: Pictured is the medium sized skeg after I cut 3/8 of an inch off the top
: length, which took off about a foot in over all length. The black line you
: see is where I cut off another 3/8" for a small skeg. I get three
: different results with each one when paddling. The big one tracks like its
: on rails. The medium sized one doesn't track quite as good and I thought
: the wind was pushing the boat around a little more then the big one. The
: wind was about 15 to 20 mph. The small skeg still tracked but not as well
: as the big one but the boat did turn better. I guess it gets down to how I
: am going to use the boat and where. There is a good sailing lake 15 miles
: from me that I will be using a lot that is 4 miles long and 1 mile wide
: and can get rough. I want to paddle for exercise I think more then just
: messing around. So I may go with the large skeg, with the trade offs of
: not being so manuverable. I want to post anothr picture below this one for
: the experts to look at.

hi john

i think you should go w/ a long laminated small skeg, that sorta looks like a long stem that thickens in the general area of the small skeg but follows the lines more of your yak. the laminations(say 1/2in thick follow the lines and design of your yak. make it say 3/4in - 5/8in wide but insert anchor nuts in say 4 locations. then laminate on top of that(don/t glue down) a wider portion, but also following the lines of your yak.

then anchor in the big one if you ever really need it. and you get more possibilities.

of course an internal skeg'd give you more variation but at a space cost. any thoughts abt a rudder?

(if you had deck line fittings, you could have made a quick emergency skeg or rudder just using any old branch, when you were out on your voyage - drag expense tho)
-mick