What’s so “sad” about it?
I agree completely with the good captains comments.
I can paddle all day long with the rudder up using leans, and boat control, but put me in a strong quartering wind, and I’ll be paddling along real comfy with my rudder down while you are working your tail off to keep the boat straight.
We had a case a few months ago where we were in just those conditions, making a four mile open water crossing. Two skeged boats ended up a half mile farther away from the take out, because they couldn’t battle the wind.
I have never berated anyone from their choice of a skeg, rudder, or nothing, but to call some one “sad” because they tell it like it is seems kind of foolish to me.
Cheers,
JackL
I should make it clear
I am not trying to push a rudder on anyone.
I am supporting the decision to get a boat with a rudder as a wise one.
Never in 20+ years of paddling have I found a situation where the rudder failed me. I do have the ability to steer the boat without the rudder. Getting a ruddered boat allows the beginner the ability to get out on the water, gain confidence, and have a steering device to fall back on if they do not want to or cannot steer with paddle strokes. Basic paddle skills will easily develop in these conditions. More complex stuff will come later. It’s a lot easier than having it all dumped on you at once. I should point out that paddling skills can be thrown out the window if you break an arm, etc, and are reduced to using one arm on one side of your body too. It’s not something that will happen often, but it could, just like having conditions where a rudder won’t work.
Either way a paddler with well rounded paddle skills, and a rudder will do far more than the one with only skills, or only rudder.
sailing
Having a rudder is great if you use a sail rig.
I was mostly just joking 
– Last Updated: Mar-30-10 8:13 PM EST –
sorry.....just had to say that. Yeah you should get "the right one"
edit: for some reason this didn't go where I wanted it. Should be third on the list. Oh well.
OPer has background doing yoga
Nothing indicates that flexibility is an issue, at least in this thread.
understood
My comment was a general observation that greenland is not great for everyone (even though I’m a fan).
sorry about the confusion.
A Little Reassurance
Understood. Having waves wash over your deck can be a little unnerving. The more it happens the more you’ll realize the boat won’t sink… and even the tightest neoprene skirts will allow a little water in. No big deal. Lower in the water is good.
Greenland paddle.
Learn to roll.
Skeg is as good as a rudder… if you ain’t racing
he said in his best zombie voice
easy on the greenland paddle
I’m not sure if greenland paddle is an essential recommendation.
On paper it should be easier on the wrists. But there are some who get slight tendinitis when using GP vs EP.
Also with GP there less support for a slap brace (usually the only brace that a novice will use [consciously or by not])
I
can think of one good reason to learn how to control your boat without the aid of a skeg or rudder. Mechanical systems sometimes break. I have seen broken rudder cables, stuck rudders and skegs, jammed skegs and broken rudder mounting hardware. Anything can happen at any time. If something goes wrong on a long crossing in wind and waves it’s nice to know how to control your boat. It may require a lot more effort to get back than if the device was working properly, but knowing how to control your boat will make it all the more easy. Of course, you could also be towed back, but that’s asking a lot from your paddling partners.
Best,
~wetzool
Novice
Trying to get CTYakker a bit beyond the novice stage.
about the Shadow…
Your experiences mirror my own a year ago, except I’m the same height / weight as your bf and that might have contributed to my perceived instability with the Shadow. As mentioned, loose hips helps with the instability issue and good contact with the boat helps with control. I didn’t install hip pads but I think you’d benefit from that locked-in feel. Good to know that you realize your paddling skills are sorta held back by being reliant on the rudder, but you’re a beginner and the Shadow does weathercock easily, so don’t feel bad. Going to a skegged boat helped me improve my paddling technique and as already mentioned, a greenland paddle helped my distance / endurance without as much muscle strain. They feel weird at first, but try one for a few hours if you get a chance.
