Offset outboard

[Ptjay]

Hi, Has anybody had problems using an offset outboard. We have a Newbridge Navigator 19ft sail boat. It has a well on the port side housing the outboard. The tiller is central. The outboard is fixed (no room to steer with it) and it tends to push the boat to starboard especially at very slow speeds,i.e. queueing to go through a lifting bridge. If the current starts taking the bow round to starboard there is no way we can correct it so we have to do a full circle to point in the right direction again. Very embarrasing. Any ideas please?

[zz4gta]

So the rudder cannot over power the outboard?

[sailingdog]

Learning to maneuver with such a setup isn't hard. If the current takes the bow round to starboard, put the engine in reverse... which will help pull it back to port.

[JimB517]

Funny because my Catalina 25 has the outboard hanging off the stern way off on the port side and it makes zero difference in boat handling. Of course you can steer the outboard but I almost never need to do so.

I would guess that you are trying to go too slow. You need to be moving for the rudder to have any affect, but motor thrust will affect the boat right away.

When I am teaching people I always tell them to gas it. Boil some water! I'll say.

[Ptjay]

Thanks guys for your replies so far. Basically it's fine when we are "boiling water", the problem comes when we are in a queue, almost or actually at a standstill. We've tried reversing, (sometimes difficult with another boat queueing right behind). Yes, it brings the nose round, but stick it in forward again and it heads off to starboard again!! A thought I had was to fix the outboard at a slight angle (as if to turn the boat to port). Would this counteract the offset? Thoughts please.

[tommays]

I sail a J24 and have had motors between 6 and 4 Hp in forward it turns in its own length and will get you dizzy

You can pretty forget about reverse because its marginal at BEST