Matt wrote: "Putting a rudder on a Mariner. Nearly as many folks have taken them off later as have had them put on in the first place. If you get footpedals that will stay solid under the balls of your feet so you don't lose leg power in your stroke, a rudder blade that can be stored so it doesn't add windage to your stern (creating the weathercocking it was needed to compensate for--by adding drag I may add), and a rudder and cables that also stay out of the way so it doesn't cut you up if you tangle with it on land or sea, then I might start to think the few advantages a rudder provides might start to balance out all the disadvantages they add to a kayak. At least to a kayak that has little need for a rudder to control weathercocking and broaching in the first place. Speaking of broaching, while you're at it can you mount the rudder further forward under the hull like an adjustable skeg so it will stay in the water when your stern is hanging in the air as you are starting to surf on a wave and the kayak is at greatest risk of broaching (rather than just waving around in the air at that critical time)." Maybe a rudder cum skeg is the ideal?! A rudder that only works as a skeg, deployed only when needed - one foot down to lower and the other down to lift it?! Some sort of lock keeping it in the position needed, without feet input?! Tord -- Be Yourself _at_ mail.com! Choose From 200+ Email Addresses Get a Free Account at www.mail.com *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
Sort of like these pictures? http://picasaweb.google.com/corgimas/Green#5055657458832483714 The RH340 Rockhopper has two bolt on fins and a drop down skeg....the fins work quite well to pin the tail when surfing and the skeg works well for flatware tracking....surfing with the skeg down really locks the tail in place....almost too much.... rob > > From: Nick Schade <nick_at_guillemot-kayaks.com> > Subject: Re: [Paddlewise] Feed the Need > > I've had a similar idea to Matt's. My thought was the two angled fins > would be place quite close behind the cockpit. These fins could help > hold the boat up high on the wave while cutting diagonally along the > wave face. > Nick > > On Jun 23, 2009, at 11:45 PM, MATT MARINER BROZE wrote: > > Tord wrote: > >> Maybe a rudder cum skeg is the ideal?! A rudder that only works > >> as a skeg, deployed > > only when needed - one foot down to lower and the other down to lift it?! > > My thought was to have three retractable fins. > >The central skeg would be for keeping the quick turning surf kayak > > tracking straight in calmer waters such as when travelling some distance > to > > find a good surfing location. The other two skegs would be operated by > toe > > pedals (or I imagined even by ones knees somehow). *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
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