Many moons ago I posted a question about fixing a slight tendency for my plywood boat to turn left. Suggested fixes ranged from "don't worry about..you will unconsciously learn to correct for problem in your paddling stroke"...to more involved fixes involving a saw and more plywood.

It was suggested that I repost when I've taken care of problem. Since then I have tried several fixes. One was to manufacture a small trim tab and mount in on a locking hinge. The trim tab was on the very end of the boat where a rudder would normally be (but didn't project below keel line). Although I liked the aesthetics, I found that I was unable to get a good solid "set and forget" angle locked in. It just never worked as well as I would have hoped. I also tried mounting a small trim tab to side of boat (at stem) using a flexible nylon hinge. To keep the angle correct, I also inserted a nylon screw in the stem underneath the trim tab and projecting through it. Nuts on either side kept the position of the trim tab fixed at correct angle. This was OK but after getting creamed while trying to launch in some surf I grew leery of this attachment system as I could imagine that it was vulnerable to getting ripped off boat if I hit a rock or piling or in dragging it onto beach or whatever).

Eventually, I made permanent what I was previously using as a temporary fix. I am quite happy with it. I carved a piece of outfitting foam into a wedge (thin edge oriented towards bow). The perimeter is carved so as to follow the lines of the lower part of the rear stem. The piece of foam is maybe 4 inches long by 3 inches high...razon thin at the front and maybe an inch thick at the rear. I then hydrogrpped this to the boat (had previously been using duct tape). This corrects the tendency of boat to veer left, is mounted quite securely, can take plenty of abuse, and doesn't involve any mechanical fasteners or rudder cables or anything like that, and also didn't require major surgery on boat. All in all, I have found this to be an ideal fix. I suppose some might find the aesthetics less than ideal, but I have never been too concerned with such things (and it doesn't look that bad really...particularly when boat is in water as it is then invisible unless you are a fish).

Dave