: Seems to me that the simplest solution here is to build both a rudder and a
: skeg with seperate controls. The skeg when fully deployed would fill the
: slot in the hull and eliminate the drag of an open slot when the rudder is
: turned to either side. The rudder would be sized to fit into the skeg
: slot. A couple magnets would be all it would take to provide the centering
: effort and should be enough to lift the rudder into the skeg slot, they're
: tough enough to hold hatches on. The tough part would be lifting the
: rudder pivot into the hull, either the entire steering quadrant would have
: to lift in concert with the skeg controls or it would require a slip
: shaft.

: Tom

It's easier than that. The steering quadrant is fixed and works with a V shaped guide, as the skeg/rudder pivots to vertical a matching V on the rudder shaft mates with the quadrant. Until the rudder/skeg is completely lowered it acts like a skeg only and won't pivot like a rudder would, once lowered completely the quadrant/rudder shaft mate and it acts like a rudder. It's still not KISS, but it'll work and the controls for the rudder don't pivot so the linkages aren't silly

Bill H.