MinnKota Add-on Skeg?

[lollyjoe]

Has anyone added a bigger skeg to their Electric Trolling Motor?

When trolling on Lake Erie I use my gas kicker for propulsion and my MinnKota for steering. The MinnKota only has a tiny skeg and it seems to me that a bigger skeg would really help me stay on line in cross-winds &/or waves and reduce the power draw.

I saw these two on-line.
http://www.raptorfishing.com/raptorskeg.html

http://www.raptorfishing.com/raptorfin1531.html

Has anyone used either of these?

[Shellback]

Why not just make your own out of a piece of 1/8 aluminum? Just through bolt it to your existing skeg. It's not like it has to be perfect for control at higher speeds.

[lollyjoe]

Agreed - just wondering if anyone had tried adding a bigger skeg...

[REW]

Make one about 10X20 and you will have a very good rudder on the front of your boat.
Take care
REW

I had one similar to the first link on my previous boat and it works very well. Just make sure if you go with the bottom link that the rudder don't come out of the water too much and able to stow.

G Day Guys,

Couldn't help noticing this thread, I have an electric kayak I use off shore when I'm not paddling ( pacific ocean), I've found when I'm 1-2 KMs out with all the cross currents etc, that a wider skeg area on my kayak has been a huge benefit especially when your chasing palegics.

There are some players on the market selling good products in this area but always found it alot more fun to tinker in the shed and build your own stuff.

Good luck with the fishing

Cheers

Aussie Fisho

Thanks for the come-back. I did actually build one for myself. I will take some pictures and post. It works great! Very easy to do if you have access to someone who can weld aluminium. I also added a servo to the throttle on my kicker motor so now when I am trolling I can steer with the i-pilot on my trolling motor and control my speed with the servo, all from the console. It is a sweet setup...

[lollyjoe]

Here is a picture of the skeg I built. It is 1/8 aluminum, held onto motor with 3 1/2 hose clamps. I cut up an old inner tube to put between the skeg/hose clamps and the motor. I was not sure how big to make it (surface area) so I took a shot at it with the idea that I could always make it bigger but I think I got it right first time - it works like a charm.