Maneuvering with outdrives

[pks1702]

And I want no Finbarr Saunders type comments either :naughty:

Another Viz fan

[mbird]

If I am teaching my grandmother to suck eggs here please forgive me.

Rod

Far from it Rod

From everything I've read, and advice given by various members, the consensus is definately that twin engines give much greater maneoveurability. What I need to overcome is the automatic reactions I have learned over the years with the bath-tubs, as the way these engines react with the duo-pro set up even when just clicking into gear is dramatically different to what I am used to, and that is part of the problem I think. Mind you, I have only attempted 5 moorings so far

I just can't wait for the big thaw, so I can actually get out somewhere quiet and try to put into practise all I've read and been told. There is no doubt I am going to have to re-learn even the simplest of manoeveurs, but it's nice to have a challenge every once in a while!

[senator]

Hi Rod,

You are as I would expect 100% correct in the fact that the front follows the back when reversing and with your vast expirience of boat handling you would wipe the floor with all but the best given 10minutes play time on a twin outdrive but the problem with the front following only occures when other forces are applied, more so wind than tide.

You can keep the back going exactly where you want but in a cross wind the front will very quickly try and line up with the wind. If you are going stern to in a pontoon mooring that means a nasty T bone on the front of the pontoon or the boat next to you.

the only thing worse is when the wind is on the bow as it then likes to try and overtake the stern so thw only way to keep control is to go back faster than the wind is blowing, probably not a problem for a man of your expierience but for a normal liesure boater going astern at 10mph into a tight spot with someone elses boat at the side of you does evoke the fear factor.

The other thing with twin outdrives is the pivot point changes dramatically dependent on where the wheel is.

like David said a lot of the problem is down to the high windage and low grip on the water in a fairly small planing boat. The rest of the problem is the guts it takes to outwit the conditions, without demolishing everything about you.

As I said at the start I am sure you would master it in minutes but for us lesser skilled weekenders the fear factor plays a huge part.

Ian

[mbird]

Hi Rod

I heared not so long ago someone describing one of my manouvers as "look at that %%** he has left his mudweight down" errr no I was dredging and anchor to counteract a crosswind.

Yep, I learned that one too To my way of thinking, with an electric windlass that I can operate from the helm now, that should be even easier than on the bath-tub. It makes a huge difference when mooring stern on, even in a bath-tub that tended to be blown bodily sideways rather than weather-cocking that the new boat is likely to do.

I was afraid the dreaded pivot point would raise its head.

Thta's something I picked up from the RYA book I mentioned earlier. It states when trvelling ahead and turning, the pivot point is approx 1/3 the boat length from the bow, whereas it moves when going astern to approx 1/3 from the stern (though hull designs alter this considerably). We all know this from the swipes boat receive from inexperienced helms don't we .

The biggest thing for me I think is being able to suss which engine to use when coming alongside, and to what effect. Before I get carried away with wind and tide, I need to be confident in calm conditions!

[Guest chriscraft]

The biggest thing for me I think is being able to suss which engine to use when coming alongside, and to what effect. Before I get carried away with wind and tide, I need to be confident in calm conditions!

just a sugestion ,when coming alongside,portside to dock use the starboard engine on your aproach,(shallow for wind on,steep for wind off) in calm conditiond touch the dock with the bow ,then turn the wheel towards the dock and apply a burst of reverse which will push the stern in,as said with with sports boats it,s difficult to get to the front ,and then your crew will have to lasso a cleat or more likly a bollard,with the stern in first you can step off better,after the stern line is atached you can gently motor agaist it,starboard engine foward wheel hard left this will pull the bow in.dock to port just reverse this.Seems simple and you only used one engine,i find it lass confusing ,bear in mind i have a lighter boat though.

[Guest]

two outdrives,,,,luxury! lol,

With Mums the Word we have hell of a job getting our bows to swing out from a side on mooring, the pivot point is at about 2 3rds but the bathing platform just holds the stern and the bows just keep going straight unless we can find a bit of breeze to take us off, but the slightest breeze towards the bank and we have to reverse out!, we only have one outdrive (peasants you see) and its really easy to moor up just a pia to get out again,

for side on we take the point the bow where you want it approach and then tick over reverse and turn the drive towards the bank for a couple of seconds and back into neutral and she just bobs in.

stern on is a pleasure,

A bow thruster combined with a stern drive would make for some spectacular manouvers, sidewards would be almost possible as well as some great pivots but its a lot of money when we can just reverse out.

[senator]

backwards out is the only sensible option if the wind is blowing you on, even if you have 2. Thankfully it is the one area where outdrives really do have an advantge as you can pull the boat in the direction you want to go.

[mbird]

With a breeze blowing you onto the bank, it is normally possible to get the bow of a boat out first, simply by putting a turn of the stern rope around a convenient post, and then engaging reverse gently. I had never seen this trick until it was demonstrated, and then I used it often in TB, and even taught it to hirers on trial runs. Unfortunatley not many people know it, which is why so many hire boats get scraped back and forth along the bank when trying to leave. It looks cool when you do it though, and once you have tried it, seems obvious!

With steerable outdrives, though, I would have thought these make life a bit easier. I assume if moored side on to starboard, and wanting to leave in reverse, you would use the port engine with the wheel hard to port would you, in order to reduce the rate of turn and so not scrape the bow along the bank?

[senator]

Hi Mark,

Your big balls come into play again here to protect the bow but due to the fact that the outdrives are pulling (sorry sucking) in a direction other than straight back, as you would on props, you have the same sort of effect as you would with driving out forward with a car. the steering for once is totally at the front of the vehicle. The only time the front wants to pay any attention to the bank is if the flow of the water is on the bow.

I'm sure you are aware that the method you used on your last boat is called springing but for it to be needed on an outdrive powered boat the conditions would have to be very stacked against you, the only time I can think of needing it is if there is a strong flow against you and a hurricane blowing you on. Do take care if you use it on the rear cleat though as your cleat is a good couple of feet forward of the back of your boat and the point you are attached to is the point you will swing around, It is more usual to use it on the front of the boat to allow the stern to be pushed out while motoring against a well fendered bow.

Ian

[mbird]

Hi Mark,

Do take care if you use it on the rear cleat though as your cleat is a good couple of feet forward of the back of your boat and the point you are attached to is the point you will swing around,

That's a good point Ian. I'd forgotten about the bathing platform sticking out the back!