Homemade Rudder

Elite13 · **Posted:** Sat May 28, 2011 12:23 pm

Im thinking about putting a rudder on my Cobra Navigator. I havent seen one on this kayak before. Im going to be building homemade. Any ideas or pics of rudders you guys have built

sbfirekid · **Posted:** Sat May 28, 2011 2:19 pm

I am looking to do the same on my fish n dive let me know if you find something that works and I will do the same

Texas80 · **Posted:** Sun May 29, 2011 5:59 pm

Here is a few pics of mine I made , but its on a different kayak (Pescador). It steers, raises, and lowers , just like a factory rudder. If you have any questions PM me.

Alsatian · **Posted:** Mon May 30, 2011 8:40 am

Texas80 wrote:

Here is a few pics of mine I made , but its on a different kayak (Pescador). It steers, raises, and lowers , just like a factory rudder. If you have any questions PM me.

Looks good. Do you have plans that you can send me?

trouttracker · **Posted:** Mon May 30, 2011 8:48 am

I would like to get a set of plans also

Texas80 · **Posted:** Tue May 31, 2011 8:06 pm

I dont really have a set of plans , I just got a couple of pics from the internet , then just started coming up with what would work (trial and error). I could give you some basic deminsions , but it may not work for your yak.

Alsatian · **Posted:** Tue May 31, 2011 10:33 pm

I have the same yak.

hardyf · **Joined:** Thu Jun 02, 2011 3:39 pm **Posts:** 100

What kind of material did you make that with? It looks great and just what I had in mind, but I am stumped on the material side?

Tks

Texas80 · **Posted:** Wed Jun 08, 2011 6:59 am

hardyf wrote:

What kind of material did you make that with? It looks great and just what I had in mind, but I am stumped on the material side?

Tks

Its all made from Aluminum that I cut out with jigsaw , with stainless hardware. If you need any more info Pm me I'll be happy to help.

yellorover · **Joined:** Tue Jun 14, 2011 3:32 pm **Posts:** 75

Texas80 wrote:

hardyf wrote:

What kind of material did you make that with? It looks great and just what I had in mind, but I am stumped on the material side?

Tks

Its all made from Aluminum that I cut out with jigsaw , with stainless hardware. If you need any more info Pm me I'll be happy to help.

Can you send me some info ? I am new here and guess newbs can not send pms. I just picked up my new Majic 14.5 and have started rigging it up.

thanks for the help

Iyakalot · **Posted:** Thu Jun 16, 2011 10:44 pm

Wow, Texas80. I liked my rudder system a lot better before I saw yours. Mine definitely needs at least a paint job. You might incorporate a couple ideas from my system into yours. Here's a pic in the up position.

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I use a bungie cord to keep it in the up position until I want it down. Then it only takes the movement of one cord to lower the unit, as follows:

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Another idea incorporated was the use of a "stiff" steering system. I used fiberglass tent poles cut to size and placed on ONE SIDE ONLY of the pivot. Then a stiff rod attached to a pulley system on one side of the kayak to turn it both ways.

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The advantage of the stiff steering system is the small pulley system required. I opted for a larger rudder for the addition of a small sail. I used the rudder in the bay and in the Gulf a short distance and it worked great with a large umbrella. The rudder also helped keep me pointed in the desired direction when anchored. I broke the bottom of the rudder off loading it onto the Jeep.