Rudder With a Difference : Kick Up Rudder

A rudder is an application that is used in boats, submarines and aeroplanes to navigate them appropriately. Boat rudders slash (cut) through the water on which the boat is moving, making it easy to manoeuvre the boat. Boat rudders have been used since the ancient Egyptian times. Over the years, the design of rudders has changed and many newer rudder systems have come up.

Boat rudders are located at the back (stern) of the boat. The rudder system works in such a way that the rudders are linked with the steering wheel. Because the rudders function in this manner there are a few problems that could be encountered by the boatmen. The problems can be mentioned below:

1. When the boat enters a shallow water area, the rudder gets affected because of the rocks and pebbles present in the shallow water
2. If, there are no pebbles or rocks in the shallow water then because of sand the rudder could get adversely affected
3. Sometimes even the presence of underwater grass and weeds could stop the movement of the boat rudders leading to problems to the boat movement

The kick up rudder is a type of rudder that counters all the above specified problems. As the name suggests, the kick up rudder, is designed in such a way that when it faces any obstacles it bounces in an upward direction. Because of this, heavy damage not just to the rudder but also to the boat is prevented. Kick-up rudders can be used for both – single hulled boats as well as for catamarans.

Kick-up rudders are marketed by many companies across the world. One, very well-known company that markets kick-up rudders is Dotan. The Dotan boat rudders are simple to operate unlike several other kick-up rudder models making them the primary choice for kick-up rudders.

However, even though a kick-up rudder is very effective it does face a few problems. Some of the problems faced by kick-up boat rudders can be explained below:

• Sometimes, the hinges of the kick-up rudder do not operate properly, thus not functioning as it is supposed to
• If very old boat rudders are used, then because of constant usage they collect the dirt, because of which, opening them for further use becomes difficult

In order to solve and remedy these problems, two measures can be taken:

• The hinge has to be constantly changed and monitored for the wear-and-tear
• The kick-up rudders themselves have to be replaced at regular intervals of time, keeping an eye on the amount of their use

The kick-up rudder comes with warranties which allow the boat owner to worry less about the equipment. There is a very popular saying about rudderless ships, going astray. By employing effective boat rudders like the kick-up rudder, the problem of boats going astray and getting stranded are completely resolved.