: I believe the whole idea here is to build your boat in a way that makes you
: happy. If you want a skeg or a rudder, but won't put one on because of
: something someone said or because your kayaking friends don't have one,
: then you may only be "satisfied" with your new boat instead of
: being "totally ecstatic" over your accomplishment. Happy
: Paddling.

hi jason,
i would second all that charles, craig and shawn have said, and i like the passage above - it really states what this is about.

but to allow progress, try it the way it is for a while and then if still problems, check them out by temporary tacking on a tapered 1x1 keel/skeg and see if that is ok. if so then leave it, make a better one or more preferably put in a retractable skeg(then you can vary the tracking)and maybe as a last resort, put on a rudder.