Raising the gunnel

You might put in a small, foot operated rudder to keep it going straight.

If it consistently wants to turn one way, shorten an oar.

 

Inserting a rudder is not an option. The boat has to still mantain a smooth bottom to travel over nets and not get stranded so easily when we enter shallow ground. I don't think shortning an oar will work or is the answer to this issue. We tried different oars with different bodies pulling them but the result was the boating turning to one side. The skeg is the solution I had in my head but didn't know what it was called. In the timber boats they are wide planks called cleats (called by the guys where I live) under them roughly half the length of the boat and 1inch thick placed under the center if the boat. These help guide the boat and protect it from damage. I had these in mind but wanted something like a rib style skeg/cleat.

 

The main reason for main skeg and the two short ones apart from maintaing a striaghter line whilst rowing is stability on the shore. She can't rock to one side without touching at least two of her protective strips, usually the main skeg and bilge keel. I would endeavour to still run full length with the central skeg and the other two start and finish on the chine (crease from floor to side) but fair in each end so she runs over nets easily.

The nomenclature for some parts of various boats can be quite local so don't worry about that. Even the word cleat has several meanings depending on where you use it!. Skeg, outer keel, rubbing strip (more usually on gunwhale), protective band, cleat (more normally part of a shoe - hence use as well as marine fastening) whatever, the important thing is if you draw it that is a communication tool as well.

Lowering the seats is not a hard job btw, what height do you have? Definitely look at a stretcher which can easily be made removable. It will give you much better purchase when rowing, more even too which will help keep her running in a straight line.

You might like this link, though it is a wooden skiff it shows stretchers being made and one way of adjusting them, probably the most common. I note on this type the seats are quite high too closer to your own craft from the floor.

http://bmcstaylesskiff.blogspot.co.uk/