You can buy a simple Nicopress tool from West Marine, probably from Aircraft Spruce or Wicks too, around $25. You'd want their test tool usually around $2 too to insure that the swage is properly done. Unless you're using a shackle on the eye there'd be no way to put a pre-pressed eye onto a skeg and I don't think there's room in a skeg housing for one.

The swages are usually copper, you'd need several thousand pounds pressure if it were stainless.

I don't think there's room in a skeg housing for any of this hardware, it's pretty snug. There really isn't a huge amount of force required, perhaps 10 lbs. max. even tiny wire is rated for 500 lbs. you don't need the full strength of the wire.

Bill H.