# Rudder system



## FishinDan (Jul 3, 2006)

Hi all.

Just a question about the rudder systems...

I noticed the other day that my tub is quite easily affected by water movement. It makes it awkward to keep paddling straight as it "twists" in between paddles (eg Turns right or left). Looking at the bottom of SOT Kayaks, I notice that they have a big moulded keel at the back that sticks out.

So I've been wondering if I made one of these out of fibreglass, and glassed it on (Mines a glass jobby), would that help with my tracking? (See picture)

It gets strapped onto the roof racks bottom down though, so a keel running the full length wouldn't work

I also saw another SIK that had the black plastic rudder systems on the back with the foot pedals, and I was talking to the guy. he had apparently had one before this one that did exactly what mine does. He said that the rudder system has stopped that.

So I am now wondering between these two... The first one is probably relatively cheap and can be done DIY... The second would probably cost a bit to do. Could install it myself, it's just the intial outlay. Anyone know somewhere to get these?

Any ideas or thoughts would be greatly appreciated!

Cheers,
Dan


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## andybear (Jan 15, 2006)

Hi Dan,

I recently got rid of a glass yak that had been fitted with a wooden skeg. I only paddled it the once, but it tracked surprisingly straight. (it was originally a slalom kayak). If you are handy with glassing, you can expect to see a good outcome. I dont think it would need to protrude beyond the normal axis of the deepest part of the yak, and 50 or so cm length should do.
However I must say that I have not performed such an operation on a yak, but I dont see that it could do any harm

Cheers Andybear :lol:


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## Billybob (Aug 29, 2005)

How long is your yak?

The effect your talking about is called 'Squirreling' and is usually associated with short yaks.

You can overcome it to a great extent by changing your paddling style from short, deep and hard to long, shallow and smooth.


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## FishinDan (Jul 3, 2006)

Andybear - Do you have any pictures of that? I'm thinking I might be able to rig up a piece of wood and temporarily attach it at the back like a rudder... Won't be able to move, but should give me some indication... Would let me know if it's worth persuing.

Billybob - It's 15ft. Will give the paddling techniques a go. Thankyou for the tips! Much appreciated.

Cheers,
Dan


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## JD (Jul 2, 2006)

I bought a perception dancer and it came with a home made plastic/nylon fin. The yak is pointed at each end, so this has a band, oval shaped 100mm wide that slides over the rear and off that is a fin. It's held in place by a strap to the cockpit. Works great and can be removed easily if needed.


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## andybear (Jan 15, 2006)

Hi Dan,

Sorry to say, I have no photos of that skeg. It was just a thing that I noticed, sort of looking at it, and thinking that is not original. I will ask the new owner to see if a picture is available. Its not the sort of job I would recommend, unless you are confident to slot the hull (like a tear it right open sort of job) and build it in. You would need to be absolutely confident of your ability to make such a modification. Last time I did any glassing, it was on my old old yak, and I gently opened up the hull with a sledge hammer, made a hole the size of a dinner plate. That repair is probably the strongest part of the yak now.

Good luck Andybear :lol:


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## sitonit (Dec 29, 2006)

Hi Dan my neighbour used SIK's for years he always glassed a surfboard fin on to the bottom for the reason you mention and also for riding waves it gave him some control. The fins are available at surfboard shops.


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## sitonit (Dec 29, 2006)

I will get a pic but it will be a few days as he is on nights.


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## Dodge (Oct 12, 2005)

Dan if you wanted something underneath you get get round the transport problem by using two parallel bilge keels, possibly only need to be 12mm deep to help in direction and still carry flat on the roof.

The swing has sort of inverted bilge keels and tracks pretty true, as well as a small centre keel at the stern


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## Clarkos (Oct 11, 2006)

Just to add to the comments already posted. My sik has a rudder system that can be folded up for shallow water etc. I find that when it's down it tracks almost perfectly straight, and a lot of effort is required to get the 'Squirreling' effect. With it up, it does 'Squirrel' if you're digging the paddle in.

Steve.


