On my 18Sq Meter (12 foot beam and a 6' 5" skipper) I used to
use a 5/8" X 10' (.065 wall) aluminum tube, attached to a Ronstan RF3133 type Universal Joint. I started out with a 12'
piece of tubing and cut it down to the right length after a few days of testing. I am now using the same setup on my Laser and use bike handlebar grip tape for the handle.