RE: [Paddlewise] Rudders

[Matt]

 > I'm by no means an expert on this system but I
 > think it is a move in the right direction

Agreed.

 > I think the fact that you have a solid foot pedal
 > at the balls of your foot is superior to rudder pedals that hinge at your
 > heel (which I think are superior to sliding pedals). The heel hinged pedals
 > let one get the thighs (quads) involved in the stroke but not the calf
 >muscles as well. A solid pedal at the balls of the feet (or one that pivots
 > at the ball) lets you use both quads and calves to help power the kayak.

I use a higher pivot point, level with the ankle, halfway between what you 
want and don't like !! A disadvantage with "ball-of-the-foot" fixed height 
pedal is the great differences in feet sizes. I remember paddling with a 
couple of your friends, she had to have a wet suit - rolled up for her feet 
to rest on to reach up to the rudder bar!! This was exceptional but does 
show a potential problem in a multifit situation. If it is your own boat 
you fit the "drop kit", something else they provide and used here for years.

 > Because of the low mounting of the blade's pivot point the blade of the Seal
 > Line rudder extended as deep into the water as most of those rudders mounted
 > higher

Except the blades on so many of those are too short too. The worst I've 
seen would be the one on the Sea Yak - measure it one day and see how much 
actually gets into the water.

 > Alex, I don't see any great advantage to not drilling through the hull to
 > mount the foot/rudder pedals as long as the screws aren't below the
 >waterline all the time (slight extra drag would be my objection there).
 > We've drilled through the hull just below (or through) the seam for over 20
 > years now (on well over 1000 kayaks) and have yet to hear of any leaks at
 > the footbrace mount in any of them at all. ..... What are your 
objections to screws through the hull Alex?

I would believe that you do do a good job and the gasket is necessary so 
that the glass does not get crushed and the bolt won't work loose. I've 
heard of, saw the boat half a day before it happened - a bolt fell out so 
they then had a hole. It was a Necky Tofino fitted out in this country and 
the company were not doing a very good job at the time. It was also one of 
their hire boats and poorly maintained - rusted rudderline adjustments - I 
ended up looping the line over the pedal to make it short enough so it 
would work for the paddler. They were doing a 2 day trip, we were out for 
the day.

Properly done, no problems. The bolt really does need a way of being locked 
- Loctite?

 > One companies kayaks I saw at the
 >symposium had the Keeper foot pedals simply glued to the inside of the hull
 >with plenty of 3M 5200 adhesive/caulk.

Dubious about the long term life of such a method - presumably a glass boat?

 > I'd have to wait and see for some time before even considering converting to
 > that method. We don't like changing things that have not caused us any
 > problems in the past.

I'd definitely agree there.

Alex
.
.
Alex (Sandy) Ferguson
Chemistry Department
University of Canterbury
New Zealand

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