"Another plus side of rudders is that you can paddle with a broken paddle much, much easier. It's not difficult to paddle on one side for a long time while using the rudder to stay on course (until you can get to a place where the seas are calm enough to retrieve your spare paddle.)" Just to be annoying I'd like to point out that many of the kayaking cultures of Alaska never used double bladed paddles, but always paddled kayaks with a single bladed paddle. They never used rudders. Of course, they didn't have to use a broken paddle, and they usually paddled these kayaks in a kneeling position. In fact, the vast majority of traditional paddle craft around the world are propelled by single bladed paddles, yet rudders can only be found on modern american and European boats. This doesn't prove anything, it is just an observation. Nick Lyle *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
Nick, Funny this thread should be running at this date... Last weekend, less than a mile from the dock, a student's take-apart graphite kayak paddle broke in half at the joint (he was learning the paddle float rescue). Normally we don't take spares for classes so close to the dock so I traded my paddle and used one half of his. For the remained of the lesson I paddle with the rudder up, using combinations of C strokes, draws, cross bows, hanging or carved turns, etc. But to paddle back to the dock, I dropped the rudder. Even though I used to teach open canoe white-water, it was MUCH easier to use half a paddle with the rudder down. I normally (+90%) don't use a rudder but there are times when its an energy saver...You're right Nick, we can use single paddles w/o rudders, but it can be a whole lot easier with a rudder -- especially when one is not used to paddling with a canoe blade (let alone half of an asymmetrical kayak paddle). Eric "Another plus side of rudders is that you can paddle with a broken paddle much, much easier. It's not difficult to paddle on one side for a long time while using the rudder to stay on course (until you can get to a place where the seas are calm enough to retrieve your spare paddle.)" Just to be annoying I'd like to point out that many of the kayaking cultures of Alaska never used double bladed paddles, but always paddled kayaks with a single bladed paddle. They never used rudders. Of course, they didn't have to use a broken paddle, and they usually paddled these kayaks in a kneeling position. In fact, the vast majority of traditional paddle craft around the world are propelled by single bladed paddles, yet rudders can only be found on modern american and European boats. This doesn't prove anything, it is just an observation. Nick Lyle *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ *************************************************************************** *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
In a message dated 9/13/99 7:53:32 AM Pacific Daylight Time, EricS_at_sakson.com writes: << You're right Nick, we can use single paddles w/o rudders, but it can be a whole lot easier with a rudder -- >> lot easier with a motor and a larger boat so a friend can go and *************************************************************************** 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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