Re: Rudder or skeg

Posted by Dave Kennedy on Feb 24, 2008

What are you kayaking ? and where will you use it??

Most modern kit and designs " Track" extremly well, and you need neither. Skegs help to even out a model that does not track well under even calm conditions, and can be lifted if you want less under water drag On really windy lakes, or oceans, going long distances hour after hour, off the wind a rudder is much better , because you can set it to counter balance the wind force... thus evening out your required paddle strokes.

Shape or thickness will not matter much .. its usually just the total horizontal area that counts . Foil shapes will occasionally cavitate., at certain critical angles , causing more drag . Its better to use just slightly rounded flat plate

An "L" shaped rudder.. if I understand what you have in mind might put a lot of un-needed force on the stern mount... I would stick to the tried and true : Straight rudder , no airfoil shape ... a 3mm aluminum plate sounds great .

In Response to: Rudder or skeg by steve on Feb 24, 2008

Replies:

• Re: Rudder or skeg by steve on Feb 25, 2008
  • Re: Rudder or skeg by Camper on Feb 25, 2008
    • Re: Rudder or skeg by Camper on Feb 25, 2008
      • Re: Rudder or skeg by Paul Gow on Feb 25, 2008
        • Re: Rudder or skeg by Alex Ferguson on Mar 3, 2008