[Public-List] reversing

[Gordon Laco via Public-List]

Hello friends

I agree completely.   Our A30 is completely docile and predictable in reverse... Because we never ask her to do what she can't do.  

She'll always turn her head away from the wind when the engine is in reverse, always, so we plan accordingly.  We use the short burps of power as described... And to get her going where we need to go we use short hard burps in forward.  

Our boats are extremely maneuverable under power when thrusting ahead; they be sun 360 degrees within their lengths as many times as you want to. 

Kris, when we were in Toronto for the Syronelle we did three 360's behind your boat at QCYC to show off to Janice of Little Wing just to prove its easy.  

But reverse is different.   When backing up we modify our plans to conform to what Surprise can do    Our slip is against the shore on our north side, first in the jetty.  If there's any south in the wind we can't help ending up with our bow toward the land.   What we do is let Surprise do what she has to do, which is put her head away from the wind ... And back up up till we've done a half circle.  Then, when our stern is nearing the stern of the boat we share our dock with, we put the helm hard to starboard and give a bump of full throttle in forward.  Surprise stops her stern way and pivots.  By the time she gathers headway I put the engine to idle (still ahead) and we motor away. 

Last year someone watching us said they thought we had a bow  thruster.  He said 'full keels can't turn like that '. Well guess what: they can. 

It's fun to practice this in open water so you can do it with confidence in tight spots we you have to 

Gord #426 Surprise. 

On 2014-08-08, at 7:58 PM, gordon white via Public-List <public-list at lists.alberg30.org> wrote:

>   Reversing is a problem with almost any single-screw boat other than those with outboards of outdrives. The torque (on an A-30 anyway) pushes the boat to port.
> 
>    The solution taught me by an old captain was to give a strong burst of power to get the boat moving, then reduce power or go into neutral and steer with the rudder. Short bursts of power work well for me. Of course currents and wind complicate things.
> 
>    Worse, for me, is coming to a pier with an outboard that won't steer except under power. Essentially no rudder.
> 
> - Gordon White, Brigadoon II
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