On a windless day, a skeg is just a rudder pointed straight forward. You'll need fewer steering corrections since the rudder/skeg will counter any turning action your stroke has on the boats direction. For all other conditions get in your mind that you and your boat are a giant weathervane. The heavy end will point into the wind, or the end with more wind resistance will get pushed downwind. If you want the boat to turn more into the wind you need less resistance on the back of the boat. One way of doing this would be to raise the skeg some. If you want to turn the boat more downwind increase the resistance on the stern - lower the skeg. The skeg is just one component in what direction your boat points. Hull profile above and below the water, gear on the deck, and forward/aft weight distribution in the boat are all going to effect the boats directional stability. Adjustable skegs are an easy way to adjust one component. Kirk -- Kirk Olsen kork4_at_cluemail.com *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************Received on Sun Feb 08 2004 - 05:48:06 PST
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