: I can understand wanting a skeg, have a couple boats and have one now with
: one and on occasion it's nice. A boat like the King though is easily edged
: to turn so you could also just shift your seat a little and then the
: boat's always edging a little, very much like using a skeg without the
: added drag it causes.

: Bill H.

Very interesting thread (as I have had a King in limbo for about 3 yrs due to lack of garage).
I've taken the opposite view - I'm going for a rudder.
I haven't contemplated NOT adding a rudder, primarily down to safety aspects. ie easier to paddle in cross wind, windy situations, across tides/rips etc especially when loaded for an extended trip or when at the end of a trip and tired etc.
While I am a first time builder I have also done a fair chunk of paddling (of all sorts) such that . Yes I do admit to not having paddled a King so I appreciate that my comments here are from a 'weak' position.
But at the end of the day I'd rather weight the build towards safety (IMO) than aesthetics (although, how ugly can a King be, even with a rudder, if its done even half as well as many of the postings). In fact Silvio's King with rudder on the Redfish site looks great.
My thought is to modify the stern to accept a rudder and see how that goes. Easy enough to paddle with the rudder up.
No problem to ditch it if things are good without it, but much harder to add one if I later felt that I needed one (note the reference to 'I' rather than 'it').
But I don't anticpate this happening.
What are the downsides?
-adding in foot controls and a channel for the cables
-possibly a bit longer to build
-scorn and derision from the rudderless brigade
Guess I'll just have to toughen up : )

Am glad to read all the advice, comments, experience and inspiration on this site.
Happy building and paddling everyone.

Now if only I can get that garage done ....