In reverse, you have no prop wash effect. You're in free fall until
the
boat gains enough way that flow over the rudder will steer her.


Joe wrote:
Not so Doug.. You can obtain quite a force sideways not moving at all
and the rudder not being a factor at all.


Right, we were already discussing prop walk (and perhaps 'kick' would be
a better term for the prop stream against the rudder than 'prop wash'
since it might be confused with 'prop walk').

The issue is that when you start backing down from minimal way forward,
you have quite limited options to steer the boat until it gains enough
sternway to steer by the flow over the rudder. Whatever the wind & prop
walk are going to do to you, you have to allow for in advance... and
maybe counter with a little pre-rotation of the boat as you come to a
stop. That's what I meant by "free fall."

The two keys to maneuvering IMHO are 1- thinking ahead and 2- being
totally familiar with your control of the boat & it's reactions.

DSK