my experience with rudders
Posted by: gnarlydog
on Oct-29-12 7:12 AM (EST)
my experience with rudders in the surf is not a good one. In my early days I relied on a rudder for steering and knew little about boat control with edging and paddle strokes.
After breaking off several rudders I now no longer use kayaks that have rudders. You could tape your rudder to the deck (in the retracted/folded over mode) before a decent wave might snap it off. Of course, not all paddlers experience the same problems as I have with their rudders. I guess it might depend on the size of the waves?