Rudders in shallow water

[intheboatshed]

I'm sailing my Baggy on a relatively shallow lake (it wasn't quite so shallow earlier in the year!), which also has a weed problem. Apart from the obvious comment, has anyone got any advice on using shorter rudders?
Other boats (classes) are sailing with their rudders semi raised, but I have found that even an 1" of rake on my rudder creates significant forces on the helm.
Has anyone sailed in similar conditions and got any experience they can share, particularly on how short a rudder I could use, which will still give reasonable control.

Thanks
Tim

[darebarry]

Hi Make yourself a daggerboard rudder. In lighter winds it will work fine when half raised and much better that a normal rudder raked back. To make rudder and stock will cost you less thay £50.
Good luck.
Dare N3521 The Ginger Pudding   

[intheboatshed]

Thanks for the advice. I was just a bit worried about running aground with a daggerboard rudder, and ripping off the transom - I have jammed open the lock on the existing rudder stock to make sure the blade will have some give if this happens.
Although I guess using a daggerboard rudder might make testing different lengths of rudder easier.
Tim

[weedy (Guest)]

You will break something if you sail around with the rudder part up.  If my pond was not deep enough to put the rudder down and had a weed problem I’d be on my bike/road trailer.