I have two kayaks. My first is a Prowler 15 without a rudder. I use it mostly in the Sound and I love it. I thought I never missed having a rudder. My new kayak is a 15 Prowler Trident with a rudder. The first time I used it was out of the Moriches CGS, where there's a fair amount of current. After messing around for a few hours, I came to the conclusion that the rudder was a nice steering and turning convenience, but wasn't really necessary. About 200 yards from the ramp I pulled up the rudder because I knew I'd be heading into shallow water. I ended up paddling on one side all the way to the ramp. The yak handled so poorly that I turned around to make sure that the rudder wasn't dragging in the water. It was then that I learned of the rudder's value. The yak tracked beautifully with it down, but was a chore when I pulled it up. Since you mentioned you'll be in current, I strongly suggest getting the rudder, even though they're not cheap.