Skegs?????

Brother Flatpick!
Any ideas on foot controlled skeg? You think it has any merit?

Yes, a rudder :smiley:

The idea has occurred to me
too, mentioned it in some thread or other. Not sure how I’d want it implemented, though, unlike a rudder there really isn’t a centered “home” position.



Mike

why?
would you want to put it ‘down there’ where your feet would have to control it?



I find a quick adjustment is EZ with my hand, I can ‘see’ where it’s at and if I re-enter I don’t have to worry about hitting it.



wouldn’t the adjustment below make for the ol’ undesireable moveable footpegs??



steve

Personally, I am very happy to
not control my skeg with my feet.

I like to be able to see the control
and know how far down the skeg is.



It only takes a fraction of a scond to hit with a finger between strokes to adjust.



And once it’s set, it’s not like you need to keep fiddling with it.



Happiness is a footpeg that doesn’t move no matter where your foot hits it.


Happiness is…
… not being limited to small hard foot pegs at all! Another great benefit of skegged boats.



Sea/touring - Skeg

Racing - Rudder



Rec boat? Stay out of wind and waves!

Any foot solution would
of course have to not in any way compromise the solid footpegs/bar/bulkhead. It would have to be another lever somewhere, I’d guess.



As to what is the point, well, most of the time there isn’t one, the hand control is sufficient. I can imagine being in dicey/windy conditions where you are busy paddling and might like to use the skeg as an aid to coming about from upwind to downwind, and being able to deploy it with a foot could be a slight advantage. Whether the advantage is worth the complexity, well…probably not.



Mike

Dicey
There have been several times when I have rounded an island and the water and wind and current get too interesting. I REALLY wanted to keep both hands on the steering wheel, so to speak.



In bicycling, this concept has already come about. For many, many years, shift levers were attached to the downtube. Cyclists had to take their hand off the handlebar to shift. Despite increased complexity and increased weight, every good quality bike is equipped with shifters at the brake lever. The hands never leave the ‘steering wheel’.