Intuitively, most people sense that water "pulled" over a rudder will cause a
rudder to change direction of a boat in much the same way as water "pushed"
over a rudder does. However, intuition misses some things along the way.

First, let's take a boat sitting in the water, not moving the prop not turning.
The water pressure on each side of the rudder is the same, so turning the
rudder one way or the other does not cause the boat to turn at all.

Now, let's put the transmission in forward and turn the prop. The prop pushes
water aft. With the rudder centered, the water moving backward passes by the
rudder with the pressure the same on each side. If we turn the rudder to port,
the water being pushed back by the prop strides the port side of the rudder
(and NOT the starboard side) and the boat moves starboard.

Why?

Because the impact (pressure) of the water (molecules) on the port side of the
rudder was greater than the impact (pressure) on the starboard side. What
happened was that the water flowing past the rudder was *diverted* from its
path and the energy in the water was used to *divert* the rudder the other
direction. Remember the law of physics, "For each and every action there is an
equal and opposite reaction". The water went to port, rudder went to
starboard.

Absolutely neccessary for the rudder to force the back of the boat to starboard
is that the rudder forced water (from the prop stream) to port. "Equal and
opposite"

Now, let's take the same boat sitting in still water and put the transmission
in reverse and turn the prop. What happens? Well, the prop pushes water
forward. Where does it get "new" water from? Aft.

Now, here is the part where intuition comes apart. so, let's going slowly.

the water fills into the prop from aft because it is under pressure (i.e. water
pressure, or "water runs down hill"). the closer to the prop, the faster the
water fills. YET -- and here is the big part -- at all points aft and the same
distance from the prop have the same pressure pushing water towards the
spinning prop. THAT means that the pressure on one side of the rudder **is the
same** as the pressure on the other side. net, net, you can turn the rudder
any way you wish, but nothing happens because the pressure is the same on each
side, just as it is when the prop is not turning and the boat is not moving.

Still have a hard time with that? Well, let's look at it from another view.

The prop is in reverse and is drawing water into its circle and pushing that
water forward. Let's turn the rudder to port and see what happens as the water
streams by the rudder. Water hits the now aft side (former starboars side) of
the rudder? Kinda, but lets assume that it does. Which way is the water
stream deflected? Towards starboard? Then the rudder would push the boat (aft
end) to port. However, the water drawn over the rudder's port side hits that
side and is deflected towards port. Then the rudder would push the boat
(after end) to starboard. And equal and opposite reaction. Net, net, the boat
does not turn. The pressure on each side of the rudder is equal. Nada.

Net, net, you wanna steer with a rudder backing up, prop forward of the rudder,
you MUST be moving.

Net, net, you wanna steer with a rudder backing up, prop forward of the
rudder,
you MUST be moving.

Not sure what the point of steering if you are not moving would be? Forward
or reverse. If you are not moving, steering has no meaning.

Doug
s/v Callista

actually, there is a difference. If you put the tranny in forward and push the
throttle forward you can turn the boat one way or the other. Because of this,
some people believe you can do the same in reverse. You can't.

In addition, I have met people who had trouble backing up their boats who in
some cases were told that if they were to spend $XX,XXX's by moving the prop
closer to the rudder they would get better turning ability on the boat. They
would not.

Indeed, in a recent thread "Thrust Vectoring" many people insisted that pulling
water over a rudder would turn a boat. When I said it would not, several
people wanted to argue about it (including one dumb cluck who claims to have a
degree in physics, really dumb because this problem in physics is a classic
taught to early semester students). A couple people asked for an explanation
as why pulling water over a rudder had no effect and all, and I said I would
write one up today.

If one wants to steer by rudder backing up, one needs to start the boat moving
backwards slowly, otherwise prop walk will twist the boat sideways. Start
slowly until the boat is moving and the rudder becomes effective, depending on
how much the boat is moving through the water.

Net, net, you wanna steer with a rudder backing up, prop forward of the
rudder,
you MUST be moving.

Not sure what the point of steering if you are not moving would be? Forward
or reverse. If you are not moving, steering has no meaning.

Doug
s/v Callista

This all fits with my expierence. In reverse, propwalk is dominant
until some way is acheived. Then rudder control is possible.

Doug
s/v Callista

"JAXAshby" wrote in message
...
actually, there is a difference. If you put the tranny in forward and
push the
throttle forward you can turn the boat one way or the other. Because of
this,
some people believe you can do the same in reverse. You can't.

In addition, I have met people who had trouble backing up their boats who
in
some cases were told that if they were to spend $XX,XXX's by moving the
prop
closer to the rudder they would get better turning ability on the boat.
They
would not.

Indeed, in a recent thread "Thrust Vectoring" many people insisted that
pulling
water over a rudder would turn a boat. When I said it would not, several
people wanted to argue about it (including one dumb cluck who claims to
have a
degree in physics, really dumb because this problem in physics is a
classic
taught to early semester students). A couple people asked for an
explanation
as why pulling water over a rudder had no effect and all, and I said I
would
write one up today.

