RE: [Paddlewise] Rudder facts (was Weatherhelm)

Woody wrote:
> There are only 2 reasons I've seen to use a rudder. Someone tell me if I
> missed any: 1) To compensate for a design shortfall. 2) To compensate for
lack of >paddler skill.<snip>

Woody had second thoughts:
>Somedays, I just shouldn't get out of bed, much less let my fingers to any
>typing. After re-reading this post after a decent nights sleep...in the
>words of Rosann Rosanna Danna <sp> "Never Mind".

>That message simply sounds too curt. Sorry guys.
>Woody

Doug adds his thoughts:

Yes, a bit curt as other posters have indicated, but...you are essentially
correct on the aspect of design and skill, as it _relates to the person who
is advising either for or against rudder use_ and where there "coming
from". Let me explain my observations:

Back about twenty years ago, in this part of the world anyway, (PNW)
veteran paddlers like John Dowd opened up kayaking retail stores. If their
background was folding boats, like his, then rudders were often promoted.
Other stores opened up, that were more British kayak oriented, and rudders
were unheard of on a properly designed boat, according to them. As the
market blossomed, a lot of unskilled paddlers entered the fray. I mean a
lot. It is my belief (and I could be completely wrong and off-base here)
that putting these new paddlers into ruddered boats facilitated
fast-tracking them (pardon the pun) into the sport with minimum training
efforts and maximum enjoyment.

Many of the Brit boat owners found that their kayaks had handling
difficulties. Some of us, early on, jumped ship and put rudders on our
kayaks. Slowly, most of the Brit boats started coming with skegs. And
slowly, better instruction became available, and Brit boat owners found out
about edging, leaning, etc, (but skegs stayed).

PNW kayak owners got more demanding. Builders and retailers saw lots of
potential market (again, the almighty $), and are now finding a new market
from their old market, as they get people to switch into the rudderless
kayaks. 

Then there are guys like Matt and Cam, who have always built boats that do
well without rudders. Matt and Cam have always been out in left field,
walking the road less traveled. (I will always respect the two brothers for
holding their ground in a sport where often the participants float around
aimlessly at the whim of popular thought). They want a "few good paddlers,
which is good, as they only have a "few good boats" :-)

My other observations are directly from what I have observed on the water,
and I stand behind my statements more fully than above. These are not
opinions, okay?

I've seen guys who do not use rudders, who paddle in extreme conditions,
and hate rudders with glee - and are always willing to share. These people
do *not* do extended, multi-day trips on the exposed, windy coast.

I have also seen rudderless kayaker users, use skill, finesse, and constant
correction strategies to stay on course in rough, windy conditions, with
great effect. However, if the time-frame is long enough, the one's with
skegs usually succumb to using them. I have seen a boat or two where this
was not needed, but the design compromised other aspects of the "total
package performance".

My biggest shock, and I've mentioned his on a previous post, was with a
highly skilled paddler in a Sirius, with a skeg, in a quartering sea with a
30 knot gale. The man never paddled the kayak again after that trip (he had
done previous trips in it too) and now paddles a Gulfstream. The straight
tracking former kayak would run off the wave, and too much effort was
required to bring it back on course. The Gulfstream type of hull allows for
easy leaning and fast course correction, though his newer boat is a bit
slower. Ah, compromise.

In short, choppy seas (ie lots of wind with not much duration or fetch yet)
the amount of ruddering movement with your feet and the pressure on the
rudder footrests as waves wash by astern, is much more annoying than the
amount of course correcting by paddle and body language, where that type of
kayak is used that is more maneuverable.  

In summary:

1. Much of the rudder promulgation has been market driven (my belief).

2. Context dictates what you are being told by the local "paddling god" or
icon.

3. The "move" is on to more rudderless kayaks, the newest promulgation and
cash generator (a/b caveat).

4. Armchair discussions are fine, but get out there with some other folks
with variously designed boats, both rudderless and skegless, and visa
versa, and do some comparison tracking with each other, making observations
and reviewing info on the water and back at the beach.      

5. Don't paddle with rudder-dependent kayakers or kayakers with
rudder-dependent kayaks in questionable conditions, unless you really like
towing your companions if their rudder stops working.

6. All kayaks are a compromise in design and functional priority. There are
no perfect answers or perfect kayaks. This will ensure the rudder debate
(and other design aspect debates) shall continue on Paddlewise through the
next Millennium, unless the Anti-Christ crawls out of the boiling red sea
(filled with the blood of martyred rudderless Saints)and puts rudders
stamped 666 on all kayaks world-wide :-)
 
7. Screw the rudder vs non-rudder, vs skeg, vs rudderless Mariner type
kayaks with skeggy little keelsons, and just get out their and enjoy the
sea, lake, estuary, or whatever. 

N.B. Note to dealers/retailers lurking about: I'm not being negative with
this post. I'm simply offering a possible reason for some of the popular
divergences over time. Please offer us as many different boats as you can. 

BC'in Ya
Doug Lloyd



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