You weren't mistaken, Tom, but I shouldn't even bother to post, b/c someone else will have to answer how it works ... However, I can attest that the stock rudder works very well indeed while raised ... My boat didn't have the rod configuration when I bought her, but I often put the old rudder's bottom two pintles in the top two gudgeons to sail in the shallows ... --Craig ----- Original Message ----- From: Tom Smith To: For and about Montgomery Sailboats Sent: Sunday, August 21, 2005 7:33 PM Subject: RE: M_Boats: Masthead? Our M17 #496 has the bronze rod/rudder. Was I mistaken to think a feature of this design was the ability to draw up in shallows? Would someone explain how this is supposed to work? Thanks. t Tom Smith & Jane VanWinkle M15/345--Chukar M17/496--Unnamed