[Public-list] Reverse

[Gordon Laco]

Hi there folks - 

Thanks for all the advice...

My engine behaves the same as ever in forward; and I am still wondering if
the reverse thing is just my imagination.  With my Atomic IV, there has
always been a solid inaudible "clunk" when shifting into forward;... I am in
forward or I am not.  Reverse has always been somewhat progressive and I
guess what I am wondering is if it is possible that it has become somewhat
less progressive.

Oh well, maybe I should stop worrying about it.

On the positive side I have done well racing the last few times out.  With
my previous boat we used to do very well regularly but it seems to have
taken us years to get this boat cranked up.  The last three times out we
earned a first and two seconds - and that in a mixed fleet of much lighter
boats. Last Wed we heard that music loved by all racers of old
boats...comments like "you must have a terrific muffler on that engine" and
"lets have the committee look at your rating".

We still can't point like I wish we could but that may just be the nature of
the beast. Once I forgot about trying to go to weather like the old boat
used to (wooden Folkboat) we concentrated on being clever tactically and
keeping boat speed up.  We also make sure that we get the 'Chute up the
instant we round marks rather than wait for the rounding to start setting
up.  It stays up until the instant we round the leeward mark. That is a
small but obvious thing that makes a difference.

 What I did really differently this year was pay a lot of attention to
standing rigging  set up - it really made a difference.

We usually have 12 -14 boats on a starting line; a few Kirby 25's (somewhat
like J25's to you Yanks) a couple of Tanzers, a flock of 80's racer
cruisers, one CS 36, and a growing riff raff of one-design Sharks.  The
later are the only ones we owe time to but the little buggers are fast. We
are the only full keeled boat that races in our fleet.

Gord #426 Surprise



> Gord,
> 
> How are your forward RPMs? Are they decreased?
> 
> As far as I understand there is a nut for adjusting the reverse friction
> but for decreased RPMs it should not be the issue. You pretty much have to
> "un Glue" the motor in order to screw up the reversing gear.
> 
> I would suggest looking into other issues first. SO to do that, are your
> forward RPMs decreased? Can you rev up as high in neutral as you can in
> forward and reverse? If not then do a compression test on the motor to see
> that all there is well.
> 
> Also catch up with don moyer at moyermarine.com he is the source for the
> best advice. But try to answer those questions first.


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