INSIDE OUT
PEACE
FORCE.PHOTO: PO MARSHALL
THE JURA HV By Venture Kayaks
WINDING AMONG THE DARK TRUNKS of a spring-flooded forest, then ferrying out across a wind-raked channel, it strikes me as ironic that the world’s first kayak equipped with a Skudder—that is, a combination skeg and rudder—seems to have little use for either. Let me explain. The Venture Jura’s long waterline and slim stern yield excellent track- ing even in heavy crosswinds. Heeled over on its hard chines, the Jura becomes quite nimble, carving gracefully between the shadowy trees. Still, most paddlers expect a touring kayak to be equipped with either a skeg or rudder. Now you can have both.
“The Skudder is something that Graham [Mackereth, owner of Venture and sister brand P&H] has been interested in for a long time,” says Brian Day, Venture’s head of operations. “We’ve all paddled in conditions where a skeg helps to trim the boat in the wind. And a rudder allows paddlers to save energy by focusing on forward paddling. The Skudder gives you the benefits of both systems.”
Since the Jura’s well-mannered tracking means it doesn’t want to turn unless edged, the Skudder will aid beginners who don’t yet feel confident on edge. Fully deployed, the Skudder can be used to initiate turning, but its unobtrusive design and ability to function as a skeg means novice pad- dlers won’t outgrow the boat as their skills develop. Experienced paddlers
62 | ADVENTURE KAYAK
Happy Feet
The Smart Track foot braces are easily adjusted from a sitting position and combine a solid footrest for strong leg drive, with a user-friendly toe pedal for steering the Skudder.
Hide-a-Skudder
Part skeg, part rudder. The best of both worlds in one tough and tidy package.
The Secret Door
The Skudder’s control mechanism is covered for safe transportation, and accessible for easy cleaning and maintenance.
INSET PHOTOS: VIRGINIA MARSHALL
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