: BTW, if you want to see a really good example of how a retractable skeg can
: be used to trim a boat's handling, paddle a Kajak Sport Millenium or
: Viking; they're designed specifically to work with a skeg. These boats
: tend to weathercock with the skeg up, but become neutral with it partially
: down and will leecock with it all the way deployed. This gives the paddler
: tremendous versatility to trim the boat for the prevailing conditions and
: the desired course.

Hey Brian, I paddled a Dagger Meridian with a skeg and a Wilderness Systems Shenai with a skeg. Both of those boats handle differently but also respond differently with the deployment. I don't remember the exact differences but your post and those demos got me thinking how a kayak might be "designed" for a skeg besides a normal tendency to weathercock You hit it on the head with other factors affecting steerage. Funny how folks can search around for a "holy grail" of some characteristic,,, paddle with it for a while then it doesn't matter anymore. My Mariner Express is perfect for big waves and wind untill I paddled on flat water with very high winds, made me reconsider the need for rudders. But then again if I had a much smaller boat or greater load the problem would be addressed as well. Next time you come by Annapolis you should try my new boat. I tried to make a long skinny boat that turns,,it's odd but fun.