In truth, there is no "prop walk" speed ..... it is always there. What
you describe is getting enough sternway on that the larger rudder on
your sailboat becomes, somewhat, effective.
Don't get me wrong, this does work, but it has limitations, in that you
may have more way on than you want, and steering astern like this
becomes very sensitive, where, if you should use too much wheel, the
boat may, as was described, take off in that direction and be hard to
correct.
By limiting the "asterns" and keeping the sternway low, you may not go
as straight as you'd like, but you have more time and can more easily
correct, the errors. On my "Contessa", this worked well .... and in fact
if I got too much sternway on she'd let me know, as it would take two
men and a boy to hold the rudder straight.

As in most cases, what works for one may not work for another, but I
generally find I can make slow and easy work more often, for me.

otn

SAIL LOCO wrote:
I've found the opposite to be true. To counter prop walk - when forward motion
has stopped put the boat in reverse and rev the hell out of the motor to get it
moving backwards past the prop walk speed then immediatly back off the throttle
and keep enough revs to back the boat straight to where ever you want to go.
S/V Express 30 "Ringmaster"
Trains are a winter sport