"Short Wave Sportfishing" wrote in message
...

On Mon, 30 Oct 2006 16:25:00 -0500, "Eisboch" wrote:



It's a common mistake for twin outboard owners to treat their engines
as two separate engines exactly because of that reason. Because of
their proximity, it is much easier to treat them as one or even use
one engine to maneuver when maneuvering.

When I'm in instructor mode, I always make the owner show how they
make a 180 and nine times out of ten, they will put one in reverse,
one in forward and attempt to spin the boat around without using the
wheel. And it never works. Good object lesson.

I teach it two ways: First is to put one engine in gear (forward or
reverse) and use the other to control the docking or maneuvering
aspect. It takes some practice to get the idea, but normally, if you
use the engine opposite the dock as the reverse engine, it brings a
counter to the use of the dockside engine to provide thrust forward or
reverse.

The second way it to leave one engine, the one opposite the dock, in
neutral and use one engine for maneuvering. An alternative would be
to put both engines in reverse or forward and treat them as one -
that's the preferred method as far as I'm concerned until you get used
to the whole twin outboard concept.

Another issue with outboards is trim angle to the stern. If they
don't trim the drives down to the same plane as the stern, they lose
some reverse thrust because the engine are trying to force the stern
up instead of providing direction.

Twin inboards seem to have a big advantage in this regard. I can pivot
the
boat ... or even move it sideways without any fore or aft movement.

I agree that there are things you can't do with outboards that you can
do with inboards but I wouldn't consider it as significant.



Obviously the difference is technique, understanding the thrust mechanics
and individual skills. For twin inboards I think it is best to think of the
engines/props as being individual and adjustable tools when close quarter
maneuvering.

I'd be a mess for a while with twin outboards or I/O's. But, I am awesome
with a single outboard, like on the Scout. I head for the dock at a 45
degree angle, put it in neutral to drift in, hard to port or starboard (as
required), reverse and a little "pop" of the throttle and the stern slides
right over. I am there.

Unless I screw up.

Eisboch