Why is it so important to have rudders that kick up, we have used the dagger rudders for 5 years now, first just standard blades, then with t-foils on. They work well and are easy but just different.

When leaving or approaching the beach, the rudders are lowered partially, about 8 ins, this gives as much stearage as a pivoting rudder half way up, but does not have the tiller loads of the pivoter.

Once sailing the rudders draw less than the daggerboards, so unless you are going fast backwards you will strike the daggerboard first.

No-one seams to feel that pivoting centreboards are a must but a pivoting rudder behind a fixed daggerboard will never have to take a hit unless you break the daggerboard.

As previously mentioned the main concern with all these systems is if the surf dumps the boat backwards on the beach, it's never happened to me so I don't know, but I think that if the rudder was only slid 8 ins down the cassette it would have a better chance of survival than a pivoting one.

regards


john