[Alberg30] Backing an A 30...with a three bladed prop....Ha, hahah, Ha Ha,......er, welll

[FINNUS505 at aol.com]

Oh boy Tim,

This season was our initiation to the A 30 as well. We LOVE our Stargazer, 
and are very happy with her. But like all full keel boats, reverse is tricky. 
With a three bladed prop, it's worse.

The first time I tried reverse was when the boat was being launched off the 
hydraulic trailer on the launch ramp in our harbor. The boat and trailer were 
backed into the water, and the trailer driver told me to start up the engine. 
Once the engine was warm, he backed the trailer into the water a few more 
inches, and Stargazer was afloat. 'Put her in Gear' he called out. I did. I thought 
getting the boat away from the trailer quickly, before the wind could push 
her to one side or the other, was important, so I worked the engine up to 12 or 
1300 RPM. The boat's stern kicked to port (left handed Volvo), and I was 
knocked off my feet by the tiller!!!!!

Stargazer continued a complete semicircle to port by the time I was able to 
get to my feet and rev down the engine. I was able to get her going forward 
just in time to prevent the rudder from hitting the ramp.

I didn't experiment with the reverse gear much for the rest of the season. We 
sail off a mooring, and so there is not much need for reverse there. When 
motoring up to a dock, I always used the wind as a brake, and motored up to the 
dock slowly enough so that the way of the ship carried her just to the dock, 
and we could stop her with the bumpers and docklines. If we had to leave a dock 
and the wind or current direction was not favorable, I'd warp the boat around 
with dock lines rather than rely on reverse. Over reaction? Yes, I'm sure, but 
that was how we did it this season. Maybe next season I'll practice using the 
reverse at low RPM.

When I was a kid, my dad had a 35' Sparkman and Stephens Weekender. What a 
nice boat!! A real, traditional full keel cruising boat from the '30's. She had 
a 25 HP GrayMarine gas engine, with an off center prop. To get the engine 
further aft in the hull to get more cabin space, the shaft was sent through the 
aft end of a plank, forward of the stern timber. It was also cheaper to build 
the boat that way. The prop went out the stbd. side of the boat. Unless you 
wanted to reverse to stbd, forget it!!!!!!!   Well, once the boat got some way on 
to stbd, if the engine was reved down, the rudder could get her to back to 
port, but you needed room to do the manuever.

I suppose the same trick will work for us, even more easily.

Can't wait till spring to try!!!!!!!!  :)
Lee
Stargazer #255
 +---------------------------------------------------------------+
 |                This Old Boat by Don Casey                     |
 | http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0071579931/alberg30-20 |
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