One or two skegs

I am just in the process of finishing a Bolger Rubens Nymph, a stubby pram dinghy with a pronounced bottom rocker. The boat is about 2,4 x 3,4 m (7'9'' x 4'6'')
On the plans there is one skeg, a triangular shape about 60 * 9 cm (2'1'' x 3 1/2'').

I thought it might be easier to drag up the gravel beaches in my area if it had two skegs, so it would not tilt on its side.
The boat has the reputation of rowing quite well, so I am asking myself if the additional drag would be noticeable or even degrade performance.
Would it make sense to make the two skegs shorter or shallower to compensate for this?
Or are there other downsides I am overlooking?

regards
Hannes

 

If the single skeg (as originally designed) is not deeper than the rocker, then it should not tilt on it's side, as it has a flat bottom?
It might be more frictional resistance, re the flat bottom against the gravel, compared to if you just had the two skegs at the back in contact with the gravel (but then you would have to hold the front up, as well as drag it).

 

I'd go with two skegs AND hang roller-blade sized wheels off the two skegs, such that the tires hang about 1/4" below bottom of skegs. Maybe up to 1" depending on your gravel. Even if it "rows well" I don't think its going to be going fast enough that a pair of streamed wheels will make any difference, but might make great difference moving it on hard ground. I'd include a way to tie ropes on both gunnel/bow corners, both for mooring and to hold the keel off the ground to wheel it. Might be awkward but I think with two wheels you could sling a rope from one corner and it would still roll nicely on both wheels. Or figure out a way to tie an oar centerline with handle sticking out past bow 16" and grab the handle of the oar. Should be easy to walk with 16". I'd place the dual skegs not as far apart as possible but about 3" inward from where side meets keel, thinking that would reduce drag and turbulence, and still roll well and track better than single skeg. I think a boat like this wants as much skeg as it can get, especially if you aren't shooting rapids but mostly trying to go in straight lines.

I'd delete the slots for oar blades in favor of a scheme of cleats on the gunnel, even sunken cleats if having a smooth gunnel is important, and some bungee cords to hold the ore blades. Sure the oar slots might also serve and grab handles but same could be done with cleats and thick ropes, and the handles would still work when ores are stowed. You want every 1/4" of free-board without holes in a boat this size is my thinking.
Maybe holes through the bow and stern plywood just under the gunnels to run ropes through, just big enough for the ropes and wrap ropes over the gunnels, so that when stood on end or turned over the ropes will serve as bumpers.

 

True, but if I lift the grab handles/holes, the bow is high enough that the skeg drags on the ground.
I might try to drag it by the painter, but I think that is more cumbersome

 

I thought about using a strip of UHMW polyethylene on the bottom of the skeg against abrasion.
But maybe you wouldn't notice the wheels
Thanks for the advice to move the skegs more inboard, makes sense!

 

I thought about this too, but they are really convenient to carry the boat, and I can always close them again if they do cause problems. Or fit a spray rail underneath if just some small slop comes in from time to time

 

I'd make it so you could retro-fit or removable wheels. Make the skegs so that you could later fit a "U" shaped metal channel over them (also serve as grounding/dragging protection) and the rear of the "U" would extend past the end of the skeg enough allow a couple holes to carry the axle. The "U" channel itself would be secured to the skeg with a through-bolt. Most of the strength would be in how the channel fits to the skeg so maybe only one through bolt would be plenty.