Pivoting rudder pedal controls.

Anyone have advice on which rudder foot controls are best?  I have the manufacturers on my Tarpon 140 but have found that when I paddle fast, I tend to push unevenly on the pedals as I try to brace my feet.  Reduces my efficiency.  Also, the proximal end of the rail system causes sore pressure points on the side of my leg.

Doug

Cheap rudder pedals cause taht movement problem. the best designs have a rigid footbrace and use jsut movign teh toe forwar or back to move the rudder. there is a company that makes after-market rudder system that do that: Scrtach that. They (sealline Smartrak rudder systme) seems to have stopped making it. So I am not sure hwat you can do.

I have a skeg on my SIK and prefer  it--no cables to clutter up rescues or cut you in the surf. I like a scramble self-rescue and you cannot climb up the back easily with a rudder there.

Cheap rudder pedals cause taht movement problem. the best designs have a rigid footbrace and use jsut movign teh toe forwar or back to move the rudder. there is a company that makes after-market rudder system that do that: Scrtach that. They (sealline Smartrak rudder systme) seems to have stopped making it. So I am not sure hwat you can do.

I have a skeg on my SIK and prefer  it--no cables to clutter up rescues or cut you in the surf. I like a scramble self-rescue and you cannot climb up the back easily with a rudder there.

How do you like the skeg in rough seas with cross winds? I have two SIks; one has a rudder and the other has a skeg. The skeg kayak is longer and thinner, so it's hard for me to make a comparison. So far, it seems to work well, but I'm wondering if the skeg will be as useful as a rudder in really rough seas with cross winds.

Skeg versus rudder is one of those perpetual debates amongst kayakers--its a matter of preference, but since you asked and with the caveat that its all a personal matter, here is what I think.

I like the skeg just fine--the only purpose of a skeg is to increase the aft resistance of kayak when wind force tries to force it out of line. Since is functions similarly to a centerboaard on a sail boat--adds resistance ot the push of the wind on the hull--there is no need to turn it. I prefer its simplicity and the lack of deck clutter from rudder components (which get in the way of scarmable rescues, is dangerous in surf, and  otherwise clogs my aft deck). That's n addition toeh movement of the rudder if I would push hard on the pedals whiel sprinting. I have tried demo boats with them and I didn't liek the foot pegs sliding around like that. The manufacturer of the British boat I have doesn't even offer a rudder on any of their boats. Most expedition kayaker and very experienced kayakers I am aware of don't use them either. Rudders are easier for beginning and intermediate paddlers to use whiel a skeg requires more stroke and position adaptation--but in the end it builds characte, encourage developent of better paddling and body control, and keeps the mechanical parts simple. I am certainly, at best, an intermediate paddler, but I have never wished for a rudder yet.

But as I said, that is my personal choice. You should make your own.

I would probably prefer a skeg myself. I have seen retractable ones which would deal with kelp and surf landings.

J

Most sea layak skegs are retractable--in fact, I have never actually fully deployed a skeg on boats I've used. I drop it a bit incrementally until I am satisfied I have the result I want. I have never seen a non-retractable skeg on a sea kayak. Also,  I don't know of any plastic boats that have skegs--molding in a skeg box would be very hard. FIbreglas is much easierto work with for adding things like skeg boxes and bulkheads and I think it is the material we should be using except it isn't mass market priced because of labor. There are better rudder mechanisms than the commonly used on kayaks though.  I used to have a rudder on my Prowler 15 but the inset threded nuts that hold it were pulled loose when the kayak fell off the vehicle once--I have yet to miss it though I might have it reinstalled at some point.

The Macski Kingfisher (see the Other kayaks section on this BB) has a rudder that hangs down underneath like a skeg and is protected by a solid skeg. The Kingfisher's rudder pedals at toe operated--the whole foot pedal is stationary. It also seems to surf very well and has sealed bulkheads. I am very interested in that boat and I believe it and the Kaskazi Dorado are the front line of innovation in fishing kayaks--not the OK Big Game at all which is, frankly, mostly a more of the same and even a step backward in performance and handling. I view it as the Ford Excursion of kayaks.

Most sea layak skegs are retractable--in fact, I have never actually fully deployed a skeg on boats I've used. I drop it a bit incrementally until I am satisfied I have the result I want. I have never seen a non-retractable skeg on a sea kayak. Also,  I don't know of any plastic boats that have skegs--molding in a skeg box would be very hard.

Plastic boats do come with skegs. My plastic Wilderness Systems Tempest 170 has a retractable skeg that is operated by a button next to the cockpit.

Well, there you go, I have never seen one, but someone was bound to make one eventually. First one I have heard of. How do you like it versus a rudder?

Well, there you go, I have never seen one, but someone was bound to make one eventually. First one I have heard of. How do you like it versus a rudder?

Still undecided. Definitely better for a quick re-entry. Great in a cross wind, but not as much control as a rudder.

is the tempest a SIK?

is the tempest a SIK?

Yes. It's 17 feet long and 22 inches wide.