Bent Trackin fin!!!!

[samw]

well I got off track on my trailer and bent a tracking fin.
So I have two questions-
1. Can can it be straightened? It almost 90 degrees.
2. If I take it off can I run it this weekend with having leaks or causing harm.
Man this sucks.
thanks for any help you can provide

[NICKYPOO]

I think you're screwed dude. You might as well take that thing off and see what else might be goin on under it. Sounds like a Sunday project. You ain't goin boatin. I'm not sure about a replacement.

[samw]

Also where can you buy a new fin???

[jwanck11]

Sucks to hear that!

Regarding holes, I think it depends on whether your boat has lag screws or is thru hull bolted. Can you look from the inside and see?

Is it bent without any twist? For the short term, you can try to run the boat with the bent fin. I have run with bent fins for a long time with no adverse results.

Bending the fin back has been done and there is a thread on here about it, but the metal will be weaker once heated and bent back.

Here is a Link that you can use to find a replacement fin.

[samw]

-jwanck11-
Thanks for the info. No twist just bent over.
I was thinking about the whole weaker metal also. So I know I will replace it so, I was think about scarfing the fin and taking the the grinding wheel out and cutting it off. That will leave the bracket in place for now until I get a new fin.
Again thanks for the info. That is why I love this forum, and my Tige