Boat Building Forum

Find advice on all aspects of building your own kayak, canoe or any lightweight boats

Re: Skin-on-Frame: RETRACTABLE SKEG in SOF
By:Bob Johns
Date: 3/6/2012, 12:00 am
In Response To: Skin-on-Frame: RETRACTABLE SKEG in SOF (JOHN LASKY)

: Im planning on starting another boat an SOF of some sort , Im
: wondering if anyone has tried to install a retractable skeg in
: one??

Here is one way it has been done. http://www.deliberate-design.com/kayak/skeg/

One problem you could have is running into floating wood/debris or hitting rocks. This would cause eventual or maybe even immediate failure of the skin at the sharp leading edge of the plywood. My plastic rock gardening boat developed a cut, width wise, at the leading edge of a bulkhead. Same story.

I would lessen the sharpness of the leading edge by making the plywood three or four inches longer than needed and tapper the leading edge from nothing at the keel to the desired width of the plywood. I would also make the plywood thick enough in the front portion in order to give it a generous radius. This should help a lot.

~Bob

Messages In This Thread

Skin-on-Frame: RETRACTABLE SKEG in SOF
JOHN LASKY -- 3/5/2012, 3:32 pm
Re: Skin-on-Frame: RETRACTABLE SKEG in SOF
Dave Gentry -- 3/5/2012, 8:55 pm
Re: Skin-on-Frame: RETRACTABLE SKEG in SOF
Bob Johns -- 3/6/2012, 12:22 am
Re: Skin-on-Frame: RETRACTABLE SKEG in SOF
Bob Johns -- 3/6/2012, 12:00 am
Re: Skin-on-Frame: RETRACTABLE SKEG in SOF
Bob Johns -- 3/6/2012, 12:43 am
Re: Skin-on-Frame: RETRACTABLE SKEG in SOF
Jeff Horton -- 3/6/2012, 7:55 am
Re: Skin-on-Frame: RETRACTABLE SKEG in SOF
JOHN LASKY -- 3/6/2012, 9:58 am
Re: Skin-on-Frame: RETRACTABLE SKEG in SOF
Jeff Horton -- 3/7/2012, 9:13 am
Re: Skin-on-Frame: RETRACTABLE SKEG in SOF
Randy Knauff -- 3/6/2012, 10:42 am