- Location
- West Michigan
UHMW (very similar to HDPE as sportfish258 mentioned) is a good choice for abrasion resistance. I have not applied this to a ski but have seen this used on several Aluminum river jet boats where it is through-bolted with flat head screws and nuts inside the hull. I don't use the UHMW but have 1/4" steel plate down the keel of the boat protecting the aluminum. Steel is overkill for a ski and the practice of through bolting any material is notorious for eventually taking on water. My experience on a ski has been damage to the intake grate. For small rocks, the pump will process anything passing the grate so I'd consider building a steel grate with tines on edge similar to a river jet. Hope the info helps.