RE: [Paddlewise] A Skeg Experience (was Rudder)

From: Colin Calder <c.j.calder_at_abdn.ac.uk>
Date: Fri, 20 Nov 1998 14:28:04 -0000
>> ... and giving it an airfoil shape will make it work better anyway.

>
> Not to get into the nits too far, John, but do you think that
> applies to skegs
> as well? My Pintail's stock skeg is basically slab sided with the edges
> bevelled off, but there's certainly no attempt to have the shape
> be a foil.  I
> use the skeg deployed at about 30 degrees when I'm lazy and want
> the boat to
> do part of the tracking, and deployed more when I'm surfing down following
> seas; it does develop a lot of chatter when it's down more than 20 to 30
> degrees.  Would fairing it out to more of a foil decrease the vibration?
>
> Jack Martin


Would foil shaped skegs be better than flat skegs ? Interesting question. Am
I right in thinking that as the skeg can't rotate it's angle of attack
remains at zero degrees, and thus the skeg can't be stalled when the boat is
travelling straight ? Would a foil shaped skeg therefore be any improvement
over a flat skeg during straight forward paddling?

I'm I also right in thinking that if the boat is making a lot of leeway, or
ferrying across a stream, or under turning input, particularly if the boat
isn't heeled, then it may be possible to stall a flat skeg ?

My guess would be that foil shaped skegs may be of more benefit during
turns. Would a boat with a foil shaped skeg reduce drag and maintain more
speed during heeled turns ?

My practical experience is that the increased drag of a deployed skeg is
pretty much undetectable, but I'm always interested in a free lunch, as it
were ....

Colin Calder
57º19'N  2º10'W

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Received on Fri Nov 20 1998 - 06:29:55 PST

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