# skeg?

**URL:** <https://forum.clcboats.com/t/skeg/38090>\
**Category:** Builder's Forum\
**Created:** [February 3, 2011, 4:50pm UTC](https://forum.clcboats.com/t/skeg/38090 "2011-02-03T16:50:07Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Dennis\_Miczulski](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/da6949/32.png) [@Dennis\_Miczulski](https://forum.clcboats.com/u/Dennis_Miczulski)\
**Post date:** [February 3, 2011, 4:50pm UTC](https://forum.clcboats.com/t/skeg/38090/1 "2011-02-03T16:50:07Z")

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I am currently building a Mill Creek 13 for a person who wants to give to his wife as a present.&nbsp; Wants me to put a four foot tapered skeg on the stern bottom to help it track true when&nbsp;paddling.&nbsp; I showed him the plans for the movable skeg from CLC.&nbsp; He mentioned that is was another thing to think about while paddling; wouldn’t a small skeg function to the same thing for tracking?&nbsp; Dimensions are @45" X 2.5" X 1/2"&nbsp; tapered down&nbsp; to 3/4" ; would be using a straight piece of mahagony with brass 3/8" stem band on the bottom–weight is not a consideration.&nbsp; Any thoughts about a small&nbsp;skeg on a kayak?

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**Author:** ![Greg\_Gordon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Greg\_Gordon](https://forum.clcboats.com/u/Greg_Gordon)\
**Post date:** [February 3, 2011, 5:40pm UTC](https://forum.clcboats.com/t/skeg/38090/2 "2011-02-03T17:40:07Z")

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it'll track straight on it's own.understand the skeg is to counteract the wind . as the boat moves throught the water the bow kinda digs in and makes a trough that makes it harder for a cross &nbsp;wind to push so the stern gets blown around more than the bow thus the boat turns toward the wind. so if you want to move into the wind retract the skeg, away from the wind extend the skeg ,parralel to the wind adjust ti'll its evened out. so more skeg doesnt mean staighter it means it'll turn downwind more. took me a long time to learn that. use the adjustable or nothing

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**Author:** ![Greg\_Gordon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Greg\_Gordon](https://forum.clcboats.com/u/Greg_Gordon)\
**Post date:** [February 3, 2011, 5:41pm UTC](https://forum.clcboats.com/t/skeg/38090/3 "2011-02-03T17:41:24Z")

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ps it will likely stay up and unused most of the time

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**Author:** ![pag](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e19adc/32.png) [@pag](https://forum.clcboats.com/u/pag)\
**Post date:** [February 3, 2011, 7:49pm UTC](https://forum.clcboats.com/t/skeg/38090/4 "2011-02-03T19:49:17Z")

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Your proposed skeg may save the bottom from some rocks but will do little or nothing for directional stability.&nbsp; Skeg, and rudder performance is all about aspect ratio.&nbsp; You want them to be deep with a short cord lenght (fore & aft dimension).&nbsp; So you are adding drag due to added wetted surface and the appendage itsef in addition to the added weight.

If this does not seem right, think about airplane wings (high aspect ratio)&nbsp; You never see a plane with shallow winds extneding the legth of the fuselage.

Paul