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I have used both and the windier it is the more I value having a rudder. Without a rudder and having the wind off the beam you are spending most of your time paddling on one side of the boat only and that is a pain - literally.
This is even worse if wearing a wetsuit of any kind where paddling takes more effort in the first place.
The alternative which I found myself doing was to head into the wind and then fall off and makes some distance and then head back into the wind, in effect tacking with the kayak. If I stayed in protected waters all the time or avoided being out in the afternoon a rudder would not be important. So it all depends on where you go.
No wind the rudder adds very little. Lots of wind and it is a godsend. It adds only $150 to the cost for the kayak, and as you can hoist it out of the water whenever you like. The question to ask is why not have a rudder?
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