....stuff deleted

- - - on the other hand, a rudder allows you to paddle in particularily
adverse conditions without having to constantly paddle steer or edge the
boat.

And an autobox has considerable attraction when driving in traffic and a
decent autobox that you can choose to over-ride and use like a manual
(Audi for example) offers the best of both worlds.

Rob

I have paddled in full storm 50+ mph winds, waves chopped off from those
winds, w/o a rudder. That said, I had a boat that performed reasonably well
w/o a rudder. Yes, I made correcting strokes, braces, etc. All I was saying
was that rudders have their place, they just don't have a place on my boat.
Others have different opinions, and I'm fine with that. I am still very
concerned about rudders as a source of maintenance and failure. If you
didn't develop the skills and a rudder jams, cable breaks, gear shifts so
that the cable fouls, or whatever, you are in deep kim chee. Like the
aforementioned automatic transmissions, they are less reliable than the low
tech solution.

I will never buy an automatic transmisson again - not from any manufacturer.
At best, they make driving dull. At worst, they dictate when shifting should
occur (even when it is unsafe), are slow to respond to demands for power,
and they waste fuel. Added to this is the fact that they are less reliable
than a standard. I hate them with a passion usually reserved for mass
murderers. That most people buy them is, IMO, certain proof of their
mediocrity. Those who have them use the same argument, "they are much easier
to use in traffic." I can show anyone with an automatic how to manage their
driving so that the standard is at least as easy to manage in stop/go
conditions or on hills. Most folks are too lazy to learn and would rather
place calls on their cell phones than pay attention to their driving. VW
(who now owns Porsche/Audi, by the way) put a tranny like that on their old
bug. It was awful. I only hope they've done a better job on this one.

Rick