Impact of Heeling - Canoe Design

[Marc Ornstein]

If the differential rocker results in the stern being skegged (as is often the case) it will take a defined level of heel and or pitch to lift the "skeg" clear before the stern will be free to skid. That "defined level" will vary from boat to boat. The load being carried and where it is positioned in the boat will also effect how easily the stern can be broken free. All things being equal, (which they rarely are) the symmetrical hull should require less heel under any given conditions than the asymmetrical/skegged hull.

 

[lowangle al]

If the differential rocker results in the stern being skegged, why not just use it as a skeg to facilitate turns? I would assume the skeg effect is there to make the boat track better. If that is the case it should also make a boat steer into turns when leaned into the turn. That is if the skeg action can overcome the forces on the hull that cause it to turn away from the side of the lean, like from a flatter trimmed symmetrical hull. By trimming the boat stern heavy or having even more differential rocker it should overcome the tendency to turn away from the side of the lean and turn into it.