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Homemade Rudder

Posted: Sat May 28, 2011 12:23 pm
by Elite13
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

Re: Homemade Rudder

Posted: Sat May 28, 2011 2:19 pm
by sbfirekid
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

Re: Homemade Rudder

Posted: Sun May 29, 2011 5:59 pm
by Texas80
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.

Re: Homemade Rudder

Posted: Mon May 30, 2011 8:40 am
by Alsatian
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?

Re: Homemade Rudder

Posted: Mon May 30, 2011 8:48 am
by trouttracker
I would like to get a set of plans also

Re: Homemade Rudder

Posted: Tue May 31, 2011 8:06 pm
by Texas80
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.

Re: Homemade Rudder

Posted: Tue May 31, 2011 10:33 pm
by Alsatian
I have the same yak.

Re: Homemade Rudder

Posted: Mon Jun 06, 2011 4:37 pm
by hardyf
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

Re: Homemade Rudder

Posted: Wed Jun 08, 2011 6:59 am
by Texas80
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.

Re: Homemade Rudder

Posted: Wed Jun 15, 2011 2:04 pm
by yellorover
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

Re: Homemade Rudder

Posted: Thu Jun 16, 2011 10:44 pm
by Iyakalot
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.
PICT0002.JPG
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:
PICT0006.JPG
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.
PICT0010.JPG
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.