Skeg testing
I hadn't thought trough this properly before and I had really no idea on how to solve it but this solution turned out to work really well. The skeg want's to be extended by default (and this might not be the best option for the elastic at the skeg but it's very easy to change) so I only have one line going to the front. At first I tried with having a wooden ball on the line and letting it loop back but it never worked. The ball was too big and the cleat didn't want to lock the line because the recess is too deep so I started to try with only a knot instead. The problem was then that the line was hanging loosely and I hate stuff like that so I tried to attach the front of the line with an elastic.
This solution works really well but I want to try it with a slightly thicker line so the cleat will lock easier. The knot between the elastic and the control line is a good guide of where the skeg is. I'll most likely add something to the deck to help me know how much of the skeg is out. But then again that is something you feel as you paddle and might be unnecessary. The total travel of the line is from where it is now (extended skeg) to the first hole which is about 6 cm.
If I would have done something differently I'd make the sked wider at the top, a bit thinner so the gap in the canoe would be smaller and less play. Like more of a sheet instead of a wing. The wider top would have given me more travel on the line but also better control and better leverage to pull the line.
Skeg testing
I hadn't thought trough this properly before and I had really no idea on how to solve it but this solution turned out to work really well. The skeg want's to be extended by default (and this might not be the best option for the elastic at the skeg but it's very easy to change) so I only have one line going to the front. At first I tried with having a wooden ball on the line and letting it loop back but it never worked. The ball was too big and the cleat didn't want to lock the line because the recess is too deep so I started to try with only a knot instead. The problem was then that the line was hanging loosely and I hate stuff like that so I tried to attach the front of the line with an elastic.
This solution works really well but I want to try it with a slightly thicker line so the cleat will lock easier. The knot between the elastic and the control line is a good guide of where the skeg is. I'll most likely add something to the deck to help me know how much of the skeg is out. But then again that is something you feel as you paddle and might be unnecessary. The total travel of the line is from where it is now (extended skeg) to the first hole which is about 6 cm.
If I would have done something differently I'd make the sked wider at the top, a bit thinner so the gap in the canoe would be smaller and less play. Like more of a sheet instead of a wing. The wider top would have given me more travel on the line but also better control and better leverage to pull the line.