Would a rudder help when trolling?

I've never owned my own boat or trolling motor and now I have both.

I am using a MinnKota 40 on my 14' Lowe V1457 and the wind has been strong the last couple of days. I've mounted it on the transom and also at the bow and in both situations I spend more time farting with the tiller than I do casting my buzzbait.

The bow is pretty unstable with me, the battery and the trolling motor. I didn't tip it over tonight but close enough that I will probably put it back on the transom until I build a small deck in the front.

Here's my question, would a rudder locked for straight ahead travel on the transom minimize the wind trying to turn me around backwards?

Re: Would a rudder help when trolling?

i assume you do not have a main motor, you only have the minnkota, if this is the case, it will help.

Re: Would a rudder help when trolling?

I have a motor but it stays in the garage while I use the boat on our private lake which will be 95% of the year.

Can you suggest a size to start with?

Re: Would a rudder help when trolling?

you could just take a piece of 1/2 plywood. 4inch shaft and a 12x12 rudder.

Re: Would a rudder help when trolling?

Just clamp a dagger board to the side.

Re: Would a rudder help when trolling?

I would prefer to use a rudder fixed to the transom.

It is supposed to rain all day today and tomorrow but the forcast indicates sunny with high winds on Sunday. I think I can make a rudder based on the diagram shown above that slips onto the transom the same way a boat is attached but deeper. Basically a friction fit for the full height of the transom.

I will try it out and let ya'll know how it performs since the fishing will probably be poor after the rain.

Thanks, SV

Re: Would a rudder help when trolling?

good luck.

Re: Would a rudder help when trolling?

Put your rudder on then move the TM to the bow. Its much easier to control with the TM up front.

Re: Would a rudder help when trolling?

No doubt the boat will handle better from the bow but
with no outboard on the back and with you the troller ,deck and battery forward the boat will have a heavy weight bias forward.And with the deck raising your weight even higher I think the boat will be unstable when you move about the deck.Before doing the deck you might try adding some weight
at the stern.Some boats even under the best of circumstances are pretty unstable whith weight near the edges at the bow.
Also with all that weight forward the boat will tend to wander left and right
regardless of the wind.A fixed rudder may help some to keep it from swinging.
You may want to avoid a deep rudder if there are weeds try a long shallow rudder like those used on the old shoaldraft sail boats.