: I've written a little article on how I built my fiberglass skeg and
: fiberglass skeg box. And I've written some thoughts on how I'd do it
: differently in the middle of construction. The skeg worked out great.

: I like the simplicity of the roped skeg. Easy to fix in the field.

: If anyone needs further clarification, please, let me know. I don't have an
: editor looking over my articles, so sometimes I miss things that I should
: be writing about. In others words, please, help me make it better, so it
: can be more useful for people.

: Thanks.

When the bungee wraps around the bolt, there is only the torque supplied by half the diameter of the ¼ inch bolt to deploy the skeg compared to the huge lever arm of about 4 inches or so for retraction. Maybe better if somewhat more equal. I would want to be able to work it back and forth when something is sticky in there.

As well, one of the problems with skegs, fins and rudders is that if not solid, they vibrate around causing drag and interfering with the serenity. With ¼ inch slop on each side of this one, with the blade not being restrained at the pivot, espec at full deployment there may be an issue. Ymmv, but it seems too much to me regardless of sand, detritus etc.

Maybe one solution is to use bungee that is the same thickness as the slop (which looks like you have), and to put 2 big radius spacers washers at abt that same ¼” thickness so that the blade is restrained from wobble as well as getting much better deploy torque as the bungee will now wrap around this larger radius.

And if you are actually desiring to use bungee, why not attach the spacers on ea side of the blade, put the pull hole where bjorn puts his – sorta 45 deg forward, and totally elimintate the pivot altogether!

The bungee would hold the skeg in place in every aspect and it sure would be a dream to fix or clear or remove on the go.

mick