I think I have seen this on here before, but cannot find in Archives. A paddler is asking about a keel strip for a 'glass kayak now, too.
My Prijons, esp the shorter ones like the Calabria (14.5 feet, 25 inch beam) have fairly flat bottoms. I have toyed with a keel strip addition to give it slightly more tracking ability (I do have the rudder, but sometimes nice to paddle without the drag of the rudder). Thinking a simple strip that might hang even 1/2 inch off the hull might improve tracking and save my hull if I abraid onto a sandy or riprap beach. One idea might be the tiny “shark fins” that even surfers use on the back of theri boards, mounted toward the rear, but these hang down about 3 inches.
Anyone add a keel strip or other underworldy hull tracking devices to their plastic kayaks? How and what did you use? Thanks
keel strip
i had a old school white water kayak 13’, it wouldn’t track on flat water, i found a old water ski at a yard sale, took the keel off it, put on the kayak, it tracked straight then, hangs down about 1 or so, haven’t had any problems tracking now.
How
How did you attach it?
Keel Strip
It was some rubber bumper molding from an industrial supply co. in NJ.
attaching
i drilled holes in the hull put lexel on each, some under the ski runner and pop riveted it through, never leaked any, this was a prion taifun kayak, real tough plastic, worked like a charm.