Builders' Forum Archives

Re: Skeg or not to skeg ?

Posted by Kurt Maurer on Oct 20, 2005

Howard tapped out: "...there is a lot to be said for keeping it simple...my friend's rudder got all dinged up/wouldn't work..."

Exactly. This is what gives me the willies about NOT keeping kayaks simple.

The Dallas/Fort Worth Paddlers (you listening, Gober?) came to Galveston just last weekend for an outing, where I joined 'em. One member was using a borrowed kayak because her fiberglass job was in the shop following a cartopping mishap (a loose bow line got under the tires - OUCH!!). The loaner was John Caldeira's fabulous One Ocean Kayaks Expedition Sport (wowza - what a "loaner" to end up with!).

Long story short: Jackie was lost at first without her rudder, but over the course of the weekend became alert to the fact that a rudder is NOT a necessity, but an accessory -- that can sometimes just not be there for whatever reason! She also learned that proper paddling technique is where its really at, for sooner or later you are going to need it.

Never add a skeg or rudder until you know exactly why you're adding it, is my advice. And then, be sure to know how to deal with its absence.

Ka-Ching! $0.02, Kurt Maurer

Below: Photo of loaner yak. Oh, what suffering.