I don't get it. If you are using your feet to pedal your yak, why would you want to use your feet for rudder control at the same time (unless you have 4 feet, that is).
| Hobie Forums http://www.hobie.com/forums/ |
|
| Rudder foot control http://www.hobie.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=43787 |
Page 1 of 1 |
| Author: | Wburns [ Tue Jul 10, 2012 12:12 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Rudder foot control |
Can a rudder foot control be added to a 2012 Mirage Oasis tandem? I use my kayak for exercise and it would be nice when paddling for upper body workout. |
|
| Author: | Thomas [ Tue Jul 10, 2012 9:53 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Rudder foot control |
I don't get it. If you are using your feet to pedal your yak, why would you want to use your feet for rudder control at the same time (unless you have 4 feet, that is).
|
|
| Author: | Tom Kirkman [ Wed Jul 11, 2012 7:40 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Rudder foot control |
When paddling, you wouldn't steer the boat with a rudder - you use your paddling strokes to do that. A rudder would really only be used to set a tracking angle to counter wind, tide, etc., so you would set it and leave it alone for the most part. |
|
| Author: | pdxfisher [ Wed Jul 11, 2012 9:05 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Rudder foot control |
I agree with Tom Kirkman, if you are paddling put your rudder up. A long boat like the Oasis should track quite nicely. |
|
| Author: | Thomas [ Wed Jul 11, 2012 9:23 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Rudder foot control |
Ooops, brain didn't "get" the phrase "upper body workout" to mean "paddling" for some odd reason. Tom is right. Here's a tip though: if you hadn't already, replace your standard rudder with Hobie's "sail" rudder. When I paddle with the rudder down, I find that the sail rudder keeps me tracking rock solid and far better than the stock rudder, which demanded constant small adjustments. When I am paddling in waters that require a lot of turns, I just pop the rudder up and let my paddling do the turning. Note though that when I first paddled my Outback with rudder up, my boat did not seem to want to track at all. It kept doing un-commanded turns left and right. Tracking was so bad it had me wondering just how I'd get back to the dock had I lost my rudder somehow. But as my paddling skills gradually increased, I found that I could indeed control my wayward boat with rudder up. In fact, the other day I was paddling along and tracking so well I thought my rudder was down. It wasn't. |
|
| Author: | Roadrunner [ Wed Jul 11, 2012 10:54 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Rudder foot control |
This isn't exactly a foot control, but it is simple and easy to rig in a flash with no alterations to your boat:  Note -- this works with the new style rudder controls. This installation is on a Revo 11. The PVC slips over the rudder control (part of the PVC bottom is cut away), locked in place with a hand-tightened screw into the threaded area in the handle. The end of the PVC is angled to fit your leg (hint -- use hot water to shape the PVC as necessarily). Industrial strength Velcro is wrapped around the PVC and your leg -- sticks enough to manipulate the handle extension with your leg but breaks away in case of capsize. This doesn't give you full rudder control, but turns the boat effectively in large sweeping turns -- should work with your paddle. On the Oasis this might work out best in the narrower front cockpit, which is also probably the better location to paddle from. 
|
|
| Author: | Thomas [ Thu Jul 12, 2012 10:14 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Rudder foot control |
I am occasionally struck with awe by the modifications some of you Hobie yakkers come up with. Am, once again, struck! |
|
| Page 1 of 1 | All times are UTC - 8 hours [ DST ] |
| Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Group http://www.phpbb.com/ |
|