That is pretty much my approach. The prop walk disappears when in neutral and with ANY backward way on the rudder is very effective. That is very different from the much heavier twin engine power boat I am used to. Rudder is useless in reverse unless you have some serious way on. You "steer" the boat with a touch of forward with the rudder in the opposite direction, which just moves the transom over for you. Then shift back to reverse without adjusting rudder at all. You could also steer just using the two gear shifts leaving the throttles closed. I want to regain that confidence and grace in close quarters in my sail boat. Just need to get that prop walk thing figured out. It has quite an affect going forward as well (before you get any way on) and blasting it against the rudder doesn't seem to have any affect at all.
From: CnC-List [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Jean-Francois J Rivard via CnC-List Sent: Thursday, August 28, 2014 3:21 PM To: [email protected] Subject: Stus-List Was Engine Sound Insulation - Now docking I have never pulled into my slip going forward, my shore power line is not long enough to reach.. The very 1st time ever I docked a keel boat (or any inboard boat for that mater ) I backed it into its slip (U shaped slip) . That was the day of my sea trial 24 hrs before I signed a big check... It's probably a combination of the fact that my slip is very protected, anything less than 15 knots in the bay and it's glassy water at my slip. My boat has a somewhat modern design having been designed in 1989, and my surveyor is a 30 + year experience sailor who calmly walked-me through the procedure. It was a total cake walk. no problem whatsoever. The trick for my boat is to give it a moderate goose in reverse and immediately put it in neutral. Its funny how in reverse, as long as you have it in gear, the rudder is very sluggish until the boat has some speed. Conversely, even if the boat is creeping along the second you get it out of gear, the rudder is immediately responsive. I have a Martec 2 blades folder and the moderate amount of prop walk I get helps my 180 spin I do every time I pull in the cove. It's a very simple process: Pull in, make a slight starboard bend then sharp port tack to shape the turn like a question mark, put it in reverse and give it a mild goose which does 3 things: complete the 180 turn (Prop walk), stop the forward motion, and get the boat going backwards. Then just back in pretty much straight backing-up minding the bow to make sure it lines-up with the slip. Finish with a final minor forward thrust blip to stop the motion. Every time we sail with friends they offer to help with the docking and the answer is always the same: No need for any help , 2 people is plenty, 1 person is enough, it's that simple. >Backing into a slip is not something I've yet tried. When visiting other >clubs I tend to avoid experimentation (read: embarrassment) so I go bow in. >But I think it's cool and if I had a slip I'de practice. I watch those guys >with modern boats actually shift into reverse and idle straight in, astern! >What a concept! If I idle in reverse the boat just spins. I'm never in > reserve longer than a couple of seconds! Regards, Francois Rivard 1990 34+ "Take Five" Lake Lanier, Georgia
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