> Hey Paul, great description of a skeg for someone like myself who has
> never seen one. How does a retractable skeg work? And what does it retract
> in to? The hull?

A retractable skeg would be like a hinged centerboard ( or daggerboard) on a small sailboat. It would pivot at the front and be pulled up into a well, jsut like a centerboard. Again, it would mount on the centerline. Like other skegs it would mount toward the back of the boat. There used to be some pictures on this board of one that someone built. Might be worth the time to try and hunt for them.

If you look at designs for wooden rowboats and dories you'll see a lot ot skegs. I was never sure it these were for helping the boats go in a straigh line, or for protection against rocky beach landings. They seem to work for both.

A retractable skeg would give no protection from rocks when it is retracted, of course.

For aiding in steering in a straight line a rudder is more adjustable, and more involved to make and install. A skeg is simpler, but fixed. Making a retractable skeg involves all the difficulties of making a rudder, and gives you only the limited versatility of a plain skeg. Seems like a lot of work to me. In most cases I'd go with a rudder instead of a skeg. The exceptions would be where the lines of the craft would be ruined by adding a rudder. Then I'd think about putting someting on that would be completely underwater, and out of sight: An interior retractable rudder, a retractable skeg, a plain skeg, or nothing at all.

My suggestion: Build the boat first without any such things. If you need them later you`ll have all the skills you need to install one. And if it doesn't work the way you want, you'll have all the skills you need to remove it and patch the holes.

Hope these ideas help.

Paul Jacobson