Replaceable Wear Component

Abstract

A replaceable skeg system for a marine motor housing includes a housing for a marine motor and a skeg retainer affixed to its underside surface. The retainer has first and second faces spaced apart from first and second sidewalls symmetrically disposed about a midplane. A closed-ended slot cut into the first face is centered within the midplane and a second slot cut into the second face has at least one through aperture communicating between at least the second slot and either the first or second sidewall. A replaceable skeg receivable within the second slot includes a substantially planar membrane of a thickness, and has first, second, third, and fourth contours conjoined to form a perimeter. Proximal to the first contour, one or both lateral surfaces comprise a rabbet and a groove parallel to a straight portion of the first contour.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A replaceable skeg system for a marine motor housing, comprising
 a housing for a marine motor, said marine motor having an underside surface,
 a skeg retainer affixed to said underside surface and further comprising 
 a first face and 
 a second face opposite and spaced apart from said first face, 
 first and second sidewalls spanning between said first and second faces, with 
 said first and second sidewalls symmetrically disposed about a midplane, 
 a first, closed-ended slot cut into said first face and centered with respect to said midplane and a second slot cut into said second face, and 
 at least one through aperture communicating between 
 said second slot and a sidewall selected from the set of sidewalls consisting of said first and said second sidewall, and 
   a skeg receivable within said second slot.   
     
     
         2 . The replaceable skeg system of  claim 1 , wherein said through aperture also communicates between said first sidewall and said second sidewall. 
     
     
         3 . The replaceable skeg system of  claim 1 , wherein said skeg retainer further defines a forward end and a rear end, and with said second slot having a closed end proximal to said forward end and an open end passing through a face of said rear end. 
     
     
         4 . The replaceable skeg system of  claim 1 , wherein said skeg further comprises a substantially planar membrane having a thickness spanning between first and second surfaces, and having first, second, third, and fourth contours conjoined to form a perimeter bounding said first and second surfaces, and wherein
 said first surface comprises a first rabbet and said second surface comprises a second rabbet, with said first and second rabbets terminating at said first contour.   
     
     
         5 . The replaceable skeg system of  claim 4 , wherein said first contour comprises a first straight line portion, and at least one rabbet selected from among said first and second rabbet of said skeg further comprises a groove parallel to said first straight line portion. 
     
     
         6 . The replaceable skeg system of  claim 5 , wherein said groove continues beyond a boundary of a rabbet selected from among said first and second rabbet of said skeg. 
     
     
         7 . The replaceable skeg system of  claim 4 , wherein a portion of said fourth contour of said skeg terminates with a face substantially perpendicular to said first contour. 
     
     
         8 . The replaceable skeg system of  claim 4 , wherein at least a portion of a transition between at least one surface selected from said first and second surface of said skeg and said second contour of said skeg comprises at least one chamfered surface. 
     
     
         9 . The replaceable skeg system of  claim 8 , wherein said second contour further comprises a rounded edge. 
     
     
         10 . The replaceable skeg system of  claim 4 , wherein at least a portion of a transition between at least one surface selected from said first and second surface of said skeg and said fourth contour of said skeg comprises at least one chamfered surface. 
     
     
         11 . The replaceable skeg system of  claim 10 , wherein said fourth contour further comprises a rounded edge. 
     
     
         12 . A replaceable skeg comprising a substantially planar membrane having a thickness spanning between first and second surfaces, and having first, second, third, and fourth contours conjoined to form a perimeter bounding said first and second surfaces, and wherein
 said first surface comprises a first rabbet and said second surface comprises a second rabbet, with said first and second rabbets terminating at said first contour.   
     
     
         13 . The replaceable skeg of  claim 12 , wherein said first contour comprises a first straight line portion, and at least one rabbet selected from among said first and second rabbet of said skeg further comprises a groove parallel to said first straight line portion. 
     
     
         14 . The replaceable skeg of  claim 13 , wherein said groove continues beyond a boundary of a rabbet said selected from among said first and second rabbet of said skeg. 
     
     
         15 . The replaceable skeg of  claim 12 , wherein a portion of said fourth contour of said skeg terminates with a face substantially perpendicular to said first contour. 
     
     
         16 . The replaceable skeg of  claim 12 , wherein at least a portion of a transition between at least one surface selected from said first and second surface of said skeg and said second contour of said skeg comprises at least one chamfered surface. 
     
     
         17 . The replaceable skeg of claim  17 , wherein said second contour further comprises a rounded edge. 
     
     
         18 . The replaceable skeg of  claim 12  wherein at least a portion of a transition between at least one surface selected from said first and second surface of said skeg and said fourth contour of said skeg comprises at least one chamfered surface. 
     
     
         19 . The replaceable skeg of  claim 18 , wherein said fourth contour further comprises a rounded edge. 
     
     
         20 . The replaceable skeg of  claim 12 , further comprising at least one through aperture communicating between said first rabbet and said second rabbet.