I also appreciate the romance of the sea in a kayak. I bought the 175 Tsunami because it was closer to my weight class of 255 lbs (145 model max cap is 350 lbs; 175 model is 400 lbs), and it is more seaworth for days posted for Small Craft Advisory. After dropping my weight by 30 lbs, the 145 handles better so I hsd no need to switch up to the 175 that weighs 10 lbs more and is a pain to transport (must put it on a ladder rack vs. smply putting it in the bed of my truck. The length of the 175 makes it hard to control, so the rudder typically goes down for about 10 to 20% of the trip. Iām pulling it out of mothballs tomorrow to see if my paddling skills have improved over the years since I last used it. Iāll be with a kayaker who will surely challenge my skill set.
I consider rudder or skeg to be a personal choice, though that may be affected by boat design, paddler skill, and conditions most frequently paddled.
My 18ā Arluk 1.9 is a bit unusual in that, with just me in it, it neither weathercocks or leecocks. It tends to end up broadside to the wind. This means that I can always easily turn it into or downwind. However, it can be a disadvantage if I want to stop paddling, as my boat only has moderate primary and secondary stability.
The Arluk has a rudder, but rarely needs it. I have often gone a whole year without deploying it. However, with a persistent strong stern quartering wind over distance I will occasionally deploy it, especially if keeping up with a group. I have measured by GPS that in these conditions I can gain at least 0.5 mph by using the rudder as opposed to edging and/or compensating with paddle stokes. I imagine I would experience the same increase in speed and efficiency under these conditions using a skeg.
I enjoy exploring smaller rivers and creeks and that is where I use edging to make quick turns without losing too much speed. With 18ā and no rocker, the boat is not exactly nimble. I donāt use a rudder in these places.
People can argue that you shouldnāt need a skeg or rudder and that it offends the Gods of Tradition and marks an incompetent paddler, but I would much rather have one on not need it than possibly need it and not have it, especially when paddling big open water. I know several extremely competent paddlers that will tell you that some boats absolutely need a skeg or rudder.
I would much rather have one and not need it than possibly need it and not have it,
Thatās exactly how I see it too.
All 3 of my kayaks have skegs or a rudder. For me personally Iād have no interest in buying any kayak that didnāt have one of the other but for a very short rec kayak. And like RStevens, I donāt use them all the time, but if and when Iād like them I have them.
When I started paddling a sea kayak I was told by several people who I respect to not use the skeg if I absolutely didnāt need it and to learn to edge and use paddle stokes first. I think that was good advice and I would give that same advice to any new kayaker. But thatās the beauty of having one. YOU, the paddler can make the choice as to the time to use it or not use it if itās on the kayak. If you donāt have one youāll never get that choice.
In the days when I am paddling for long times in winds I have found using a skeg or a rudder was very helpful and even more so on multi day trips. Holding an edge for long days or even a few days back to back is not a lot of fun, and having a skeg or rudder is worth itās weight in gold on those occasions.
Youāre wise beyonf your years. However, i just loaded my 175 for a trip tomorrow, and the infernal rudder reared its ugly head. Skegs and rudders are the last thing I would put on a kaysk, unless they were absolutely critical. I hate them. The 175 Tsunsmi is heavy and long enough to be a pain to carry and load. The length is just enough to be an impediment as the rudder mechanism gouges the gound as I lever it up onto the ladder rack. If you dont experience those issues, then you live a charmed life. I donāt wish a bloody pox on all things related to skegs and rudders, I just shun them the way I shun cold boiled mutton. Otherwise, use them to distraction and be happy. Simplicity rules. I hope my boat handling skill have evolved enough that I can remove the bugger and give it away to a fan of said contraptions. Stand by for my report and be the first to wIn a WS rudder set up. A $300 value except for the hatchet marks that mark itās removal.
My Sea Lion has a rudder and it also wants to dig into the ground if you lift the bow up. So I donāt. I always load and lift the stern and let the bow drag.
Skegs are not in the way but you can jam rocks and pebbles into the skeg box so again I find in some places itās best to load and unload with hands on the stern not the bow.
Because I only use pick-ups to move my kayaks and I have racks I made for them both I have not found loading or unloading my 62 and 65 pound kayaks a problem. One is 16.5 feet long and the other is 17 feet 3 inches long. The easy truck to use is my little Toyota 2 WD pickup. I only have to pick up one end of a long kayak to about head height. I set it on a yoke I made to the hull shape. I then pick up the other end and simply walk forward and the kayak slips right into position. 4 ropes and I am ready to drive off. One rope holds the bow. One goes from the rear of the rack around the cockpit combing and back to the rear so I can pull tension which gives both the forward and backward movement of the hull a pull in both directions at once. 2 ropes around the girth and itās super secure.
