To Skeg or not to Skeg,that is the question

[Heath M]

Hi All,
What's the consensus on using a strut with skeg or a strut without skeg on a catamaran? 4s1p, offset rudder, for racing.

[RaceMechaniX]

Depends on the hull. I have run an AM Mean machine with no skeg for heat racing, but on an AM Conquest it definitely needs the skeg. With a smaller P size hull you can probably skip the skeg strut unless you notice the bad sliding badly.

TG

[Heath M]

Hey Tyler,
Hull is a H+M Intruder S, I've decided to go skegless as i ran a skunkworks gen 1 cat which is similar size, without a skeg and had no troubles in the corners. Just thought I'd ask the question to see what others thought.

[dasboata]

The only reason to use a skeeged sturt on a cat is if your cat is hooking or sping out in a sharp turn other then that it only creates more drag !

[Fluid]

The typical strut skeg is so small - and is often partly out of the water - that its overall contribution to cornering is relatively minor. Many times a skeg is needed because the builder used a small rudder, or cut a larger one down too far. .

[Heath M]

Thanks guys, that makes sense.