She doesn't weathercock, but with her soft chines I find I need to really concentrate on what my hips are doing to keep her from wiggling when putting the power down. Being long, round and narrow makes roll a concern as well as yaw. Roll perhaps moreso, in fact.

I've read much about the virtues of learning to paddle in a straight line without fins and agree - it's a skill I want.

Having just begun to learn the sport I've only really tried my own boat, my brother's Whisky 16 and a CD Vision 140. I was impressed with what the skeg could do in the Whisky ("lock-in" a heading) and as such am really attracted to the idea of a retractable / adjustable solution.

Usually I put in at a beach or at least on a shoreline, so having something obtrusive is less than attractive.

Most of my paddling doesn't involve large ocean swells but shorter fetch lake waves. In the interests of VMG for given effort I hope a skeg will affect my boat similarly to the way the Whisky's helps it.

I see examples on like-dimensioned surf skis and K1s and think there must be some value.

Maybe a skeg mounted on posts - like a surfski rudder but with two dowels - could work.

Some who I've bounced my ideas off of have expressed concern that if the skeg suffers a lateral impact, it will likely damage the frame. I don't know if I agree, I suppose it depends on the method. I should note my keel is 1"x5/8" and deckridge the same.

I don't mind the idea of a rudder but don't want to bother with footpegs and lines - my feet rest very comfortably ON the bulkhead - so perhaps an non-adjustable rudder will be the ticket. But then I don't get to retract or adjust depth very nicely.

I see the Zegul Baidarka, and the Laughing Loon boats favour skegs.

Are there known rules for designing / placing one?