Cetus (original) skeg does not full retract

[alcoons]

Hi,

I was one of the lucky ones to get an original Cetus in which the skeg box was sized well enough to work.  So after I added the recommended two tiny zip ties to keep the bungees on the plastic wheel all has worked well for years.  I was unable to paddle last year so the boat was garaged for a full season.  Have padded a few times recently and noticed that the skeg does not fully retract as far as I remember. I remember that it was not sticking out of the hull when fully retracted. Note now it is about out about 1/4 inch.  I could be looking for an excuse, but I have always sensed that there is a surprising amount of drag created by just a bit of skeg on this boat.

What I have done:

• Removed the skeg and replaced a broken zip tie mentioned above.
• Made sure the barrel lock on the end of the bungee was all the way down in the skeg box so the skeg had room to retract fully.
• Moved the knot on the end of the bungee so the bungee is less tight (since the bungee pulls the skeg down into position for use.

What I observe:

• That if I slide the skeg adjustor all the way forward the skeg does lower below the hull.  Of course, the adjustor does not stay in that position since you would not be able to release it.  It slides back a bit and the skeg drops as shown.

What to do?

• Logically the only next step I can think of is to shorten the cord from the adjustor to the skeg (this is what retracts the skeg).  It is not suppose to stretch but I guess it could.  Does not look so easy to shorten. 

Thanks for any help,

Al

[mhabich]

Tape the hull across the skeg so the skeg can't drop. Slide the skeg adjuster back and the blue string that pulls the skeg up will be loose. Pull the knot out of the adjuster and tie another overhand or figure eight knot against the original knot. This should tighten the string just enough. 

[alcoons]

Thanks so much. 

[alcoons]

Wow, took all of 30 seconds and a small tweezers to fish the existing knot out from behind the adjuster. Not even one trip to the hardware store!  Never dawned on me that you could shorten it at the adjuster end since I could not see the knot at the end of the line in the shadows of the adjuster.  Actually, I guess I never looked carefully.

Thanks again,

Al

[Pintail]

< I have always sensed that there is a surprising amount of drag created by just a bit of skeg on this boat>

Why not get radical, Al, and simply remove the entire thing, if you are concerned about drag?  Then you could glass over the skeg housing slot?  I bet you'd find another half-knot or so...?  ;^))

[alcoons]

Interesting idea, but given that the most serious weakness of this boat, at least for me, is its propensity to weathercock.  I either would have to go out in calmer conditions or create a keel out of the remaining fiberglass.