Bill, a crazy idea occurs to me--you might conceivably have the original, first, prototype Dirigo 17. That might explain the absence of a rudder or even a fitting for a rudder, the absence of a serial number, and maybe the effort to redo the way the deck was attached to the hull. The early photo I referred to previously of a rudderless Dirigo (white or off-white) could well have shown the first boat, being test-paddled by somebody--there is no attribution or caption, but I'll try to find out more.

Thats a pretty cool potential! Why would it be in MIssouri though? I will wait to do any mods to it until you come back with your research. If you want you can e-mail me at makeoffer2003@yahoo.com, and I will forward pictures to you. Or if you want to explain to me how it is done, i will post a series of them to this site. The top has a logo Dirigo in front of the cockpit behind the front cover. It is a sticker, with the base of the R coming down and underlining the er on Dirigo. Maybe it isn't even one at all and I should be banished from the secret Dirigo society?

I mean the igo not the er. Sorry.

Howdy- If I'm the pres. of the Dirigo Dudes I propose the convention to be held somewhere in the S.Pacific. If we cant swing that I can show you some amazing paddles in the Adirondacks. I'm paddling Pamlico Sound this week around Hatteras I.
Going home Sat. to thawing lakes.
As to mr.bill's boat, maybe try the names of the original builders in Blue Hill, Me. and give them a call. (call info.)??? They build alot of yachts in that area, maybe they're still around. I'd like to know who has the molds?
If you paddle your Dirigo enough you'll get used to keeping her on course without a rudder. You kinda have to think 3or4 paddle strokes ahead of where you want to be heading. Does that make sense?- Bill Stahl

Bill, after looking at some pix of mr. bill's boat, it's definitely a Dirigo 17, but definitely not an early one. Probably was one of those made in the Midwest by Mike Wigglesworth (who I presume got the molds from Elliott Speer and Peter Chase, the Blue Hill makers), and that's why it ended up in Missouri.

Have a great time down on The Banks! and maybe we will have to have a Dirigo reunion somewhere, someday.

I am probably the most centrally located Dirigo owner, so I would be happy to host a Dirigo reunion. We have some beautiful side areas off the Mississippi River to do some day paddles. The St Louis Kayak and Canoe club does something nearly every day, so they would be glad to let us ride in. I live two miles from the Arch so it would be a cool shot under the Arch (at least until the rangers run us off), we could hop in the river right there? Just a thought, however, I will probably be gone from June 25th through July 30th. I would be happy to supply accomodations for at least 6, and I have friends with carriage houses that could accomodate some more.

I am going to add a skeg on my Dirigo, and am curious as to how ?deep? to make it. It will be made of oak and will be permanent. Also, one of you mentioned a fore and aft skeg. Should I go ahead and do both ends while I am at it and before I paint it? Also, if i do the front, approximately how far back shoud it go? I have put another layer of fiberglass down through the center to give it an extra layer of grindoff ability. Any suggestions before the finish coat goes on? Thanks

Got the Dirigo looking pretty sharp, the wood cowl came out beautiful! If someone can help guide me I would like to post some photos. I built a skeg on the rear and it is amazing what a difference it has made. Next is a rudder, anyone with input on a homemade system or something like the kits I have read about where they supply the foot pads and cable and I build the carbon fiber rudder?

If the boat still has the Yakima footrests that were standard on Dirigos, you need to get some aluminum plate 1/8th inch thick. Cut two identical pieces as trapezoids. Pieces will be 2 inches wide, with parallel sides. Each piece will have one squared-off end; the other end will be at an angle, because one side will be 3 and 5/8 long and the other side will be 4 and 3/8 long. Smooth off and round-off the corners so they're not sharp. Drill a hole for nylon cord (the rudder cords)on the squared-off end of each of the two aluminum plates, over toward the 3 and 5/8 inch side. Get some stiff, springy rubber, like maybe the thin sidewall of an old tire, and cut out rectangles maybe 2 and 1/4 inches by 1 and 1/2 inches. Drill holes in the slanted end of each plate, and attach each plate with stainless nuts and bolts to a piece of rubber, then attach the rubber by drilling holes in the Yakima footrest and fastening with stainless nuts and bolts. There should only be a little space between the footrest pedal and the plate, maybe 1/8 inch. The rubber joint between the plate and the footrest should be on the side away from where your foot will be, so it should be on the side facing the bow. So you have flexible, moveable extensions to the Yakima footrests that you can work with the toes of your shoes or booties. The added plates should stick up vertically from each footrest, with the 4 and 3/8 sides toward the center of the boat and should be mirror-images of each other. That's how Dirigo did it.

I've always used Perception rudders as add-ons to my boats, and they've worked just fine. Run nylon cords from the rudder forward to the holes in the plates, and tie them in place at the proper length. When you're not turning the rudder, the springy rubber joint will keep the rudder in a neutral, centered position. When you push on one rudder pedal, the other will move in the opposite direction. Works like a charm. But you'll have to figure out how to attach the rudder to the boat.

Thank you for your input on the rudders. I am thinking about buying a kit from http://www.oneoceankayaks.com are you familiar with them, and if not could you give it a look and give me your thoughts? It looks like they would be relatively simple to install and making the carbon fiber blade is not too daunting. Also, do you know how to post photos on this site?

Sorry, Mr. B, but I don't know how to post photos here (computer illiterate). I did look at the rudder website, but can offer no guidance at all. Too much work for me; I'd just get a Perception rudder and figure out how to mount it. Mine has been on my kayak for 7 years now, and there is no sign of deterioration of any kind. Regarding rudder cables--I have stainless steel cables on my wooden kayak, and black woven/braided nylon(?) cords on my Dirigo. Maybe they're not nylon, 'cause they're not stretchy--you don't want stretchy for rudder cables.

with any luck, i will be able to request membership in the club by this weekend. i am planning on picking up a 1980 dirigo 17' that seems to be in wonderful shape....i have tried to post pictures here, but the forum will not allow it....i'll keep everyone posted.
do you guys prefer a trailer over roof-racks? the trailer is still an option.

thanks !!

Welcome Frank--good to have you on board. Are you sure your Dirigo is a 1980? Seems a little early--you might check the serial number & date if it's inscribed on the starboard stern. I've always car-topped my boats, so I can't say whether a trailer would work out better, but it probably adds more to worry about while driving or parking. What color is the boat?

Congrats, future fellow Dirigo owner. The trailer works better for me because of the unusually large cowl around the cockpit. I took mine out this weekend with the canoe and Kayak club, and had a bunch of people standing around looking at it scratching thier heads and chins, saying "what the hell is that?"

I bought a 5 X 8 flatbed utility trailer to haul my kayaks on. I built wooden bunks that allow me to carry the boats on edge, which I believe is the best possible way, since it puts the least amount of strain on the stiffest cross section of the boat.

A bonus is that I can use the trailer for a lot of other chores by just removing the bunks and installing sideboards. I did a lot of looking before I settled on an Iron Eagle trailer. It has a 3500 lb. capacity, so the work it can do is fairly unlimited.

All that said, I still haul my rec. kayak in my Tacoma's bed if that is the boat of the day. It sticks out quite a ways, but it's legal with a red flag.

The trailer can haul sea kayaks of any length. Mine is a seventeen footer, but I'm thinking about adding a nineteen footer one of these days.