bent tracking fins?

[dhickey]

Just took ownership of a brand new 2007 LSV (never has been off the trailer). While inspecting the boat, I noticed that the front tracking fin seemed to be somewhat bent compared to the other two fins. No noticable damage marks on the fin or hull. Is this normal and I'm just a paranoid new boat owner or is something really wrong?

[Buttafewcoe]

Doesn't look too serious, but I think I'd have that fixed. Don't think it'd keep me off the lake till I did, tho.
.
B

[bobwells]

You could probally get this real close with a cpl. of good heavy C- clamps and some good heavy short pieces of 1-2" angle iron. just place a piece of angle on each side and slowly torque down on the c-clamp, I believe the fins are brass so should bend back into place, I would certainly try it , course I try a lot of things ( boat mechanics are expensive}

[JoeTechie]

That's not a little bent, that's a lot bent. Someone hit that hard to do that. As stated above, you can get 90% to correct with some clamps and a few straight edges. You will feel the difference and the boat will not track true with it like this. Drag will lower your mpg, etc. I'd take it back to the dealer if it's new and tell them to fix your "never off the trailer boat". It there a possibility you hit something or ran over something on the way home with the new toy ?

-J

[spyder]

brand new? bring it back!

[smokedog2]

Look for a nick in your port bumper on the trailer. Someone came in off angle witht he trailer too deep IMHO - best guess from here.

You, the dealer, SC or "I du know"


I du know is very active in my house.

SD2

[dhickey]

thanks everyone for their responses. I will contact SC and let everyone know what they have to say. I did go back out this morning to take a couple more pictures and look over things some more.

1) There is no visible damage on any of the 3 fins (no cuts, no blemishes, no dings, nada, nothing)

2) There is no damage anywhere on the trailer where the fins mights have come in contact if it was loaded improperly. The trailer paint is perfect.

3) When I pull a string from the bottom of the front fin to the bottom of the back fin, all 3 fins bottoms line up along the string.

4) If I extend this string line all the way to the back of the boat, this line ends up about 2"-3" to the right of the center of the propeller (looking from the front of the boat)

Given I can't detect any damage that would cause this, this almost gives me the impression as if it was designed/built this way. Could this be a possible offest for the rotational direction of the propeller????

Anyone have a boat in their garage they can take a quick look at to tell me what they see?

I tried to take this picture to show the fin line with respect to the propeller


I tried to take this picture directly down the center of the boat. You can see the fin line offset with respect to the center of the propeller

[zegm]

If this is a new design idea I would be surprised! I have never seen a fin bent like that! Call the dealer! Again like Ed says don't fix this on the boat!

[tazz3069]

My boat is in the garage. My fins are straight. Take the boat back and get the boat fins fixed by the dealership.
Tazz

[deerfield]

Dan - The three fins on my '07 Outback are perfectly in line. - Deerfield