I broke a prop shaft on my old 50 Merc and the shaft alone was over $400 plus bearing and seals and gear oil on top of that. Replacing the whole mess and doing the work myself was around $800 considering I had to buy a new prop because the old one is at the bottom of Ray Roberts. I was very lucky not to have any skeg damage or the cost would have been much more.

95% of the time the prop shaft bends right behind the prop , outside the carrier , most dealers change the shaft because they can make a heck off a lot more money
Customers want to trust the shop but sometimes its good to do what you are doing and ask for peoples opinion
I CHARGE $200 to straighten a shaft and don't even have to take the lower unit off the motor
I use a prop shaft straitened tool, I have done maybe 200 of them and as far as I know now gears inside where damaged by impact when the shaft bent
My estimate with prop repair and skeg welded on it and straighten shaft would be about $575 plus tax
GOOD LUCK

I bent a prop shaft about three years ago. I had service marine straighten it after talking to a few people who had done the same. Three years later, no problems.

How long did you run it that way and have you checked the color of your lower unit oil?

Ronnie at Xtreme Marine in Grand Prairie straightened my prop shaft years ago and I've never had an issue and I twist my motor over 7K rpms all the time. He did take the lower unit apart to check all the internals and straightened it out of the lower unit. He checked it after finished and it was perfectly straight. I watched him do the repair and was with him when he was checking it.

no way a skeg and prop repair should cost you $600. Last time I had a prop shaft replaced was 30 years ago and it was $800. So I am not surprised at your price. If you have insurance file a claim.

New SEI lower unit is about $800 for a 1998 225 EFI it does not have low water pick up in the nose of the gear case though

Prop shafts are not hardened, if they were they would break when impacted. I have straightened all kinds of shafts and most can be done easily. As WBOATMAN said it can be done while still in the motor most times. Of all the repairs you said you needed the welding on the skeg would be the hardest because if you get the housing to hot you could warp the housing. If you only knocked off a inch I think I would just smooth things out and see how it does after repairing the prop($150) and straightening the prop shaft($200)

Johnny

I ran into some concrete and bent the prop shaft and the prop on a Yamaha 150. Nautical Mile replaced the shaft for about $850.00 and Steve did the prop for $165.00. So shop around before you make a deal with anybody. Also, Steve can fix the skeg for you. I can't remember what he quoted me, but it was really reasonable.


jfe

Prop repair averages around 150. SOme places will be higher some lower. Skeg replacement is about the same average. SOme places will be higher some lower, and it also depends on what gearcase you have. You can also look into having a shop fix your propshaft. Address the shaft and prop first then fix the skeg when you have the cash. If you have any questions just give me a call. My number is in the signature.