pivot bolts need not in fact should not be tight...on centerboards, I think they use pins with a cap screwed over the pivot hole to retain the pin and seal out the water.

Most skegs I have seen are removable without pulling any bolts or pins...One is held into the skegbox using the tension of cables and bungees another has a pin in the box and a hookshaped pivot on the blade which hooks over the pivot pin. These features simplify maintinance.

: I finished building one for my Guillemot Exp. a couple of months ago, using
: the directions on Ross L.'s homepage.

: Turned out great, and works fine, mechanically speaking, when it is clamped
: to my workbench. I decided not to install it. Why? Two main reasons -
: while it theoretically is 'fixable' when installed from the outside of the
: boat, I have this feeling that somewhere along the line I'll end up with
: my head in the boat cursing the day I installed it. (Probably irrational.)
: Secondly, If you do some lengthy camping out of your boat, it limits the
: size/shape/quantity of gear you can bring along.

: I think I'd rather learn to paddle the boat than rely on a skeg. Just my 2
: cents.

: Oh yeah - one screw up I did that you may want to avoid if you elect to
: proceed - I used glassed door skins for the sides of the trunk that holds
: the skeg. These were too thin and gave when I tightened down the pivot
: bolt. Use a thicker material.

: Best of luck whatever you decide.

: Lars