Okay.

you say you use your boat mostly in rivers... me too. I've only been out a few times though in the kayak. Here is what I think, it's only half baked though, definatly may be wrong. I'm not that experinced a paddler.

I think you do not want a skeg. here's why. in paddleing on the rivers, I found that the first method of control that I've used, is the back ferry. For example, you come around the bend and a tree has fallen over the water. this is called sweeper or strainer, they are bad news. most of the time the current runs right into them. On a recent trip I watched a pair of novice canoers try and avoid a fallen willow tree by turning and over powering the current. If it had been a big tree, or a pine tree they could have been in big trouble. the ran right through it.

what they should have done was pointed bow of the canoe at it, angled the stern accross the current to the other bank and back paddled. (that's called a ferry) the current then pushes you accross the river.

now in a kayak this is very easy to do too. however if you have a skeg, as soon as you present the kayak at an angle to the current, it will hit the skeg fairly hard, and try and spin you around. which could be bad.

So, given the rivers you say you wil be in, I'd opt for a keel. An added bonus is it gives a bit of scrape protection too. I suspect us river guys get a fair bit more wear than the guys on the big ponds of the world.

Actually I'd also consider trying to live with it as is, the mobility is a plus, if you ever decided you want to try faster water.

My 2 cents.

Myrl