I’m glad you’re ok with the gear capacity (I’m a back packer too) and you now know that the lower center of gravity and waves coming over the low coaming isn’t so bad as long as you have a neoprene skirt. You’ve gotten a ton of comments, but I wanted to echo a few of them. Training and practice will help with the stability issues, as well as paddling speed. Safety training (since you’re in a group of novices) is critically important, but I can say from experience that a cowboy scramble is fairly easy with the Shadow’s low deck and wide cockpit. I regret selling my Shadow because while the Chatham might have been more stable and less affected by wind, but the trade off in loss of speed and gear capacity wasn’t so great. As mentioned, you’re asking for a lot of opposing attributes in one kayak design and good design is always a compromise and balancing act. There is no magic boat that will be the best at everything. Best of luck to you if you decide to stick with that boat or get a new one, just make sure you improve your skills!
In support…
Greenland paddle.
Learn to roll.
Skeg is as good as a rudder… if you ain’t racing
because
developing stroke efficiency can develop out of differentiating the elements in a forward stroke from a turning stroke.
Personally I think a rudder on a maneuverable kayak is a perfect combination but a lot of enjoyment paddling and skill in rescues are lost if the main way of turning is paddling forward.
Another problem for the op in rough water might be the use of push/pull rudder controls where bracing and directional control are mixed when they don’t need to be. Changing the foot controls to pivoting would help but also going back to no rudder just to ensure her bracing isn’t being compromised by pushing on the footbraces for directional control.
the shadow has mass
I could see more enjoyment coming from shorter waterline boat with less weathercocking and less weight out near the ends.
turning
not to mention, kayaks sometimes need to pivot in place. You paddled into a slot, and finding it a dead end you need to spin around before punching back out through the waves. Not knowing how to turn on edge with sweep strokes means you have to stay out in open water where there’s no chance of needing to maneuver in close quarters.
Or, more mundanely, if you are at a pool session, it’s handy to be able to spin your boat around in it’s own length. That’s not possible using a rudder, and without edging it’ll take a half dozen strokes instead of 2.
There’s nothing wrong with someone deciding that they just want to paddle from point A to point B, and for that, learning to turn only with a rudder might be ok. But there’s no doubt that there are some fun skills and opportunities that are missed by someone who never learns to paddle without using their rudder.
my first sea kayaks
Solstice, hard to turn and ruddered
Necky Swallow, easier to turn and ruddered
Mariner Express, easier yet and unruddered.
Chatham 16, easy to turn and very nice in high winds
A few years ago I was paddling with friends for an out and back paddle in the bay. As we turned back into the wind and waves one of the group capsized. There were three people within 100’ but they were all in ruddered boats. I was about 150’ away, turned around and got back to assist her back in her boat before any of the other folks could render help.
for point to point paddling and some hull designs rudders are great but a lot of paddling efficiently over waves is placing the blade and lining the body up and there’s no better way to learn that than starting from no rudder.
just make sure it’s BIG and STRONG
little kayak rudders don’t cut it for upwind sailing.
this man has wisdom ^^
not to recap everything in this thread.
Most of it is good advice.
OP - a shorter boat tuned to your size will help you paddle more efficiently & with less fatigue. More skills (paddle strokes as well as rescues) will enhance that & get you more comfortable w. some open water.
In no particular order, my suggestions for plastic (roto and thermoformed plastic) boats:
Rotos:
Dagger Alchemy 140S - skeg
Necky Manitou 14 select - skeg
Necky Eliza (plastic version has rudder)
Thermoformed plastic:
Tampico 140S (Hurricane Aquasports)- neither
Eddyline Fathom LV - skeg
All have good stability, very good handling balance betw. agility & tracking, not too wide, good lower profile for wind, very good full seakayak outfitting and low aftdecks (the LV is prolly the highest).
All will be far lighter than your current boat which you will enjoy off and on the water esp. given your comments re your strength.
Please consider the much acclaimed 14 ft Impex Mystic even tho it is fiberglass. It’s a genuine scaled down seakayak built w. impeccable Impex quality.
A few used ones at stealer prices are showing up in the NE for the same or less than a new plastic boat.
Fiberglass need not be babied, you’re not going rockgardening in any case. It’s easily repaired/renewed and has about double the life of a plastic boat. The Mystic is a boat to have for life as you can go to any skill level with it.
That’s clear…
That’s clear now. While I don’t agree with it entirely, it’s reasonable.
Your original post made it seem you didn’t see a point to skill development.
Personally, I don’t care whether or not people use rudders. I do like to see skill development.
Thanks!