: Getting ready to plan out a Mystery racing kayak. Any opinions on
: the best rudder system? Not sure I can manage an under hull
: design so have been looking at the Sea-Lect Designs Trucourse
: Rudder system versus the Smart Track rudder system. Does anyone
: have input on either one?

: Thanks ahead of time. Am planning on having the boat ready for a
: race in March.

: t.s.

I've had the Smart Track system on my expedition kayak for years and I absolutely love it. The toe rudder with fixed foot brace is a great idea, and the foiled rudder is small yet very effective. As for durability, I had my kayak stolen (borrowed and never returned- same thing) and finally found it in the woods behind the guy's house in horrible shape. I had to redo the whole kayak, stripping it down to the bare wood, which wasn't too hard because the glass was so badly UV damaged that it just peeled off. I actually took the rudder system off and once the kayak was glassed again I put it right back on, with the original cables. The cables almost looked like new after all those years. What more can you say for durability? Get the Smart Track, you will love it. Also it is very easy to adjust, which is great if you swap paddlers a lot, or if you switch from shoes to bare feet like I often do. I wear shoes when I'm going over shallow reefs where there are a lot of sea urchins, just in case I have to bail out, and take them off if I'm in open water.