: Obviously handling can vary by individual and boat trim, but since
: I'm in the building stage, this is the easiest time
: to install a skeg whether needed or not. The question is, should I
: install?

: It would seem to fall into the parachute category. Better to have
: it and not need it than to need it and not have it.

: Mike

I concur with your parachute analogy. It is not all that much tougher, as long as you have a rear hatch. See mtkayak (Mike Trutwin) posts on retrofitting a skeg into a boat with a rear hatch http://www.kayakforum.com/cgi-bin/Building/index.cgi/md/read/id/213514/sbj/strip-skeg-build-log-for-existing-great-auk/

You should also view Ettien Muller's skeg build: http://www.etiennemuller.com/SkegProject.pdf

The only difficult part is reaching in the hatch and around the back of the skeg box to schmutz in the box. On the other hand you can better determine where to put the various parts in the boat.

I am following the same procedure to put a skeg in my Guillemot L.