Gerald Foodman wrote: > >>>I would be most interested in your impressions of the Mariner II, > in big > water, especially compared to your own Nordkapp.>>> We don't get many Mariners up here, unless they are owned by Americans coming up to the west coast to paddle. The price for a Mariner these days for a Canadian to buy one, with the exchange, is very expensive. I have paddled with a fellow who had an original Mariner, which is a bit different than the Mariner II or the Max. It was a lovely boat in open water. Where the problem lay was in situations like whilst paddling down a long inlet with rear quartering wind but no real wave action to shadow behind. He got sick and tired of the adjustable seat thing, and eventually put a rudder on the darn boat -- a sacrilege perhaps, but you do what ya gotta do. (BTW, the Max can be harder to get into for tall guys as the deck doesn't sweep up as much, but memory fails me here a bit). > > > >>>Did you notice that Paul Caffyn mentioned in his article that the > rudder > added stability? I find the opposite to be true in my Solstice GTS. > In big > or turbulent water I feel much more confident and in control by > raising the > rudder. The rudder seems to me mainly an energy saving device for > moderate > conditions, when it saves a tremendous amount of energy over a long > haul. > Of course my big water is not your big water.>>> > "Big water" is a relative statement, as indicated. The factors I most closely regard are wave period and the steepness of swell and wind waves. Under certain conditions, a rudder can go way beyond an energy saver in terms of stroke efficiency, and simply add a new dynamic of incredible speed as one surfs every available opportunity with demon like ferocity. I've paddled with some fairly good paddlers in skegged and non-skegged kayaks under open water, near gale following sea conditions, and they couldn't even come close to keeping up with me, when my deep draft rudder was deployed. In moderate conditions, you are right, that is where I normally associate my rudder with being a "mainly energy saving" device, and so to with skegs. The only thing that gives real noticeable extra stability is a dagger-board amidships. A fin that descends 18" or so below the hull, just behind the cockpit, adds incredible stability -- but also picks up kelp and hits rocks, not to mention the gymnastics to retract and deploy it. If a rudder adds stability, I've never really noticed it in terms of a lee board or deep draft keel effect, but like Paul is always wishing, anything that helps add stability to a Nordkapp is welcomed, even if the discernibility is somewhat subjective. If anything though, I find a rudder creates some problems in turbulent seas, as it tends to get jostled around. On my older tiller-rudder foot control, I used to keep the ctr nut really tight, so that the rudder would stay in position longer, and I'd have to push really hard to change direction, etc, or conversly, a tight tiller would help hold a course more to true. When I modified my VCP rudder and added the Seward "gas pedal" controls, I also tightened up all the tolerances on the stock rudder. There is very little play in the actual rudder now. I hate to say it, but the CD rudder isn't a heavy seas contender, but it does very well at what it was designed for. A skeg is the best way to go for all around performance, but I will keep my rudder so I can still outrun the devil when I need to -- or just stay out in front of him, just enough to tease him silly. Remember, I will often head out into Juan de Fuca Strait, looking for squall lines and micro-bursts that spill in from the open Pacific, to run back in to shore with. You don't go and do that with stock equipment, nor do the _real_ experts like Paul C. take on big coasts with ineffectual trim devices. BC'in Ya Doug Lloyd *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced outside PaddleWise without author's permission Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
>> >>>Did you notice that Paul Caffyn mentioned in his article that the >> rudder added stability? I think you will find the the term "stability" should actually be replaced (correct terminology and all that...) with "rate of roll reduction". They give you more time to think about bracing or leaning. [DL] >Under certain conditions, a rudder can go way beyond an energy >saver in terms of stroke efficiency, and simply add a new dynamic of >incredible speed as one surfs every available opportunity with demon >like ferocity. Even on small waves, all the paddling power is to catch the wave, not steer. Also, if the course is at an angle to the waves you can "flick" the rudder, put the power on and get a "down wave" ride before resuming the correct course. > and they couldn't even come close to keeping up with me, >when my deep draft rudder was deployed. Which is why all ruddered Nordkapp in this country have long blades. Alex . . Alex (Sandy) Ferguson Chemistry Department University of Canterbury New Zealand *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced outside PaddleWise without author's permission Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
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