There's an interesting thread over on uk.rec.boats.paddle that we might
enjoy looking at. The (serious) question was posted: why do ruddered boats
have the rudder on the front?

One POV was that having it on back protects it in a collision....good
thought. Another offered POV was that the hull shape needs that laminar flow
to work, and a front rudder will disrupt that, destabilising the waterflow.
But then the question was posed about canard wings on aircraft, which are
basically rudders on front. They don't destabilize the airflow.

So lets toss that around here, too.....just why ARE the rudders on the back
of boats? Anyone ever experimented with a front-rudder?

--riverman