fitting a skeg to an M26

[as time goes by]

Has anyone fitted a small skeg under the hull to help with steering at low speed ,to alleviate such problems as docking or putting on the trailer in windy conditions. I find that the boat wanders badly as soon as the board and rudders are raised.
I,m sure that if the skeg was kept fairly small in depth,say 100 to 150 mm and tapered down at the forward end to 10mm and around 1.5 to 2metres long ,it would not interfere with launching and retreiving.
I guess the rear of the skeg would need to be around 500mm to a metre forward of the outboard leg to stop any cavitation problems.
cheers from As Time Goes By
Hobart,Tasmania

[delevi]

It is a good idea, going beyond just docking. Such a skeg would help track in rough waters. However, the issue is attaching it to the hull. You would basically need to cut open the cabin sole and get inside the water ballast chamber. Not something I would attempt.

Leon

[Threms]

Whats a skeg?

[Currie]

Whats a skeg?

It's a fix foil (sometime retractable) used stabilize the handling of boat. It's often found attached to the leading edge of a rudder.





Ditto what Leon said. However, dual skegs aren't unheard of - especially with dual rudders. That would get you outboard of the water ballast tanks - still a thru-hull afair though...fun . It will affect sailing performance though.

Dual skeg...
http://bradsboat.tripod.com/id5.html

Cheers,

~Bob

[kmclemore]

I strongly warn against this.

Although a skeg might provide some help when sailing, it could cause havoc, as well as possible injury or death when motoring.

When making a fast turn during high-speed motoring the boat can literally 'trip' over such a protrusion and roll in a very nasty and unexpected way. Powerboats need to be able to slide across the top of the water when turning quickly, and the skeg would prevent this, causing a sudden and uncontrolled rolling movement which could throw the pilot and/or passengers overboard, or in severe cases could actually cause the boat to invert and founder. For the same reason one should never motor at high speeds with any of the fins down (center/dagger board or rudders).

Please don't do this.

If you want a skeg, why not just lower the dagger board just a bit? Then you can raise it when motoring.

[Threms]

Thanks 4 the information, i know that kind of mods. We used it on a small flat buttom dinger, i stabilised alot going straight, but made it harder to turn.

U see it on bigger motor yachts with a direct axel drive, it will often be a build in solution starting in front of the screw and rudder. It is used to enforce the axel and keep it in place when the axel I turning.

Its called “a finn” in Danish.


Daniel

[c130king]

I find that when docking or other times when moving at slow speeds the wind will push the boat around even with daggerboard and rudders down. Can't really see where a skeg as you describe would do that much good.

Just my $0.02 worth.

Cheers,
Jim

[Paul S]

I just leave the DB down a few inches.. doesn't interfere with loading on the trailer (if it does.. just yank it up more). MAKES a HUGE difference!

Do it a few times, you know how much to leave down. If it is low tide.. I just pull up the DB as I enter the goal posts to clear the trailer frame.

Also if there is a cross wind, this helps out a LOT too - get 2 25' dock lines and tie one end to the goal post, the other end to the winch post. Now you have a V with the 2 lines. If you enter slow enough, you will be guided onto the trailer perfectly. If you start to go sideways, the line will guide you back to center. You can do this in calm conditions, but it is not always needed if you have a feel for the boat.

[Highlander]

Actualy I have given this much thought & I'd like a shark finned retractable skeg in front of the 26M D/B this could be used for docking in bad weather, while anchored. But the main purpose for it is that it would greatly improve pointing to a higher degree, would also improve tacking while sailing .
But would involve making a second say 12-18" deep skeg trunk in the rear section of the V-berth about 2ft ahead of the head of an M , would definately be a winter project & require a good F/G man

One could also install a cross brace section on the deck in front of the mast with slotted end tubes say 1 1/2"W x 12" L by say 18" long "deep" also attached to the hull just like your mast chain plates and the have two skegs one on either side and drop either one as necc. this would be easier & most likely cheaper some race sail boats have this set up !

J

[Duane Dunn, Allegro]

This has been on my list for a while but I've not gotten around to it. I doubt there would be any effect at low speed around docks. I always have the centerboard and rudders down around docks and see no reason not to use them. Perhaps you have a special situation with shallow water. I also never drive the boat onto the trailer, it is pulled on by hand using lines and the adjacent dock with the fins up.

I think a skeg would be particularly useful at higher speeds. This is where these fins shine. Contrary to what was said above, you will find skegs an many high speed powerboats. The flatter the bottom the more you typically find. On flat bottomed ski boats you often find 1 - 3 small (6"-8") shark fin shaped skegs. Not only do they help tracking, but they provide a pivot point in the water for carving high speed turns.

The center board presents too much area if down at high speeds as well as it's shape generates lift that can roll the boat. With just it's tail out a bit the skeg like protrusion of the board is too far aft.

My plan is to construct a flat aluminum skeg which generates no lift that is about 4" - 6" deep for easy clearance when loading on the trailer, and about 18" long with two or three skeg shapes cut in it. It will be attached to the leading edge of the centerboard up towards the pivot point. When the board is fully retracted this skeg will still protrude giving some grip on the water at higher speeds. When the board is down for sailing this thin blade of metal along the front should have no effect on the boards performance.

[Highlander]

here skeg ahead of the canting d/b
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e2BgjKFJ ... re=related

[pokerrick1]

What Duane said in his first two paragraphs! I've had skegs on flat bottomed powerboats and I believe they greatly improved turning performance.

I don't see how they would be that helpful on an M around docks - - - rudders and DB down always worked just fine for me!

Rick Less

[restless]

Sounds good in many respects. Just remember though that a fixed skeg will cause allsorts of major grief if you decide to beach your boat, (something we do alot of) or if you get caught by a falling tide and end up sitting somewhere...
I've been trying to come up with an idea where I have a couple of say 3mm ss blade rudders next to the standard ones in the same bracket that stay down, protruding 4 - 6" below the hull. There is a mod similar to this somewhere under shoal rudders I think.

[as time goes by]

thankyou to everyone that responded,and it actually sounds like many people have considered this idea.
I don't think a small fin would benefit or correct the situation,and i have noted the utube video ,but that only relates to a canting keel yacht with I beleive has a forward daggerboard which I think is called a cunnard,to help the yacht falling off to leeward.
However I still think the boat would track in a straight line with a longish skeg similar to most dinghies,which helps them track staight when rowing.
Ever tried to row an inflatable with no keel line ?
I have also noted comments of the boat tripping over ,which worries me but i,m not sure whether thats proved ,when the boat will only do 13 knots with a 60hp yamaha.
We tend to motor at 6 to 8 knots because of fuel consumption issues,but on the odd times we have lifted the board and rudders,and motored flat out,we found that the boat wandered around and wanted to broach, especiallyif the waves were largish,and running before it. We have found in a biggish sea that the boat behaves better running under power,with DB down a little and both rudders down,a small headsail poled out and run down the waves at 10 knots in control with the outboard at about 3200 revs. All of those things contribute to straight line tracking and ease of steering. I,m sure that a straight line skeg would also help in this situation.
I would be interested to know if the water ballast is on the centreline,because in the aft section it looks like it runs down each side of the floor area.cheers from as time goes by

[Duane Dunn, Allegro]

The water ballast is mainly in two centerline tanks, one under the aft berth and the other forward of the compression post. These are connected by two narrow channels that run down each side of the boat opening up the center floor area for standing, It's easy to see the tank configuration if you pull a few hatches.