Re: [Paddlewise] rudder in/out of water

-----Original Message-----
From: Gerald Foodman <klagjf_at_worldnet.att.net>
To: paddlewise <paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net>
Date: Friday, June 04, 1999 7:39 PM
Subject: [Paddlewise] rudder in/out of water


>Some have written that a rudder can dangle uselessly out of the water, just
>when it is most needed, in big seas.  I have never experience this,
although
>I have not paddled in extreme conditions or huge surf.  In many years of
>moderately rough conditions and following seas, I have  never had an
>instance where the rudder on any of my ruddered boats was ineffective.
>
>Has anyone ever actually experienced loss of rudder effectiveness because
of
>its coming out of the water?
>
Actually it tends to happen in short steep (rough) seas rather than in big
seas. It is only in steep following seas that it really becomes a problem.
The length of the rudder, the length of the stern (longer can lift the stern
higher off the back of a wave) and how low the rudder is mounted all make a
difference. It barely took a ripple to lift the rudder out of the water on
the original Solution XL (due to the rudder's high mounting position and the
boat's length). Even in flat calm water its rudder only penetrated a few
inches. I'm sure anyone who get a kick surfing wind waves in gales and boat
wakes at the intersection of divergent and transverse waves, like I do, is
familiar with this phenomenom. It's not just the rudder that comes out of
the water its the narrow stern sections at the stern that on calmer days
would help the kayak to track. Unfortunately it is just when the stern is
out of the water that the kayak is on a position on the wave that most
strongly promotes the tendency to broach. This is also the reason that drop
skegs are mounted further forward even though it would be a lot simpler,
less troublesome, more leak resistant, and increase gear capacity to mount
them back near the stern.
Matt Broze
http://www.marinerkayaks.com

>(I have had boats with and without rudders and don't favor one over the
>other.  I also don't intend to reopen the general rudder debate.)
>
>Jerry
>
>***************************************************************************
>PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List
>Submissions:     paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net
>Subscriptions:   paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net
>Website:         http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/
>***************************************************************************

***************************************************************************
PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List
Submissions:     paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net
Subscriptions:   paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net
Website:         http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/
***************************************************************************