> It may be hard to find a kit for something that has only one real part.
> Anyhow, you can make this without a kit.

> A skeg is a single plank of wood.

The original poster may have been thinking about a retractable skeg, Paul. There are a lot of advantages in having an articulating skeg --- it can be used in varying settings to offset wind and wave conditions, to prevent or minimize a boat's tendency to weathercock, and to give better control when surfing down large waves. In many conditions, retractable skegs work as well as or better than rudders.

If you're into building and 'glassing, it might not be difficult to make a skeg box and skeg, along with the control cables to raise and lower --- and trim --- a skeg, but I know it would be well beyond my current capabilities (note: in composite boats, skeg boxes are typically the greatest source of hull and deck leaks). Great River Outfitters in Michigan sells (in my opinion, significantly overpriced) retrofit kits for 'glass boats, and does sell a retrofit retractable skeg kit; my old catalog shows it at $165, so the earlier respondant who referenced a $180 kit was, I'm sure, correct. And 'glass boats do tend to be a lot heavier than S&G or other wooden boats, so the three pound bogie --- nominal to a Valley Canoe Products kayak driver --- probably sounds heavy to folks on this BBS. But it is an option, and one to be considered.

For what it's worth.

Jack Martin