Steering Frustration

I am an inshore saltwater fisherman and in general do not experience significant problems steering my PA 14 in strong currents. However, in recent weeks weather conditions have subjected me to some stronger currents than normal and I am finding on a consistent basis that unless I am able to peddle my kayak faster than the current, my steering/keel has little to no effect on the direction my kayak chooses to take. Even in milder currents, the radius of my turns has become a troubling issue with very negative repercussions on my abilities to fish an area effectively. The slowness of moving from a forward direction to reverse direction has also become a troubling factor having a negative effect on fishing abilities. Other than these factors, I love the PA 14 but in recent weeks, I have started considering a different more responsive kayak like a Natiive Titan or Slayer that may prove to be more advantageous to my fishing style ( the majority of my fishing is in marshes, shallow water). Has anyone found a method to address the difficulties I am experiencing and any thoughts on the Natives are welcome. Thank you.

A propel-type kayak would not fix this issue. You must be moving relative to the water to make the rudder respond. Maybe always maneuver pointing upstream? Props are much slower to switch directions. They don;t have enough "bite". The MirageDRive fins have larger surface areas and get more thrust faster.

This is where a 360 excels though.

_________________
Matt Miller
Former - Director of Parts and Accessory Sales
Warranty and Technical Support
Hobie Cat USA
(Retired 11/7/2022)

When I first saw and read about the Mirage 360 drive I thought why the heck would you need it? Now that I have one, I think how did I ever get along without one. I find myself fishing in places and conditions I would have avoided before the 360. I'll have to admit that I baby it still because I don't want to find it's weak spot if it even has one. But for currents, winds, narrow or winding canals or for just plain going out on any body of water and peddling around for fun, I prefer the 360 drive over anything I've tried to date. And the kick-back fins are a bonus. Much less concern about obstacles, sand bars, shallows.

Below a certain speed you do not have enough water moving across the control panels (rudder) to maintain steerage. This is not a fault of the boat - it is just the way the laws of nature work. Aircraft are under the same confines.

If you are moving with the current, at the same speed as the current, you have zero water moving across the control panel. You will not have steerage.

So you either move the boat faster or in a different direction.

Here's an example of the advantages of the 360 drive. Suppose you are floating stationary in the water in a 180 Mirage Drive, with no wind or current. You want to move 20 feet left at right angles to your kayak. If you turn the rudder, nothing will happen, because you're stationary in the water. In order to engage your rudder, you have to pedal forward. If you turn left, by the time you get enough forward speed for your rudder to engage, you will have moved well past the point you wanted to reach, and will need to circle back to that point, and then use your 180 drive to stop your forward motion when you reach the point. In the same situation, if you're in a kayak with a 360 drive, you can rotate the drive 90 degrees to the left, pedal to pull your bow left until you are aiming at the point you want to reach, rotate the drive back to the forward position and move slowly forward to the point you want to reach, and then rotate the drive 180 degrees to stop your forward motion. You don't need to use your rudder at all when maneuvering with a 360 drive.