Re: [Paddlewise] She needed a rudder

When I raced sprint boats I was told that the rudder was necessary to steer 
because steering strokes are not as fast as the sprint forward stroke.  A 
sprint boat is so long and narrow that it resists doing anything but 
straight line tracking.  In a 500 or 1000 meter race [this was thirty years 
ago and more, I think the distances for races may have changed] the wind or 
the wakes for other boats [if one was unfortunate enough to be not in the 
lead] would require course corrections.  A 10,000 meter race is over an oval 
course, with wake riding a crucial skill.  Absolutely impossible to ride 
wakes without a rudder, let alone make a smooth turn.

The rudder does slow the boat, but it is a necessary evil.  I once had the 
rudder fall off my sprint boat and I was amazed at two things: 1) how hard 
it was to get where I wanted go and 2) how much the lack of rudder made the 
boat more tippy.

Jim Tibensky

>From: KiAyker_at_aol.com
>To: paddlewise_at_paddlewise.net
>Subject: Re: [Paddlewise] She needed a rudder
>Date: Tue, 25 Sep 2001 20:17:05 EDT
>
>In a message dated 9/25/2001 11:05:51 AM Pacific Daylight Time,
>kwhilden_at_yourplanetearth.org writes:
>
>
> > I actually disagree with that rudders always increase forward paddling
> > efficiency. I control my boat's direction with slight edging, not
> > corrective strokes, and thus a rudder would only add drag. I have heard
> >
>
>   Umm, don't most, if not all flat water racing kayaks use rudders? In 
>fact,
>I think most surfskis have rudders as well. Why do all of the fastest boats
>have rudders if simply edging the boat is so efficient?
>
>Just wondering,
>
>Scott
>So.Cal.
>
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