OLD SKIFF

Q: I was gifted a small aluminum skiff, and I have a 9.9 hp Johnson outboard to power it. The engine is old (1973) but runs well. It is a short shaft (15 inches) model, and the skiff’s transom height is 20 inches. Can I extend the outboard’s shaft length? Also, the skiff is riveted aluminum and leaks through some of the rivets. Any tips for that?

Ron Melquiades

Houston

A: There are kits available to extend the shaft length of outboards. However, I am not aware of such a kit for outboards of your engine’s power rating and vintage. You may be able to cut the transom down to accept your engine. However, this comes at a cost. Lowering the transom may not be wise because many small skiffs swamp over the transom to begin with because the weight of the skipper is always aft. Perhaps you can sell your outboard and use the proceeds toward the purchase of a motor with the proper shaft length?

As for the leaks, if just a few leaks are present, you can drill out the offending rivets and reinstall new ones. If there are many rivets leaking, there is an epoxy product called Gluvit, which is commonly used to stop such leaks. We recommend it because we know it has worked for many over the years, but we can offer no guarantees. Good luck!