Patent ID: 8794171

Claim:
A boat having a transom extending along a transom plane and provided with a steering arrangement comprising: a main steering system with a steering control surface through which it operates to steer the boat, and a control-surface subsystem comprising: a control-surface assembly attached to the stern of the boat and comprising; a trim tab pivotally connected to the stern of the boat, said trim tab adapted to pivot from +30 degrees to −30 degrees about a trim tab axis extending along and substantially parallel to the transom plane, and; a skeg rotatably mounted on the trim tab, located below the trim tab and adapted to pivot about a skeg axis extending perpendicular to the transom plane; a trim-tab operating arrangement for pivoting the trim tab about said trim tab axis whereby to selectively raise or lower the trim tab; and a skeg operating arrangement for rotating the skeg about said skeg axis to at least assist in steering of the boat; and, the main steering system and the skeg operating arrangement being selectively settable to: operable independently of each other in steering the boat; and, operate in coordination with each other in steering the boat.