Hi All, I am using the Ruddercraft "blue sea" rudder. The fore and aft measurement of the blade is wider than their regular design. I was told it gets a better bite on the water by the salesman. It is about ten pounds heavier than the standard setup so I suppose there is more material used. I don't know how the AK race boat rudder broke so have no ideas about that. It looks well made although I have not run it aground yet. I doubt you could damage it that way, anyway as it would just do as it was designed to do and kick up. Raising and lowering it is literally a "snap". I was able to position it so that once it is up I can use a lifting line and raise the whole ss hinge out of the water as well so none of it is exposed to marine growth. A very nice rig. If one was being blown sideways towards a rocky shore I could see how some part of the rudder could be bent but that kind of sideward pressure is outside of the design parameters of the unit. I recommend for the tool handy man the alteration of a standard Monty rudder with ss side plates to hold a ss bolt pivot. That will work well. Fair winds, Tom B