Hi Jimmy

I am a big proponent of retractable skegs. I had the opportunity to paddle a Chesapeake 17.. IMHO, I would say that this boat really doesn't need a skeg. It tracks well and is easy to correct. Having said that, it is easier to put it in now and then glass it over if you find you never us it. Sea Kayaker magazine had an acticle several years ago about retrofitting a skeg box and control, so if you don't add one now and feel you need one later it is not terribly difficult to add one. All in all, I would not add one to this boat.

Greg
: I am close to putting the deck on my Chesapeake 17 and I am having trouble
: deciding wether to put in a retractable skeg or not which will be much
: easier to do before I put the deck on. I would be interested in hearing
: opinions from people who have paddled with a retractable skeg or the
: Cheasapeake 17 or both. Does this boat track well enough that I won't need
: a skeg or are retractable skegs just a pain? (I don't have a lot of
: experience paddling ocean kayaks).

: Also I have seen two different designs for retractable skegs for stitch and
: glue kayaks one on CLC's web site and one on Ross Leidy's web site. Has
: anybody had either of these designs in the water? Thanks.