In article ,
Wayne.B wrote:
On 28 Mar 2004 15:14:03 GMT, (Gould 0738) wrote:
Putting the boat in reverse will (after a split second) result in sternway
unless the engine is not running
or the vessel is lashed to the dock. When the sternway becomes sufficient,
the
rudder exerts greater influence on the direction of boat than the prop walk
does.
==========================
Absolutely right. One of my favorite strategies for dealing with a
sailboat that has a nasty prop walk in reverse, is to give it a burst
of power in reverse where there is still some maneuvering room, get it
moving sternward at a knot or two, put the engine in neutral to kill
the prop walk, and then let the boat coast backward on momentum while
maneuvering with the rudder. Once the boat is moving the keel and
rudder take over, forward or reverse.
With our boat, that's the only way to do it. Until we're doing a knot or
two, we can at best keep the boat from pulling to port while the engine
is in gear. (a 16" prop *may* be a bit excessive for a 28' boat.)
Something that I've noticed, though I'm not sure if it's universal or
even really true: When I punch it, the prop walk seems to be minor. When
I want maximum prop walk, idle speed is the way to go. It could be just
that the duration is so much shorter, or that the higher thrust
straightens things out.
--
Jere Lull
Xan-a-Deux ('73 Tanzer 28 #4 out of Tolchester, MD)
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