Birder kayak keel question

[Garry]

Does the birder need a keel? I don't have the plans with me but I don't remember any details about a keel unless it was an option. I do remember an option for a small skeg at the stern.

I have almost no experience in a kayak. A fellow at work with some experience strongly recommends a shallow keel to help control leeway in a crosswind. Does the Birder's chine help with this?

Any tips from Birder 'yakers would be appreciated.

[Hirilonde]

White water kayaks in general have no keel.  This is to facilitate quick, sharp turns and intentional side movements.  Flat water kayaks in general do have keels.  This is for all the reasons you would expect.  As to the Birder:  I have no first hand experience.

[Charlie Jones]

I debated adding a keel to our Birders. I even took the boat out and tried it before it was decked, just to see how it handled. I decided it did not need one and I've not regretted it at all. I've paddled in some fair winds, not really strong, but fair. I was happy to not have it.

Of course ours are the Birders, not the IIs so that could make a difference.

[Tom Lathrop]

Our Birders were the first ones to be built and I did add a skeg under the stern.  The birder is an outgrowth of the Mocasin open canoe that is double ended.  On the birder, the stern is lengthened and sharpened on the waterline to give more directional stability and I added the skegs for the same purpose.  I can't say how much effect they have.  There is still some tendency for the boat to turn toward windward when paddling downwind in a breeze.  Sometimes I can hold to my course by extending the paddle over the bow as an air rudder.

[DISTELTK]

I built a Birder II a few years ago.  I added a keel appox 3/4 lenght of boat.

The boat tracks straight as an arrow.  However the II is a little difficult to turn with a long keel.  I paddle on a lake mostly so it is not bad.  I have tried travelling between lakes on channels and the II gets difficult to solo paddle in a crowd or winding channels.

I have used a golf umbrella to cross the lake running and needed very little paddle action to keep it straight to the small beach for docking.

I like it,  I would build the Birder next time I don't need that big of a kayak and I don't have anyone who likes to kayak that doesn't own their own.

Tom D  Lansing Mi,  Port Charlotte Fl. 

[Garry]

Thanks all.

I think I'll leave the keel off. I can always add something later if needed. There are plenty of twisty rivers and creeks around here where agility is needed. But then there is a lot of open water where a keel would be helpful to prevent leeway in a crosswind.

Great thing about building a boat, i can modify it readily later on.

[Dale Niemann]

Garry,

If you really want flexibility, at a retractable fin.  A few production kayaks had them in the past.

You probably will not need it though.

Dale

[JeffM]

I put an ash keel on, more or less per plans option (Birder 2), afraid that if I left it off I would regret it.  I was concerned about the beating I might take beaching, as well as good tracking.  Since it is supposed to be screwed & glued, I figured it had to go on before the deck.  Since I am no kayaker, I also put on a pretty substantial skeg.  This I can saw off if it make her too difficult to turn.  I'm well-behind Garry, though, so it will be the middle of spring before she's in the water.

[BillB]

I put a keel on my Moccasin 12 and no keel on my Moccasin 14.

I can not tell any difference between the two boats in regards to tracking.

Mostly the keel on the Moccasin 12 takes the damage caused by draging up the beach or bottoming in shallow water.

If I were to build another, I would not install the keel.

Bill