Prop walk - Catalina 30

[rmf1643]

As a fairly new owner of an ''83 Catalina 30 I am baffled by the prop walk. My boat goes backs up like a drunken sailor (to port). I have a 3 blade fixed prop. Once a get some sternway going I can control it fine. Getting the boat to back straight from a dead stop or a slighly forward motion is about impossible and trying to set my anchor is a real challange. Any help????

[browneyedsailor]

The keel design seems to be the problem, with backing up a Catalina 30''. Normally I have to use a pile or finger dock to pivot off of...Setting the anchor has never been a problem I use 30'' of chain, then the rode.
What size of anchor are you using?

[rmf1643]

Setting the anchor is not the problem, getting my boat to back up so I can set the anchor is the challange. I''ve considered dropping the anchor with my bow 90 degrees off so when I go astern the prop walk to port will compensate. Or at least get some sternway going before the hook goes down.

[Jeff_H]

A couple pointers;
Let the boat come close to a stop before putting the transmsission in reverse. Slowly add throttle as the boat gathers way aft. Once the boat is comfortably moving astern, put the transmission in neutral or let the boat engine just idle, and you will have more control in reverse. Three blade props should have less walk than 2 blades and more than a feathering prop.

Jeff

[pkrupela]

I also had this problem - especially in my last slip, where I had to back to starboard in a narrow channel. Until I got the hang of it, I had all sorts of problems. I found that by giving the boat a lot of throttle in reverse and then quickly backing off the throttle and shifting to neutral, I was able to achieve the steerageway I needed. Then I could steer the boat in reverse while in neutral... or shift back to reverse once I had enough steerageway to overcome the propwalk. Now, I back out of my slip to port - so it''s easy... I''ve also found the prop walk to be very useful in lining my boat up to go back into the slip. Use it to your advantage.