I been thinking about installing a rope skeg in a canoe that does not track well. Has anyone tried this? If you had a canoe that didn’t track a skeg could solve the problem. Retract the skeg and it would then turn easily. It would also be useful when the wind is coming from the beam. I have used sea kayaks with this set up and it really is convenient. The skeg could easily be installed in composite canoes. The down side is that it could be in the way when touring. Just my thoughts.
No but I’ve added rudders
I’ve added some rudders to sailing canoes. It does help with sailing so I don’t see why it would not help in other situations.
Wenonah has a canoe with a rudder and decked tripping canoes like Krugers have rudders.
A Skeg off the stern might be even easier to make since it would not need a tiller or foot peddle steering.
Easy job
I installed one in a composite sea kayak. No big deal. You just have to measure everything 3 times before you cut, and make absolutely sure the cassette is in straight when you epoxy it on. Go slow, and take your time.
I’m not sure I’d do that to a canoe, but that’s just me. It would be a lot easier to install in a non-decked boat, though.
I’m thinking of putting a drop skeg on
a 15’ Mad River Synergy, a whitewater canoe with quite a bit of rocker. Paddling solo, I can manage the boat well enough, but paddling tandem, it is quite cranky. A skeg would allow me to take my wife on lakes and easy flat rivers when we are travelling around the country.
My thoughts on design is to base the skeg on a V frame where the top of the V pivots on the gunwales, and the bottom of the V holds the skeg. The frame is positioned so that the skeg drops down close behind the stern. If the skeg hits an obstruction, it can bounce upward. Some method would be necessary to control the downward travel of the skeg frame.
Maybe that will provide some ideas. Such a skeg would not require a skeg box and would be easily removable.