Rudder

 

I came up with this rudder to avoid having to constantly j-stroke.  It increases my speed by 15 to 20%.  It also makes the canoe very stable when there are cross-winds.  There are a number of photos below, which show how the rudder is made and installed.

 

The rudder is inserted through a bungy cord which is tensioned between the rivets securing the strap holding my spray deck in place.  I’ve recently replaced the two rivets with galvanized bolts for increased strength.  Twisting the paddle has a very marked steering action, allowing you to chose an orientation which will make the canoe maintain a straight course against side-winds.  Alternatively, if you need to turn sharply, by twisting the paddle about 40 degrees will make you turn more quickly to the right or left than you could if the rudder were not in place.  If I’m going to go through bad rapids, I remove the rudder and store it in the same way as my spare paddle.

 

This picture shows the bungy cords which secure the rudder in place by being hooked to the gunwale opposite the side on which the rudder is installed.  I tension them enough so that the rudder is positioned such that the canoe goes straight ahead with the rudder oriented to zero degrees.  If I need to remove the rudder urgently, for example I’m drawn unexpectedly into a rapid, I simply pull the rudder out of the bungy cord securing it to the side of the canoe.

 

Below is the detail of the two pieces of plywood secured by two bolts and thumb screws.  There are shallow slots cut into the plywood with two pieces of inner tube tacked in place.  I tension the bolts so that the paddle does not turn except when twisted by me.

Go back to website: "Retracing the Hubbard and Wallace Saga"