Backing Up....What's the deal?

[billys]

So what is the story with steering my 20i in reverse? Seems there is little to no useful steering while going in reverse, and no matter what i do the stern wants to go to the right. Not a huge deal, though because there is current where my bat is moored it can make things difficult when getting in and out of the slip.

Curious if this is normal and if there is anything i can do to improve it.

thanks!

[rogersbm82]

Welcome to inboards. Trying to steer any other way than right in reverse is useless. It does take some getting use to.

[chpthril]

Like Roger said, welcome to the inboards. On a good day, with the wind and current on your side, it may back up straight. The best advise is to know it will only got to the right and use the wind/current to your advantage, and make your docking and slip approach accordingly.

[tigesinaus]

its to do with the fact that when ur reversing the prop wash isnt running over the rudder, as the rudder sits in front of the prop (in terms of water flow). so you get very minimal steering.
because of the direction the prop spins in these boats they will always pull right in reverse.
the best thing to do, is as chp says is just know that that is what its going to do and compensate for it. for example if ur driving onto the trailer, drive in fowards, but angling a little to the left, and when you hit reverse to slow up before impact, the tail will pull right and you will be staight on to the trailer.
similarly with comng into a warf, nose in on an angle on the drivers side and when ur close, reverse and the tail will pull into the warf.

[da.bell]

As roger said, welcome to inboards. However, I will disagree with Roger. I can reverse and go left but definitely not left as quickly as I can right. But, plan ahead and you will be good to go!!!!!!

[H20SKIER14]

Yeah the only boats i've owned have been inboards so I've gotten used to it but if you do need to back up left you just have to point your nose to the right back up a little then hit forward with the wheel turned hard right, it takes a little longer but can easily be done.

[jwanck11]

Yeah and the main thing to do is to remember that little throttle movements are easier to correct than big ones. Slow and easy.

[zad0030]

Thats just the way it is, And If you own a Nautique It will go to the left.

The reason being beceuase the torque of the propeller pulls the boat to the right, and because nautiques have Right hand rotating propellers they go to the left.

Also, when backing up long distances, i have found that you can steer a little. Like If you turn the wheel all the way to the left and back up, and leave it in reverse it will start to pull left. Although this is not useful in any docking manuever, i have found it useful when pulling out of a slip and off a trailer.

When docking on the right starboard side, Its best to creep in at a below Idle speed. Bring the nose into the dock at 45* angle. Coast in and turn the wheel all the way to the left, bump into reverse a few times to bring the stern in, If need bump it into forward while the wheel is still turned left. This is called the "walking" method and is commonly used on inboards.

[rogersbm82]

Just to clarify, that's my last name and it's Rogers not Roger.

And no, I am not your neighboor

[zad0030]

Just to clarify, that's my last name and it's Rogers not Roger.

And no, I am not your neighboor

So what shall we call you, Mr. Rogers?

[noworries]

Get the back of the boat moving sideways the direction you want using forward thrust, then use reverse to moderate it. Its a different way of thinking. The challenge is when you really can't move forward any to get the back of the boat sliding sideways. Stay out of those situations.

[Fast1911]

Welcome to inboards. Trying to steer any other way than right in reverse is useless. It does take some getting use to.

unless it is a CC

[bfrank]

Practice...practice....practice!! Also keep it slow!

[billys]

Thanks for the info. I am getting used to it. The slip where I moor the boat is on the downstream side of the dock in a normally very manageable current. But because of the layout & locations of the other slips, it is a little tricky when the river is high since the current wants to pull the boat away from the dock, and there is very little margin for error. (Only had one really bad day where it took three tries to land it).

[americanskier]

Inboards

Is this your first inboard? They tend to back up pretty poorly. I am in the middle left of long dock and have to back past another boat. I push off the rear end, back up, reverse the direction of the wheel and pull forward, then turn the wheel back to the left again to back out.