both
My Chatham 17 has a skeg, my Kodiak has a rudder. The rudder works well with heavy loads, however the skeg is simple in nature, with very little parts to have issues with.
SKEG
ahh
and if the skeg and rudder couldn’t be deployed on either boat which one would you want to be in 20mph winds?
A wild guess here
says that you ain’t waiting for Ben to catch up…regardless of what he’s in. BTW I like both skegs and rudders, pick ups and BMW sedans, greenland and euro paddles,…
Being…
…a brand new paddler myself, I like to try and find out as much information about something as I can before I actually try it out.
From all the research I did (which was countless hours, really) I determined that they both have their positives and their negatives.
The one thing I found that seemed to make the most sense to me was this:
A rudder person will always tell you a rudder is better, a skeg person will always tell you a skeg is better. And a person that doesn’t like either of them will always tell you that they both are useless.
Amen, brother!
You got it right.
so, Franklin , how do you explain
the sales of stick shift cars. Not as popular but oriented to a more demanding public.
If cuising is your game get automatic (rudder) but if carving corners with gusto is more your style get stick shift (skeg)
Ruddered kayaks are faster (in general) then skegegd one.
But try to take a rudder in the big surf: won’t work and possibly brake.
A ruddered boat will also hinder your learning of proper boat control by lean and edging (there is no need for it, the rudder is taking care of direction)
The jamming of skegs is user error or inferior skegs. Good ones are more fool proof then rudders (notice the adjective “good”).
Why the car analogy? coz so many of us can relate to it…
Gnarlydog
but you should consider opinions
of kayakers that have used for a while (not just demoed, actually owned) both.
what about neither?
I own a Manitou 13 which has neither a rudder nor a skeg. Granted, it’s considered a rec boat, but I have taken it out in 20 mph winds on rivers and smallish lakes without problem. It weathercocks a bit in a stiff wind, but that can easily be overcome with appropriate hull edging. I’m thinking of getting a longer boat for bigger waters; is there a longer kayak out there that tracks reasonably well without a skeg or rudder, even in moderate wind and waves?
well one of my paddling buddies
owns a shearwater 17—fiberglass/luan plywood made from a kt–real seaworthy–super light and fast–and no rudder or skeg—works really well for him and no way is it a rec boat.
stick vs automatic
Great analogy!
Neither
Get a Nordkapp HMC it has a semi built in skeg nothing to break when things get rough. But if your racing you need a rudder.
I like both
…but on different boats. I like my rudder on my Feathercraft K-1 and the skeg on my Valley Aquanaut.
I rarely use either though.
When its rough…
For me personally the two boats that I paddle are a world of difference apart; Chatham 17 with low volume skeged v. Kodiak super high volume ruddered. The Kodiak rudder was damaged once in the surf on multi-day trip. However, wind was hardly an issue that trip. The Chatham loaded for a 2 month paddle was at times alot of work on windy days; 20+ knots. Those days I wished I had a rudder to help steer.
i have used both and neither
the rudder is great when you are learning to paddle and in cross winds.
skeg comes into its own when you have boat lean under control.
i had a pintail that had neither and was lovely.
my capella has a skeg and i think needs it.
i read about head winds and quartering winds on these posts.
there are times i can’t make headway in these conditions due to gusts of 30 knots. this almost stops me 35 knots has me moving in reverse. with a rudder down i get thrown around and can’t keep the boat into the wind as the rudder works against me.
the last time i was out in such a wind a friend had to get the rudder up and help me get he boat around and into the wind.
with the rudder down slipping backwards is not an option, with it (or a skeg) up if we lost ground for a minute or two no problem.
some of my paddling companions are very skilled.
you will have to try them all. what you intend to paddle in will dictate what you need.
anyone that has the only answer is wrong.
you will love this sport and the people you meet.
Excuse moi,
– Last Updated: Sep-17-08 10:59 PM EST –
but you're "advanced?"
Sorry, just in a bitchy mood I guess.
Chrysler minivans? ? NM
I’m no expert
and I haven’t yet paddled a skeg boat. Two of my kayaks have rudders, and I don’t use them to steer, normally they are to help keep me going straight. Either I have crappy skills, or crappy kayaks, or maybe both, but I surely can paddle straight with them in the water. When out, it’s inconsistent whether I’m in control, or the boat is. But my other kayak I can control easily, and it has no rudder or skeg.
I do use the rudder for steering when I’m coasting up to a bird or deer and wish to get photo-close without spooking them with the paddle. Otherwise I seem to try and keep the rudder straight and use leaning or paddling strokes to alter the direction.
Chathams from the same design team
very neutral kayaks in wind, as are others. M13 is an excellent kayak designed by a world renowned shaper who designed the boat to handle big seas…
I ended up with…
…a rudder on my first boat because it being a longer, narrower sport style kayak w/ round bottom it is “directionally challenged”. I got used to paddling w/ the rudder down while learning, which helped w/boat control and stability issues, even though it was a pain to get used to trying to steer AND develop a paddling technique. I often had thoughts of installing a skeg in addition to the rudder, as I thought the rudder down ALL the time was depriving me of the fun one can have with learning to steer w/edging and paddle strokes. It definately needs something to plant the stern at least a LITTLE bit!
I finally got proficient enough w/my boat handling skills to where I actually run w/ the rudder 1/2 down, at a 45 degree angle, whick works well for paddling more like a skegged or skegless boat. And I still have the rudder in reserve for when I might need it.
I also like the suggestion for a Nordy HM as well and have one on my wish list!
Hi Salty
Goodness NO! Big Ben could beat me on the water if he were paddling a plank. Then when we got off the water, he could finish me off with that same plank!
Ben is one of those “freaks of nature”. Got to love his British charm and tact too! At least with Big Ben you never have to ask yourself “wonder what he meant by that”. He’s such a diplomat.
Franklin