no more?
Unique spring loaded system Makes it an all (exact same parts) or nothing (all new system) sort of thing. It’s not a simple pivot. To convert it to one would require changing cable/control method as well.
Thanks, know that. I’m not sure what QCC does inside the skeg box as I’ve never had to tear it apart. I’m assuming they basically gutted a SealLine control box and mounted the internals in the skeg box.
Better to just ask them than start hunting parts, no? I’ll do so, just haven’t gotten a free minute and don’t like making long personal calls from work (easier to email/post - but QCC is old school).
As you can see, it shows nothing useful. Right side is a plastic piece like what’s on the side of a SealLine control box. Left side is exposed metal hardware and neo washer (what’s left of them anyway). As far as I can tell it just leaks around that side.
I need to see what’s INSIDE - just dread taking apart anything with springs. Given the external corrosion this will be a one way operation too. Be nice to have a plan, but suppose I can just tear it out and go from there.
Figure since I have to do something I might as well daydream a bit about my options. May end up taking the easiest/simplest route - but at least I’m thinking of you Pat - and you made my list several times. Might be fun to make my own stuff, but why reinvent the wheel right!
Hey! Stop wasting your time online… … and get 2007 B&B resurrected!
Can’t sell the Q until I find something I like better to replace it for distance/comfort. If I ever do I’ll still make sure everything works before letting it go. More likely I’ll just keep doing some minor tweak or repair every couple years and paddle it until I have gotten enough out of it to happily give it away.
The B&B… It looks dead in the water for 2007. I’ve tried everything short of taking on the project myself.
Consolidation in the industry limits what used to be many companies supporting and attending the event to fewer and fewer. The reps now carry more lines and fewer demo boats show up. The bean counters are just not into paddling and promotions.
The hottest selling yaks in Florida are now the Hobies… How much fun can they be to race?