In some places and times of the year I canāt get in or out of the lakes with 2WD. So then I use my bigger Chevy 4WD and loading is overhead because the rear rack is about 7 feet up off the ground. Still not really hard to do, but no where near as easy as the Toyota. I have to set one end of the kayak on the rack and then get into the bed to finish pushing the kayak onto the places I made on my rack that fit the hull of the kayaks. I have big tires and a 6" lift on that Chevy 4WD because of the snow and the mud I have to deal with here. This truck is āPurpose Builtā for deep mud and snow and carrying the kayaks is not itās most important task, but it is useful for that job at times.
I guess everyone has a different definition of what tracks well means.
The rudder/skeg/neither discussion always stirs things up. My fleet currently consists of two rudder boats, two skeg boats and two with neither. So obviously, my choice is the best one.
I mean that it goes straight with a lot of effort. Not really hard to define. Some do it without skeg or rudder. Some do it well with skeg or rudder.
This topic rarely changes anyones mind, regardless of some well written explanations. I was just checking to see who had it figured out.
Mmmmā¦ My new to me and nearly free kayak forgot to ask me if I liked rudders or skegs. It just showed up with a rudder. Darn! Not even a debate! The last few times Iāve been out paddling I ended up paddling through shallows with lots of eelgrass, birds and fish. Glad no rudder was involved. Iāll probably keep my new ruddered boat in the non-eelgrass end of the bay.
Time will then tell if I can live with the rudder. Waiting because that kayak is now stored at a beach that is not launchable/navigable unless the tide is high enough , and that hasnāt happened with good conditions for several weeks. The good tides are at night. But no eelgrass!
With pretty much all sea kayaks, when dealing with shallow water or seaweed, itās easy enough to not deploy a rudder or skeg. I can go a year without using my rudder because the boat handles very well without it. It is happy to follow me about parked on my stern. But itās there if I decide I need it.
Skeg or rudder better practice in challenging water and or wind without either. Try paddling with out a footrest also.
Stuff breaks.
Lots of interesting talk here. Yes Iād prefer a solid footbrace feel since I do use them all the time. I would like to focus on the question of which rudder control and why. The two contenders are the Sea Lect gas pedal style and the Smart Track toe operated style. Since I cannot test drive I am looking for feedback from those of you using either type.
Iām concerned that the toe operated type would be tricky to use. Does a setting āstickā? Does the toe part engage by accident when applying normal paddling pressure?
It seems the gas pedal type would require maintaining a set angle to hold the rudder fixed.
Bear in mind Iām usually a skeg guy and am used to just pushing the pedals. Probably not realistic, but my preference would be an arrangement that would allow me to set the rudder like I trim the skeg, even if by hand. Get it tuned in and leave it alone.
In either case I will need make adapter plates to move the rail down due to clearance issues.
Most of the guys Raisons and I know who have done the Florida CT have rudders. The CT is a 1500 mile track around the coast of Fla.
Regarding SeaLect vs Smart Track see my post on 5/24 on this topic.
The operation of both is essentially identical as your foot rotates from about the same point. It doesnāt take a lot of foot movement to adjust the rudder position with either and the rudder will tend to not stay put without your feet on the pedals.
Never had a problem with Sea-lect in 15 years in all 7 boats. Early ones the adjustment was with an aluminum hollow bolt with SS cable that would corrode by galvanic corrosion. They since have when to SS after I complained. The also replaced 3 I had at the time free.
I have these rudder controls from Amazon, with a similar separate toe peddle for moving the rudder as the Smart track controls. I like these because they are all plastic. The aluminum Smart Track rails on a used kayak I bought had been eaten away to nothing by salt water corrosion.:
I adjusted the cables to put the toe pedal position somewhat behind the fixed peddles. That way, I have to point my toes a bit to actuate the rudder control, and I can essentially set the rudder to a fixed position and not have to worry about accidentally steering all the time. The mechanism has enough friction that the rudder position āsticksā wherever I set it.
This sounds like those could work for me. I may need to fabricate an adapter to lower the rail. Thanks!
The hole spacing on those is 14-11/16 inches, slightly different from the Smart Track Controls. I just slotted the holes in the kayak hull to accommodate, but your adapter to lower the rail would take care of it. Also, you should be able to set the toe peddles on Smart Track controls a little out of reach the same as I did on these.
I think Iāll get the NovelBee since I am in an extreme salt environment. Boat is stored outside by salt water and rarely sees a fresh water rinse. Iāll need longer rudder cables but perhaps the 25 yo cables deserve replacement anyway. Thought of Dyneema but have concerns of UV degradation. Cables are currently 2mm SS wire rope.
The term ālockingā refers to the forward and aft pedal position. not the rudder position. Most of the gas pedal style rudder controls have sufficient friction to keep the pedals set in normal conditions, but they can change postilion if subjected to strong beam winds .