Reply: Matt perhaps the reason I use a rudder is that my plastic boat is so much lighter than a boat made of matt and bro(n)ze. Bob, Sitka Orginal message from: Matt Broze http://www.marinerkayaks.com >I use the rudder on my sealion : > >A., for taking pictures. The rudder keeps the boat pointed in one direction >while I play photographer. Nothing more frustrating then to have the boat >turning while ftrying to focus. Lots of things frustrate me more, maybe I should move to Sitka. How do you use the rudder to keep the boat pointed in one direction if you are not moving? How do you focus the camera at the same time you are paddling--or while moving at all for any reason--the focus may keep changing? Or do you really mean trying to COMPOSE a picture as you drift to a stop once you have quit paddling. If so, I'll grant that its easier with a rudder but I can grip my camera with my thumb and two forefingers while using the paddle with the other hand and the two little fingers on my camera hand (or push with my forearm). Unlike Doug Lloyd, I haven't lost a camera to salt water yet. > > >B.for watching wildlife, keeping my upper body still has allowed me a lot of >viewing time of bears, otters and birds. Whereas the flash of a correcting >paddle stroke sometimes will send them ducking for cover. > How do you power the kayak without paddle strokes to keep it moving (so the rudder can operate) a small electric motor--the wind? > >C. in all day long cross winds THANK GOD for that rudder! (Or should we blame the devil for the boat?) >D. for keeping my nose pointed into the wind while resting (so as not to loose >too much ground) > Matt Broze http://www.marinerkayaks.com I'm having trouble picturing how you do this at all and if you are using the rudder in reverse to guide the stern and keep it pointed down wind you are going to LOSE way more ground pointed into or away from the wind (where the kayak can drift more efficently rather than drifting sideways in which case the drift will be slower). Any kayak that is not being actively managed is likely to end up sideways to the wind very quickly). Or did I read this all wrong and you are on land and the rudder is holding your position by being stuck into the ground to keep the wind from spinning you around. Or maybe it's tilling the soil as you operate the pedals and LOOSEning the ground (but not too much ground). *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
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