: I keep fiddling around with this idea.
: I fiddled around with the LightSpeed 'Skeg/Rudder' idea.
: There are no really good photos of it, but I can see where it
: could, with some work (and about ten prototypes) work out.
: The retraction cable could pull it from an angle into the skeg box
: strait.

Possibly, but one would want it to retract automatically into the slot when hitting an obstruction

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: Perhaps there aren't any good photos because the rod hangs into
: water flow.

You got it. I did not have a camera when I saw it, so no pics.
**
: The drum is an OK idea, (google brings up several examples -- all
: for larger boats) but I quickly figured out that the rudder
: would have to be much farther astern, so it would stick up above
: the deck, or it would have to be too small.
: As you point out, a drum rudder can't kick up if it snags. It'll
: break off, get damaged, or hang up.

Same thing for the Thomassen rudder - no autoretract.

**
: I think the best idea along these lines so far seems to be the Epic
: 18 rudder-hull with retractable skeg.

But it does have the disadvantages 1)of being always exposed, 2)at the end of the kayak and 3) maybe just slightly shallow because of the geometry.
I also just noticed that the Karitek 'skeg-rudder' is no longer on their website. It was a type of slotrudder, but quite complex and very expensive.

**
: It's interesting that all my fiddling seems to lead to it. (I
: haven't seen any unbiased reviews of it. I also haven't seen any
: grousing--so it must work)
: So I guess I should quit screwing around and finish my Mystery
: project.
Mind you, one can never have too many projects, heh heh. What I do is always have an alternative kayak, so the projects can take forever.

**
: Another option that would require special materials would be a skeg
: that could be warped. Cables inside could contract. But I don't
: think a skeg is big enough to be an effective rudder.

Zolzer uses one with external cables:
http://www.zoelzer.de/content.php?Produkte%2FKanusport%2FBootsausr%C3%BCstung%2FSteueranlagen+%26+Zubeh%C3%B6r%2FZ%C3%B6lzer+Einziehsteueranlage&seite=shop/produkte.php&details=174&hauptrubrik=109