Kayak and Canoe Design Bulletin Board

Re: skeg vs rudder

Posted By: Nick Schade
Date: Thursday, 10 February 2000, at 8:42 a.m.

In Response To: skeg vs rudder (Lance Alldrin)

In order for a skeg to be effective on a kayak in needs to be placed towards the stern, like the feathers on an arrow. A center mounted skeg may minimize side-slip, like on a sail boat, but this is not to useful for directional stability.

On a tandem, I would go with a rudder over a skeg. The coordination between paddlers required to handle a double, is made much easier with a rudder.

> I've just started a Guillemot Double which I plan to stretch one foot and
> add an extra cockpit to allow me to take 2 of my 3 boys with me (as Dale
> Frolander has done: frolander.homepage.com/kayak/kayaker).

> As a new kayaker (I've never been in one ever!! I do however have 2 ski
> boats and 2 sailboats in my backyard, so boating in general is not new to
> me) I'm wondering why rudders are used instead of a skeg or centerboard?
> It appears that the rather small rudders I've seen, along with complaints
> I've read regarding linkage,leaks etc. would warrent the use of a skeg
> instead. Would a skeg/centerboard mounted just forward of the cockpit
> between the paddlers knees provide the resistence needed to point into the
> wind to some degree? Would there be room in this area of a kayak or are
> you in need of as much space as possible? It seems that a centerboard in a
> trunk would would allow you to reach forward to position it and being
> sealed from keel to deck would eliminate all chances of leaks. Since it
> would be positioned more towards the center of hull would it provide more
> "authority" than a rudder/skeg that was more "stern"
> mounted? Do sea kayak rudders really provide much help in altering
> direction?

> These might be really stupid questions to those of you who are
> "veterans" but this is something I didn't see addressed in the
> hundreds of pages I read through on the web. I realize that I'm asking for
> the whole "enchilada" in one big cruiser boat but I'd like to
> address the isssue of rudder vs skeg vs nothing at all before I get to the
> point where I glue the deck on!!

> Thanks,

> Lance

Messages In This Thread

skeg vs rudder
Lance Alldrin -- Thursday, 10 February 2000, at 1:07 a.m.

Re: skeg vs rudder
Nick Schade -- Thursday, 10 February 2000, at 8:42 a.m.

Re: skeg vs rudder
Ross Leidy -- Thursday, 10 February 2000, at 10:59 a.m.

Re: skeg vs rudder
David Dick -- Friday, 11 February 2000, at 11:03 p.m.

Re: skeg vs rudder
lee -- Saturday, 12 February 2000, at 8:39 a.m.

Kayak and Canoe Design Bulletin Board is maintained by Nick Schade - Guillemot Kayaks with WebBBS 5.12.