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## FishinDan (Jul 3, 2006)

JD said:


> I bought a perception dancer and it came with a home made plastic/nylon fin. The yak is pointed at each end, so this has a band, oval shaped 100mm wide that slides over the rear and off that is a fin. It's held in place by a strap to the cockpit. Works great and can be removed easily if needed.


That's the sort of thing I was thinking about....

I was gonna run one of them up to test with. Looks like I was on the right track... Will have a look into it when I get back from Townsville.


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## FishinDan (Jul 3, 2006)

Thanks for all the info guys... I have a few ideas now rolling around in my head (Plenty of room to roll :lol: )

Clarkos - If you could post up a photo, then would be awesome!!!

The tub in question is the one in this pic.

Cheers,
Dan


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## Clarkos (Oct 11, 2006)

Hi Dan.

Sorry mate. Forgot to take photo last night. Mrs was crook and had to cook dinner. Not a usual occurrance in our house.

Will take a few tonight.

Cheers, Steve.


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## Clarkos (Oct 11, 2006)

Dan, couple of pics.

My yak is moulded to accept the rudder fittings, but I'm sure there's something out there to adapt.

Cheers, Steve.


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## FishinDan (Jul 3, 2006)

Thanks for that Steve.

That's the rudders I was thinking about... Does anyone know a good place to buy them cheap?

My alternate is to try and make a similar thing but where it doesn't turn side to side...


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## Daveyak (Oct 6, 2005)

Dan, a work colleague has the same kayak as yours and to which he has recently added a rudder kit. He ordered it from Mainpeak in Perth and said it went on easily.

I'll ask him for more details on Monday or Tuesday & pass them on to you.


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## FishinDan (Jul 3, 2006)

I went and spoke to the guys at Rosco on Lutwyche Rd the other day. They can supply me with a rudder kit for around the $200 mark. That would be the rudder, the steering cables, the lowering/lifting cable, etc. All I would have to do would be to build my own foot pedals. That's pretty easy, and after seeing some of their ones (and a mis-spent youth building billy carts) I've got a few good ideas...

But before I go spending that sort of money, I want to make sure that it will help... Sooo.... I am thinking for the trip on Friday, that I could just get a flat bit of wood (The old broken oar I haven't thrown out yet) and maybe just duct tape it on at the back on the side. This means that it would not be on the centreline of the yak, but off to one side. Would this still work? In theory it should as it's still facing forward, however might cause some slight drag on one side...

What's your thoughts on the side? Will it work?


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## Daveyak (Oct 6, 2005)

Dan, that's a lot cheaper than the one the bloke from work got. He said it's a Wilderness Systems rudder kit & cost around $330 from Mainpeak.


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## Azza (Dec 25, 2006)

Perception have for years made plastic skegs that slide onto the end of the kayak with a small fin to help them track better. They are more common on dancers and corsicas and other WW boats like the whips.
They slide on and are held in place with a piece of webbing. You sound like the kind of person who could knock something like this up. I wouldn't reccomend glassing anything to your boat thats going to stick out.
$200 for a rudder kit sounds like a bargain. It might take a while for you to fit it but well worth it.
I know a bloke with an experimental sailing swing set up. This has , well its not a centre board cos its not mounted in the centre. Its a flat piece of plastic that when is folded up runs along the gunwale? (whats the technical term for the side of the boat?) and follows the curve of the boat. When it folds down, it curves so the end is somewhat under the boat. Its mounted halfway along the length of the kayak. Anyway, it turns out that it tracks well on both tacks.
But the cheapest method is what Billybob says!!


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## FishinDan (Jul 3, 2006)

The rudder from Roscoe would be a piece of p#$s to install. Should take about 2 hours to have up and running (With custom built steering).

I love making stuff, so never gonna be a problem :lol:

Will be strapping a keel on on the weekend to double check that it tracks straight (With it to one side I expect a slight "arching" of the yak). Once I'm happy it works. then the $200 is a great price!

Daveyak - I emailed that company after googling them, and they suggested the Swing rudder should suit with some slight modifications.... And they're prices were a lot higher..... But thanks so much for the info! Really appreciate it!


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