: To Shawn's explanation, I'd like to add a word of caution. I paddle a
: Nordkapp HM, which has and integral fixed skeg. While the boat tracks like
: a super tanker, I find that it can be a real handful in seas off the stern
: quarter and in surf. The skeg gives the water a lot of leverage on the
: stern of the boat and makes if difficult to avoid broaching. Constant
: leans and sweep strokes on the windward side are the order of the day
: under these conditions.

As opposed to constant leans and sweep strokes on both sides on a calm day.

I'd rather have a boat with only moderate tracking--it makes you a better paddler, and with balanced strokes, you need few corrective strokes on a calm day, and it's no worse than anything else (and often better) on a rough day.

: One other caveat is that an excessively large skeg will cause the boat to
: leecock (turn downwind), which is also difficult to deal with. Given the
: choice, a boat that weathercocks slightly is easier to control than one
: that leecocks.

Not to mention that you could be "blown out to sea" by an offshore wind and have a heckuva time keeping the boat turned into the wind so you can paddle back to shore. At least if you have a hard offshore wind and your boat weathercocks severely, even if you're unable to fight it, you can still see the shore while you're drifting away, never to be seen again...

Shawn