Kayak Skeg

[scotty14]

Does anyone out there use a skeg on their SOT kayak? Has anyone ever made their own skeg?

I have a Redfish 12 and its brutal to paddle when its windy. Im not sure I want to install a rudder....I want to keep it simple. Maybe something I can raise, lower, and/or leave off when not needed.

I am looking forward to hearing if anyone has any experience with this. Thanks!

[DoubleM]

Good question.. just googled and saw this.. a strap-on skeg


http://www.foldingkayak.com/accessoriesFC.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Maybe that'd do or you could design your own

[scotty14]

Thanks DoubleM. I came across that design as well. I was thinking of trying to create one to install where the rudder would go. Maybe mount a receiver that I could slide a piece of plastic into for windy conditions. I got caught in a cross wind a few weeks back and I had a hell of a time keeping the kayak on track. I practically paddled an entire mile using my left side paddle lol.

[FrankC]

When the wind pushes the bow to the side, you would need a fair sized skeg mounted near the bow which would cause drag. The other cure is a rudder which is adjusted to match speed and wind forces.

The longer the moment arm between the paddle and skeg, the better it would work.

[krash]

I've often thought of adding a perm skeg to my Dorado and get rid of the rudder. Mainly for a straighter glide in a light wind. Heavy wind don't think it would help much, and in shallow water, less than 12", where I do most of my fishing the rudder is a useless PITA.

Something like this made for wakeboards, simply glue it on the bottom near the stern:

[dunfly]

Seems like a skeg at the rear where the rudder goes would be counter productive since it is the bow that typically gets blown off course. With proper paddling technique, you can usually compensate for wind direction unless it is really blowing.

[Todd]

In my WS Commander 140 it is the stern that gets blown, not the bow. With the higher profile sides that kayak can be a real bitch paddling in a strong cross breeze. I too have done the paddle on one side for far too long one day. The rudder did not help much.

[pbr]

That aint nothin compared to a 25lb canoe with high freeboard

[krash]

That aint nothin compared to a 25lb canoe with high freeboard

Tell us more about the 25# canoe with high freeboard. I'm about to pull the trigger and change from SOT to lightweight solo canoe mainly for the weight issue, my health is such that 55# is way over what I can lift, load, carry, unload on the car roof-top.

What model canoe are you using ?
Is it the high freeboard or the bow/stern height that is an issue.

[Rik]

That aint nothin compared to a 25lb canoe with high freeboard

Tell us more about the 25# canoe with high freeboard. I'm about to pull the trigger and change from SOT to lightweight solo canoe mainly for the weight issue, my health is such that 55# is way over what I can lift, load, carry, unload on the car roof-top.

What model canoe are you using ?
Is it the high freeboard or the bow/stern height that is an issue.

Pat paddles a Hornbeck

http://paddle-fishing-forum.com/viewtop ... t=hornbeck" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[scotty14]

Its my rearend that gets blown. My bow wants to point into the wind. Even though my bow is probably lighter than my stern, I think its the wind blowing my body, milk crate, fishing rods that causes my bow to want to turn into the wind.

With that said, a skeg in the rear would help....right?

[ChrisR]

With that said, a skeg in the rear would help....right?

Theoretically, yes. We would need to consider the size of the skeg to answer that question accurately, I believe. I had a Native Ultimate 12 with a drop down skeg. I found the skeg most helpful to control tracking on long paddles during light wind. Maybe it helped a little bit in higher winds, but I was still paddling mostly on the downwind side to keep straight. I put a rudder on it, and was much happier.

[FX4]

I have a skeg on my SINK, it helps but does not solve the problem. I still have to paddle on one side but it's not as much effort to keep a straight track. For the short time I owned a Tarpon 160 I found the rudder to be more effective in a cross wind / cross current situation.

[jbdba01]

Sounds like what you want are some leeboards...I have them on my sailcanoe, but for a kayak frankly it seems like a lot of work and overkill. You could probably buy something on ebay premade - like a rudder and modify it.

Apparently someone has used leeboards on a kayak...details here



Personally I just deal with the issue by adjusting where I sit in the kayak and when drift fishing adjusting where my seasock is.

On the plus side you pop the leeboard up when not in use. When it comes to being blown by the wind I just paddle more into it and/or tack - it's not a straight line but I get there eventually. With the exception of my first PFTS (I believe it was blowing 25 on the way back) normally I don't mind the extra workout. That was a long haul.