: Keel: I recently finished a 17' kayak and have found it to be much
: less stable on the water than I had planned. Does anyone have
: experience or recommendations on applying a keel to help
: stablize the kayak?
: Thanks

Installing a keel won't make the kayak more stable. It will make it go straight as an arrow and be difficult to turn. To improve stability you must start by ensuring that the seat is as thin as you can comfortably handle to lower your center of gravity. The best thing you can do to improve the "apparent" stability of the boat is to spend a lot of time getting used to it. Take lessons if necessary and available in your area. Perhaps this kayak is too narrow for your level of expertise or perhaps you are too light weight to get the kayak down to the designed waterline. So, what is your weight and what is the width of the kayak? What brand is the kayak?