Dave- I think it is really awesome that you are finally talking about something meaningful (read: related to kayaking) on this site. But I don't understand why EVERY post of yours on this thread is in the "Shouting" font size.
Certainly when you concieved this thread topic I was one of the people whose hackles you imagined you'd raise. But no, 'ol jP here is as cool as a cucumber in the face of your large-font onslaught
I welcome your topic and even see where you are coming from,though I still disagree, Olympic endorsements or no. It's good because people around here can learn stuff from this discussion. But I agree with Courtney: it's all about what you like (and you are a wussi
)
I REALLY would like to echo Kirk's comments: I've always felt that rudders are obtrusive to my paddling experience. They dull the sensation of what the balls of my feet, my toes, and my heels are doing. Believe me: after countless days racing my fellow paddling buddies on the Robe Canyon flatwater at the end, I've really fine tuned what my feet, knees, and hips are doing to the point where my paddle is freed up to soley power me forward. Yeah, I'm no Olympic caliber racer, Maybe if I had an olympic caliber stroke and practiced using a rudder, I'd find the virtue in it the same way those top athletes do. But I'm sure Obi Wan Kenobi would want me to "use the force" and "let go" of such silly contraptions. a fine tuned sense of edge control, like Kirk says, is all I need.
Arn-your post was funny in that clever sort of way.
Kayaks with rudders just have too much hardware for me. I find it annoying. A skeg on the other hand, subtely alters the shape of my hull. That's all I need.