Boat Manoevering.

[The Jester]

Well I get the new boat on Tuesday and i've been talking to lads about docking on the pontoon. Apparently the rudder controlled boats are different to the outboard ones for steering and particualy reverse. Does any of the more experienced inboard lads on here have any tips for manoevering in tight spaces. Also who leaves their sea cock open when they're not using the boat ? Quite a few do on the marina in case they forget to open it when they go to sea.....Is this wise ?

 

[TOMMY NEPTUNE]

I personaly have never noticed a difference between reversing using rudder or outboard, I have had both with teleflex and now have hydraulic rudder steering.
And as for the seacock being left open while leaving the boat unattended at the marina, if a hose burst on the raw water cooled engine, and the seacock was open the likelyhood would be that the boat would probably sink.
I have heard some guys hang their keys on the seacock so that they always remember to open it before starting the engine. (It would pay to have some kind of immobiliser in this instance for security reasons though.)

 

[smartmp]

You might find that the boat pulls to one side or the other in reverse,this is due to the direction of revolution of your prop...left handed prop pulls left.The rudder on an inboard is practically useless in reverse;with an outboard the engine turns and thus the thrust is much more directional.The best advice is to watch someone else berth then try to copy them.

 

[mark]

I think a lot depends entirely on the boat, been on some rudder/shaft boats that don't steer at all in reverse, and some that will steer better to one side in reverse than t'other

Pansy has a turning circle of about 8 miles in reverse

get it in open water and play for a bit

 

[The Jester]

Thanks for that lads, Hanging the keys on the sea cock sounds good as the boat has an immobiliser fitted, i would'nt feel safe leaving it open at all. Hope my prop is r/handed that would help.

 

[northeast1]

I turn my fuel off and and the sea cock at the same time, i get about 3-4mins before the boat engine stops if i dont put it on, this i do everytime with out fail and my thinking is the engine will cut out for lack of fuel long before it over heats because if i open one i always remember to open them both.

Getting in and out of berths, no area of the Royal Quays marina is harder than the berth i am on, i know very well what it means to get it right. I am right on the end so when the gates are open on free flow its very hard, also a wind tunnel down there and a lot of water movemnet....also from the tip of the baot on the pontoon to the back of the diving board i have 2ft spare before i hit the wall so it has to be perfect.

I got it down to a T now but had a few hard times going side ways and missing the berth etc. Short bursts of lots of power has served my well forward and reverse.

 

[The Jester]

Nice thinking Richy, turning the fuel off as well as the sea cock is a good idea, i reckon i'll take that route. I'm on a wedge shaped mooring so when i reverse i'll be backing into a narrowing opening, but practice makes perfect i guess and if i keep the speed down i should'nt do any damage.. Richy where do you get you filters from to service your Nanni, I've been looking on the net but cant really find any other than odd ones on EBAY

 

[northeast1]

I will hunt it out for you, already given it to a few others on here.

Put it this way i got 7 filters both fuel and oil and pre-filters for under £38, I will pm you the info and they send it out very quick.

Filter local £17 filter off them £4.86

 

[The Jester]

Thanks for that mate, thats a massive saving...

 

[northeast1]

The Nanni engine is like a tank, i have said all along they good engines but the parts cost a bomb if anything goes wrong.

Mine is half way to being run i 498hours so far.

 

[Norman]

Just a thousand or so hours to go then rich before it begins to loosen up .

maneovering .... all different with a fixed prop and a rudder behind it.
Forward turns on a sixpence but reverse is zero, in fact if theres a slight side wind it often goes against the turn.
To manoever use reverse just for motion not direction, if you need to alter the direction plop it into forward and steer to get correct direction, then back into reverse for motion again (neednt even nove forward as the boat will turn if you go from reverse to forward while still floating back with the rudder tilted as soon as the rudder gets the prop-wash onto it)
so, to reverse out of say a berth, its reverse then little bursts of forward while getting the direction right then back into reverse.

cheers

norm

 

[The Jester]

Thanks for the advice lads, i'll let you know tomorrow how i get on.......

 

[northeast1]

If we hear a loud bang we will know

Sure it will be ok, i was worried the same as you but after a few trips i fly in and out and often on my own, onyl time i strugle alittle is if a strong i.e 25mph+ north or west wind is blowing or the lock gates on free flow.

I do love the boating thing but it rules your life in the summer and eat's your cash..strange thou as soon as i am 1 week into November i am counting down the days until May so i can do it all again.

 

[The Jester]

just light scaping noises of fender on wood....hopefully.