Part Two: How is the Diablo Adios skeg working out? Better than expected. Winter in Florida brings wind. And that wind has given me beacoup chances to “pole” in a quartering breeze. The skeg is quite
an improvement,believe me. In the past I’d be constantly correcting my course. With the skeg down, the Adios stays right on track. That saves me a fair bit of work. And allows me to concentrate more fully on the fishing.
The skeg also improved tracking while standup paddling. No surprise there. What was a surprise, however, was how the skeg even enhanced tracking while paddling from the Larry chair. Nice.
Any downsides? Not really. The skeg does increase your draft about 5 inches. Since the Adios rides so high in the water to begin with, that is not a huge deal. And besides, a simple pull on the bungee raise the skeg when necessary. You’ll also note that when changing course, the Adios is a tad slower to respond. That’s to be expected. Here again, it is a snap to raise the skeg if you need more mobility.
By the way, if you’d like to made an inexpensive push pole for your kayak, check out a post I did back on September 19, 2012. It outlines how to make a nice one for about $25 https://edmitchelloutdoors.com/?p=1435