I am a very experienced paddler. (5.9/184lb) I purchased a new GPX ( 29lb) in December in Charleston. I was very happy with the weight and finish. I tested the GPX in choppy water on a windy day and thus did not appreciate that the kayak would not track well. It needed constant correction. I thought I had made a mistake buying the GPX. So I started experimenting with a small skegs stuck to the hull with duck tape. To my delight a small skeg corrected this weakness. After deciding on the right shape and size I made a plaster mold and engaged Johansen Boat Works in Vero Beach Fla to make a mold and a skeg. Mission accomplished.
The GPX with a black skeg matching the color of the bow and stern not only looks great it now performs extremely wall requiring minimal correction even in windy conditions. It is very comfortable and stable. I believe Epic should consider offering skeg at least as an option as it dramatically improves tracking performance and thus raising my rating to 10 with a skeg.
