Fons, I just finished changing the rudder location on the Pak. It was on the right side. With the rudder on the right side the boat would corner ok at 1/2-3/4 throttle. It was a crap shoot if the boat would rail or jump out of the water and hop as it went through the corners. I decided it was time for a change. I removed the pipe and the radio box and mounted the rudder on the left. The radio box went on the left, pipe on the right. I did this before the gold cup race. The difference was night and day in the corners. It will now rail around the corners at full throttle.
Now, some guys will say, it doesn't make a difference. Have they tried it both ways on the same hull?
Some might say, you need to tighten up the boat ride to get the boat to corner and keep the turn fin planted through the corners.
On the Pak, I was able to loosen up the boat ride down the straights, the hull has more downforce through the corners now and keeps the right sponson better hooked up. I gained more top end down the straights and better corner speeds. I won the last race in Calgary with a boat that is now faster down the straighaways and more predictable in the corners.
Its hard to explain by typing here but think of the angle and relationship of the rudder to the turn fin. Imagine a straightline from the turnfin to the rudder and then straight sideways the distance offset the rudder is from the turnfin and then straight back up to the turn fin. With the rudder moved to the left the triangle gets bigger and the weight transfer to the turn fin gets larger when the rudder input is induced.
Remember; these are scale hulls and not Eagle SGX riggers.
Also, look at the rudder locations on the full size unlimiteds. They turn left and the rudder is on the right, as far away from the turn fin as well.
Anyway, its all trial and error, everyone has their own opinion. Its left side for me, its what works for me. My 64 Bardahl has the rudder on the left and it corners well too.
