Date: Thu, 14 Jan 1999 19:28:05 -0500
From: "Robert Woodard" 
Subject: [Paddlewise] Rudder as Skeg

Is it possible to mount a rudder on a kayak and lock it so it cannot turn.
i.e. use it more like a skeg that you can flip up to the rear deck? Would it
function well for holding a kayak straight in quartering or following seas?

This is more a curious educational question than something I want to try.

Woody



Date: Thu, 14 Jan 1999 23:19:38 -0800
From: rdiaz@ix.netcom.com
Subject: Re: [Paddlewise] Rudder as Skeg

Feathercraft's Short Touring kayak, which is basically a whitewater boat
that will not track at all, at one point came with a skeg that partially
flipped up.  It looked for all the world like a rudder but not
steerable.  It certainly straightened that boat out.  I don't know,
however, if the concept of something hanging back there like that would
work for all boats.  John Winters would know.  He knows everything.  :-)

ralph diaz
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Ralph Diaz . . . Folding Kayaker newsletter
PO Box 0754, New York, NY 10024
Tel: 212-724-5069; E-mail: rdiaz@ix.netcom.com
"Where's your sea kayak?"----"It's in the bag."
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Date: Fri, 15 Jan 1999 12:36:11 -0500
From: Nick Schade
Subject: Re: [Paddlewise] Rudder as Skeg

The advantage a under-hull mounted skeg has over a rudder is it is more
likely to stay in the water in waves. The advantage a stern-hung "skeg" has
over an under-hull, is since it is mounted farther back, it does not need
to be as big to have the same effect. In other words a stern mounted
flip-up skeg will be more effective than an under-hull mounted retractable
skeg while it is in the water, but is more likely to come out of the water.

A flip-up stern-mounted skeg would also be easier to construct than a
retractable skeg mounted in a box under the hull.
Nick



Date: Fri, 15 Jan 1999 17:20:51 -0800
From: Wes Boyd 
Subject: Re: [Paddlewise] Rudder as Skeg

Nick Schade wrote:
> 
> The advantage a under-hull mounted skeg has over a rudder is it is more
> likely to stay in the water in waves. The advantage a stern-hung "skeg" has
> over an under-hull, is since it is mounted farther back, it does not need
> to be as big to have the same effect. In other words a stern mounted
> flip-up skeg will be more effective than an under-hull mounted retractable
> skeg while it is in the water, but is more likely to come out of the water.
> 
> A flip-up stern-mounted skeg would also be easier to construct than a
> retractable skeg mounted in a box under the hull.

The problem is that the skeg mounts back on the end of the boat quite
precariously. On the Vesper, especially, they expect it to be mounted with
pop rivits, which pull out when there is even a slight amount of stress. I
wound up having to build a backing plate, tap it, and screw bolts into it.
Then, with it on, you have to be very careful about touching something with
the back of the boat. No pool sessions, for example; might damage the skeg.

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Wes Boyd                                             0 
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