> I started out on flat water (ponds & streams in VT) in a flat bottomed > rudderless, skegless rotomolded toy. A devil to paddle in a straight > line as you can imagine. Perhaps it was the best training. > > I've been paddling solo in a Feathercraft Kahuna for several years. > And though my husband thinks I'm completely mad to do this, I always > start the season going out without my rudder. I only put it on when > I'm going for a long day out and I think I might want to be lazy. > > My next boat will have neither installed, though I've ordered a strap > on skeg just to have the option. > > I wouldn't want a boat that was dependent on a fallible bit of kit. Too many factors to consider in duscussions, that's why they are endless. In a flat-bottom boat you really depend on rudders as on fallible part, because rudder makes a lot of difference in such a boat. In Kahuna you depend on it much less, because its tracking is good enough to go without a rudder, and it is short enough to turn it without one either. I'm using rudder less than 50% of time on Kahuna (additional reason not to use a rudder is that this boat is not too fast, so why slow it down more?). With a long hardshell boat - it depends on both hull shape and weather conditions. It's good to have it in choppy seas, winds, currents, and you will not need it on flat water if tracking is good enough. In 17 ft 24" Seaward I paddle with rudder up on flat water, and with rudder down on windy days and in tidal currents (more than 50% of time - this is probably where I'm losing technique). *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************Received on Thu Jun 17 2004 - 12:36:14 PDT
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