for the fifth time or so:

sea kayaker issue, june '95 vol' 12 # 2 page 19.

"Getting on Track"

it will answer most of your questions.

about the shaft being burried.

somebody posted a skeg drawing on this board. It was quite a while ago & I don't have it in my computer. I think I never had, I just got the idea. & the idea is: instead of drilling a hole in the skeg, for the shaft, make the hole in the skeg like a "hook", so if the skeg is "over extended", let's say somewhere arround vertical to the hull, you can simply slide it out, & when the skeg is in it's normal extended or retracted positions it can't slide out.

I'll be surprised if anybody understands this description, but if he does, he might even have the drawings & can post them again.

(I really) hope this helps

erez