If one wants to steer by rudder backing up, one needs to start the boat
moving
backwards slowly, otherwise prop walk will twist the boat sideways. Start
slowly until the boat is moving and the rudder becomes effective,
depending on
how much the boat is moving through the water.

Net, net, you wanna steer with a rudder backing up, prop forward of the
rudder,
you MUST be moving.

Not sure what the point of steering if you are not moving would be?
Forward
or reverse. If you are not moving, steering has no meaning.

Doug
s/v Callista

Subject: push vs pull vis a vis rudders
From: "Doug Dotson"

Actually, I'm not sure how the subject of steering astern got into the
discussion as it was not a consideration of the original post about "thrust
vectoring".
However, on a twin screw boat (and this was what I believe he was discussing)
you don't need to have headway or sternway to alter your heading. This can be
done with props alone, or more easily and quickly, with props and rudders.
In various maneuvering situations, this can be a great advantage, and just to
throw in a kicker, the advantage can work with single screw as well.

Shen

Net, net, you wanna steer with a rudder backing up, prop forward of the
rudder,
you MUST be moving.

Not sure what the point of steering if you are not moving would be? Forward
or reverse. If you are not moving, steering has no meaning.

Doug
s/v Callista

I responded to an original post entitled "push vs pull vis a vis rudders".
Not familiar with the thread about Thrust Vectoring.

doug
S/v Callista

"Shen44" wrote in message
...
Subject: push vs pull vis a vis rudders
From: "Doug Dotson"

Actually, I'm not sure how the subject of steering astern got into the
discussion as it was not a consideration of the original post about
"thrust
vectoring".
However, on a twin screw boat (and this was what I believe he was
discussing)
you don't need to have headway or sternway to alter your heading. This can
be
done with props alone, or more easily and quickly, with props and rudders.
In various maneuvering situations, this can be a great advantage, and just
to
throw in a kicker, the advantage can work with single screw as well.

Shen

Net, net, you wanna steer with a rudder backing up, prop forward of the
rudder,
you MUST be moving.

Not sure what the point of steering if you are not moving would be?
Forward
or reverse. If you are not moving, steering has no meaning.

Doug
s/v Callista

schlackoff, the rudders don't control anything in reverse, unless the boat is
also moving backwards. They can't.



However, on a twin screw boat (and this was what I believe he was discussing)
you don't need to have headway or sternway to alter your heading. This can be
done with props alone, or more easily and quickly, with props and rudders.
In various maneuvering situations, this can be a great advantage, and just to
throw in a kicker, the advantage can work with single screw as well.

Shen

Net, net, you wanna steer with a rudder backing up, prop forward of the
rudder,
you MUST be moving.

Not sure what the point of steering if you are not moving would be? Forward
or reverse. If you are not moving, steering has no meaning.

Doug
s/v Callista

Subject: push vs pull vis a vis rudders
From: (JAXAshby)

NO CRAP, Dipsquat. Would you try and learn to read a post for actual content
and not just what you want the content to be !
Once again, the original post on thrust vectoring was talking about rudder use
when "kicking the engine AHEAD" ... NOT when kicking the engine astern and all
this has developed from there ..... try to follow along, as basically, all your
longwinded dissertations about astern have had nothing to do with the subject
at hand ..... typically.

Shen


schlackoff, the rudders don't control anything in reverse, unless the boat is
also moving backwards. They can't.

As much as it pains me to defend JAX, I think the fact
that he started a new thread to discuss this topic is
legitimate. If you are not interested in this topic which
primarily deals with moving astern, then don't participate.

Doug
s/v Callista

"Shen44" wrote in message
...
Subject: push vs pull vis a vis rudders
From: (JAXAshby)

NO CRAP, Dipsquat. Would you try and learn to read a post for actual
content
and not just what you want the content to be !
Once again, the original post on thrust vectoring was talking about rudder
use
when "kicking the engine AHEAD" ... NOT when kicking the engine astern and
all
this has developed from there ..... try to follow along, as basically, all
your
longwinded dissertations about astern have had nothing to do with the
subject
at hand ..... typically.

Shen


schlackoff, the rudders don't control anything in reverse, unless the
boat is
also moving backwards. They can't.

sclackoff, nice flip-flop.

NO CRAP, Dipsquat. Would you try and learn to read a post for actual content
and not just what you want the content to be !
Once again, the original post on thrust vectoring was talking about rudder
use
when "kicking the engine AHEAD" ... NOT when kicking the engine astern and
all
this has developed from there ..... try to follow along, as basically, all
your
longwinded dissertations about astern have had nothing to do with the subject
at hand ..... typically.

Shen


schlackoff, the rudders don't control anything in reverse, unless the boat
is
also moving backwards. They can't.