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Author
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Topic: Motoring techniques
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Michel
unregistered
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posted February 03, 2006 04:02 AM
A site full of very useful tips on how to dock,pivot ETC using an outboard motor. http://www.uspowerboating.com/videos/pivot_wmv1.htm
This site made my life so much easier at my first boating season!...
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Patrick Crooks
Member
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posted February 05, 2006 04:40 PM
 
Since we have this thread started, lets keep it going.This past summer was my first summer with my piper and I must say that I was very disappointed with me reversing skills. I suck so bad that I did not leave the dock area until nobody was around or when I thought no-one was looking. So I am now standing in front of this group and saying "My name is Patick and I cannot propel my boat backwards in a safe manner. Please help me?" I looking for some advice. some of my questions are: 1) should I steer with the motor or rudder? 2) Should I stand on the same side as the motor? 3) Should I only use short blast of reverse power then put it into neutral? 4) Should the keel be up or down? What is everyone doing. enquiring minds would like to know.
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Hyprstitch
Member
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posted February 05, 2006 04:50 PM
Reverse is hard. I use it for as long as needed and not a second longer. For me, the Keel all the way down works best. Steer with the rudder. Sid
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Michel
unregistered
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posted February 05, 2006 06:46 PM
Are we the reverse anonymus! ;-)Hum!... I like to use both the rudder and the motor to control my backing up. If I have to turn while backing up, I use the pivot technique as seen on the video clip. http://www.uspowerboating.com/videos/pivot_wmv1.htm
It really works.The boat pivot on it's keel and stays on the same spot.
All these tricks are great!...I use short burst of power when approaching the dock.I brake while turning the motor toward the dock at the last moment and Mari-Bell gently pivot and stop a few inches from the dock.I really feel like a skipper then!... ;-)
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Roger
Member
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posted February 06, 2006 09:12 AM
You have not mentioned the word prop walk, but assume that you are aware of it. At slow speeds on a small boat like this it wants to walk the transom of the boat in the direction that the prop is spinning. Once you are aware that this is the functioning mechanism of side slip at the stern, you can start to use it to your advantage. Think of it as parallel parking with your wheels that steer at the back of your car! In no time you'll be using your new 'stern thrusters' and looking like a pro. The rudder will need to counteract the propwalk or the motor will have to be turned to neutralize it. (easier said than done).
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elmet3
Member
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posted February 06, 2006 01:56 PM
For several years I kept my Sandpiper at a public lake, in a slip that shared a very small bay (maybe 100 yards across) that was also occupied by a boat rental, they rented paddlewheels and rowboats by the hour, and on warm summer days I had to back out of the slip and avoid people learning how to row. I had to turn the boat in a very narrow area and then exit the bay through a channel, more of a neck actually, that was literally only three boats wide. Usually, I was avoiding, yelling, or trying to get the attention of somebody facing backwards and rowing like hell, trying to play bumper boats.
I didn't know about the pivot method, but that is kind of what I did. Back out of slip, put motor in neutral, coast back while loosing speed and turning (use rudder), then motor forward to complete turn and stop backward momentum, then motor in neutral, then forward, neutral, forward as necessary to maintain miminal speed. Yelling at people while doing this seems to help.
While turning at low speed with my motor running I always use both the motor and rudder. The affect is much greater than either alone. I sit on the same side as the motor, or often I kneel sideways on the seat to have a clear view. I hold the motor with one hand and the tiller with the other, turning my body to look forward. As soon as I got through the thickest obstacles I would sit on the lazerette and face forward, steer the motor with my left hand behind my back and rest my right hand on the tiller to steer the rudder. After a few hundred yards I'd be far enough away to lock the tiller on center, sit on the seat and make minor course corrections with the motor.
