steering in reverse?

[hertfordnc]

Most of my boat handling experience has been on twin engine CG small boats with breathtaking amounts of power and control.

Backing up my Nicholson 31 with a transom hung rudder was quite a surprise.

Basically, the boat went whereever it wanted with no regard whatsoever for the rudder or my screaming.

It steers quite nicely forward under motor or sail but it seems that reverse is just for emergency stops becasue I sure couldn't control the boat.

Any tricks that would help? more throttle? lesss throttle?

candles? incense? animal sacrifice?

Thanks

[capttb]

Pretty much all propwalk when backing now instead of thrust, to minimize walk use short bursts of power to get water moving past the rudder returning to neutral to steer. To maximize walk just let it idle, most boats can't back to starboard with the engine idling in reverse, too much propwalk, not enough steerage. In forward walk moves the stern to starboard, in reverse to port.

[CharlieCobra]

I've found that with my full keel boat that if I apply a 2-3 second burst of power to get her moving in reverse at about 2 knots and then shift to neutral, I can back in either direction. It usually takes about 20' or so to get steerage though.

[jrd22]

Lot's of different ways to approach this depending on various factors; keel type, prop type, rudder size, etc. We usually use a lot of throttle initially to get her moving then shift to neutral, or just idle, after reaching about 1 knot. We don't have any control below that. Alternate giving short bursts of power to maintain water flow past the rudder and lots of rudder to get where you are going. It's always iteresting to see where you end up. Practice what works with your boat, they are all different.

John

[Faster]

Many boats suffer from this problem, it's REALLY nice to have a boat that will back up predictably.

One thing.. keep the rudder amidships until you actually have steerage. Resist the temptation to put it hard over when it's not doing any good anyway... you're only creating a water brake that makes things worse.

Once you're familiar with how the prop walk affects your boat you can usually use it to advantage.

But even so, some boats simply have a mind of their own.. for those, avoid situations where reverse maneouvers are required if you can, or buy a bow thruster...

[FarCry]

Faster said what I was going to, only much better. Heavy on throttle to build speed, then into neutral and steer. If you start to lose momentum, repeat as needed.

I have prop walk to port. I always back into my slip. When coming to the slip very slowly (1-1.5 knots in neutral) it is on my starboard side, I stay very close the boats on that side and turn to port very sharply when my stern is close to the center of my slip. This usually lets the admiral grab a line off the piling and slows the boat even more. When I am parallel with my slip but lined up about 6-8' past it I put boat in reverse apply quite a bit of throttle to stop the boat. The stern is now moving to port and not really backing. Once it starts backing up I toss it into nuetral, make minor steering corrections and bump it into forward or reverse to maintain momentum or slow down as needed. Most important is to keep water flowing past the rudder until the last possible second and then stop the boat with either spring lines or prop. No flow=no steerage. Go practice in the open next to a mooring ball or bouy, it is not that hard once you get used to it.

[jjablonowski]

Is the prop clean?

With a lot of barnacles and other crud, it can become more of a sideways paddlewheel than a screw.

[labatt]

Here's a great link on handling a single screw vessel... it talks about the back and fill method for turning and how to handle a boat in reverse... http://www.his.com/~vann/KrgStuff/360turns.htm

[Faster]

Originally Posted by labatt

Here's a great link on handling a single screw vessel... it talks about the back and fill method for turning and how to handle a boat in reverse... http://www.his.com/~vann/KrgStuff/360turns.htm

Labatt knows this because, as beautiful as she is, his boat is one of those that really doesn't like to back up straight !

[bajamars]

Here's a few tips for you!
To find out which direction the prop will make your boat walk put your boat in reverse while still tied to your mooring. Which ever side you see the water bubling up then your boat will walk to the oposite side. It is a good idea to point the bow toward the side you are going to move before you begin moving to counteract the movement and give you a chance to get some steeridge! Once you are moving you should be able to steer and it is a good idea if using a tiller to stand facing astern using both hands pointing the tiller in the direction you would like to go. This is also a good idea because a rudder will snatch when faced side on to the flow of water and become really heavy.