Return to Hobie.com
Hobie Forums
It is currently Mon Mar 18, 2024 7:03 pm

All times are UTC - 8 hours [ DST ]




Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 7 posts ] 
Author Message
 Post subject: Rudder foot control
PostPosted: Tue Jul 10, 2012 12:12 pm 
Offline
Site Rank - Deck Hand

Joined: Thu May 31, 2012 7:14 am
Posts: 1
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.


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Rudder foot control
PostPosted: Tue Jul 10, 2012 9:53 pm 
Offline
Site Rank - Admiral

Joined: Mon Sep 17, 2007 8:40 am
Posts: 155
Location: Omaha, Nebraska
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). ;-)

_________________
Absolute kayaking corrupts absolutely.


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Rudder foot control
PostPosted: Wed Jul 11, 2012 7:40 am 
Offline
Site Rank - Old Salt

Joined: Tue Jul 19, 2005 6:29 pm
Posts: 2763
Location: High Point, NC
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.


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Rudder foot control
PostPosted: Wed Jul 11, 2012 9:05 am 
Offline
Site Rank - Old Salt

Joined: Wed Sep 07, 2011 9:48 am
Posts: 312
Location: Portland, OR
I agree with Tom Kirkman, if you are paddling put your rudder up. A long boat like the Oasis should track quite nicely.

_________________
Fish tremble when they hear my name :)

A ship in harbor is safe -- but that is not what ships are built for.
--John A. Shedd, Salt from My Attic, 1928


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Rudder foot control
PostPosted: Wed Jul 11, 2012 9:23 am 
Offline
Site Rank - Admiral

Joined: Mon Sep 17, 2007 8:40 am
Posts: 155
Location: Omaha, Nebraska
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.

_________________
Absolute kayaking corrupts absolutely.


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Rudder foot control
PostPosted: Wed Jul 11, 2012 10:54 pm 
Offline
Hobie Approved Guru

Joined: Sat Nov 12, 2005 10:46 pm
Posts: 3017
Location: Escondido
This isn't exactly a foot control, but it is simple and easy to rig in a flash with no alterations to your boat:
Image
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. 8)


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Rudder foot control
PostPosted: Thu Jul 12, 2012 10:14 am 
Offline
Site Rank - Admiral

Joined: Mon Sep 17, 2007 8:40 am
Posts: 155
Location: Omaha, Nebraska
I am occasionally struck with awe by the modifications some of you Hobie yakkers come up with. Am, once again, struck!

_________________
Absolute kayaking corrupts absolutely.


Top
 Profile  
 
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 7 posts ] 

All times are UTC - 8 hours [ DST ]


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 2 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum

Jump to:  
© Hobie Cat Company. All rights reserved.
Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Group