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CK 2120
Member
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posted February 16, 2006 08:48 PM
Not to blow my own horn ......... BUT when I learned to sail everything was done under windpower and nothing else. It's great for my sailing skills as I've even docked a C&C 32 under sail alone..........the down side though is when I turn a motor on I become nervous and lose my sense of control. Weird huh?Robert
Celtic Kiss #2120
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Darcy
Member
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posted February 25, 2006 11:12 PM
I used to be firmly in Robert’s camp. Most of the boats we have sailed did not even have motors. A certain inner peace is attained being totally at the whim of nature. Time becomes irrelevant. Even on the calmest of days I could gladly spend hours lying in the bottom of the boat (a Laser), playing the zephyrs.That being said, the motor equipped Shortwave has opened up new possibilities in cruising. When we set off for a day sail there is usually no wind on our lake in the morning. Setting off early by motor gets us 5 or 6 miles down the lake into new cruising territory before the wind comes up. Its very pleasant motoring. Lynn makes her superb coffee and we take in the sunrise. As the morning mist burns off, only the occasional loon calling or a fisher in his tin boat breaks the quiet solitude. When the wind comes in; we sail. Another place where the motor proves useful even luxurious is when we cruise between lakes. At Port Sandfield it costs $150.00 to open the bridge so we opt to lower the mast instead.  We could paddle or walk the boat through but motoring is so much easier. We’re rewarded on the other side by fantastic cruising on Lake Joseph. A Sandpiper maneuvers best when everything is down. If the keel is up, the bow can get pushed away by the wind or wave action. We had a close call coming through the narrows of the Joseph River, which separates Lake Joseph from Lake Rosseau. I was concerned about the water depth so we entered the narrows with both keel and rudder in the up position. We also had to watch out for the mast as trees hang over the channel along the shoreline.  Steering is tricky with the rudder up; it’s like swinging a barn door. If you steer too aggressively, the rudder feels like it’s going to snap. You also have to make sure when you steer to port that the long rudder blade doesn’t hit the propeller of the running motor. As we motored through the narrows, watching the rocks under the hull through the crystal clear water of Lake Joseph a powerboat tailgated closely behind us unable to pass in the narrow channel. As soon as the river widened, the stink-potting leech decided to break away from its’ sailboat host. The seemingly illiterate moron, unable to read the 9 km speed signs opened up full throttle to pass us. Powerboats generate their biggest & highest wakes getting up on the plane so a mini tsunami broadsided us. Leaving the protected waters of the narrow river, we also met a strong northern wind that along with the wave pushed us faster towards the rocky shore. I got the rudder down some but with no time to lower the keel, the only way to round sharply was to turn both rudder and motor in unison and boot it. We’ve always referred to this maneuver as a destroyer turn and it usually works once you commit to it. The down side is if you miscalculate, you’ll run up on the rocks with great speed. D'Arcy, Shortwave
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Hyprstitch
Member
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posted February 26, 2006 01:39 AM
I never heard of being charged to open a bridge before. Does the charge per boat, or will they allow several boats to pass through spliting the cost. I also have the capabilties of lowering my mast on the go, but its a pain, much easier with a crew. I've been caught without a motor when one was badly needed. Won't sail my boat ever again with out a motor. [This message has been edited by Hyprstitch (edited February 26, 2006).]
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whited
unregistered
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posted February 26, 2006 11:48 AM
I was wondering...in shallow water, would it be best to just pull the rudder out and use the tiller handle on the motor to steer?
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Darcy
Member
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posted February 26, 2006 03:45 PM
Keeping the rudder in allows you to steer when the motor is in neutral so I like to to use both.In most waterways they usually do not charge for opening a bridge. In Muskoka however, the bridges and some locks were originally run by the Provence. A few years ago, the Provence downloaded these operations to the Municipality of Muskoka Lakes who had to charge in order to keep the operation going. The Port Sandfield bridge is the most expensive with the locks being a more reasonable $5.00. It's a per opening charge so 20 of us would go through for the same price. D'Arcy, Shortwave
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whited
unregistered
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posted February 26, 2006 08:51 PM
D'Arcy..
I believe we need about 28 feet clearance with the mast up...what do you need when you have your mast in that semi-reclined mode?
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Darcy
Member
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posted February 27, 2006 07:53 AM
The wishbone rig is about 8 feet off the deck. Just to be on the safe side we add 4 feet for deck above waterline. Most charts give you the height above waterline of the bridge or hydro line you are passing under. We like a margin of 8 feet or so. If it's anywhere close to your height; don't do it! You'll really mangle the rig or worse yet electricute yourself. We can also drop the mast right down over the cabin top and lower the wishbone. That will get you under almost anything short of a sewer culvert. D'Arcy
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