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Rudder Safe


Steve Buxton

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We have a 23 foot narrowboat with an outboard engine and when we try to moor in the Marina, especially if there is the slightest wind or movement in the water it becomes a pain in the a**e.

 

I have been looking at the adverts for Rudder Safe and wondered if anyone had any personal experience of it?  Thanks.

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9 minutes ago, Steve Buxton said:

We have a 23 foot narrowboat with an outboard engine and when we try to moor in the Marina, especially if there is the slightest wind or movement in the water it becomes a pain in the a**e.

 

 

Lol, welcome to the behaviour of boats in the water! 

 

Definitely buy the Rudder Safe, then let us know if it works please..... ;) 

 

 

 

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I don't think it'll make a difference. With an outboard you've actually got more control and maneuverability than those of us with an inboard engine......for instance you'll actually have steering control going astern, something you can only dream about with an inboard engine. 

 

It's just a fact of life that marinas + high winds = tricky maneuvering in a narrow boat. 

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I use our bow-thruster to steer our narrowboat when reversing and find it much easier to manoeuvre into restricted spaces as a result.

 

Those of you who abhor "girly -buttons" will, gladly, deny yourselves the benefit of this labour saving device and have to resort to using a pole. 🤣

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1 minute ago, Idle Days said:

I use our bow-thruster to steer our narrowboat when reversing and find it much easier to manoeuvre into restricted spaces as a result.

 

Those of you who abhor "girly -buttons" will, gladly, deny yourselves the benefit of this labour saving device and have to resort to using a pole. 🤣

 

 

Totally agree. BTs are BRILLIANT for reversing any distance. 

 

But then, reversing half a mile without using the BT turns into a mission! 

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32 minutes ago, MtB said:

 

 

Totally agree. BTs are BRILLIANT for reversing any distance. 

 

But then, reversing half a mile without using the BT turns into a mission! 

And it is probably worth mentioning that most marine gearboxes are not designed for long distance reversing!

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3 minutes ago, PhilR said:

And it is probably worth mentioning that most marine gearboxes are not designed for long distance reversing!

 

That's a bold claim! 

 

I'd say the most common marine transmission is probably the D260, which is fine for indefinite reversing. 

 

 

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1 minute ago, MtB said:

 

That's a bold claim! 

 

I'd say the most common marine transmission is probably the D260, which is fine for indefinite reversing. 

 

 

I am assuming that most boxes are epicyclic with brake bands etc

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14 minutes ago, MtB said:

 

Assumption is the mother of cock-ups....

 

 

Where do I insert *some*?

 

But getting back to the OP's question, a 23 footer with an outboard motor is probably the easiest of boats to get into a mooring with 10 HP or more. Having said that a rudder blade attached to the outboard skeg can make a very big difference with straight line steerage at slow speeds etc 

 

Edited by PhilR
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Thanks for the responses. I know that I will get better with practice, but when surrounded by GRP cruisers, my aim is to avoid bumping in to as many as possible :-).

 

A bow thruster would make life easier but not practical or affordable on our boat.

 

I think for the price it might be worth trying.

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5 hours ago, PhilR said:

And it is probably worth mentioning that most marine gearboxes are not designed for long distance reversing!

 

I've read the user manual for my marine gearbox from front to back and nothing was mentioned about not reversing long distances. 

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Lister LH and L boxes are arguably the most common sun and planet gear boxes in use today as are many original boxes on vintage engines. It is not good for these to run for long periods in reverse because the lubrication of the planet gears tends to be by splash or, if you are lucky an oil jet. They often use plain bronze bearings for the sun gears

 

Wortham Blake and WaterMota boxes as used to be used on the small Ford petrol engine and the BMC A & B end boxes are also like this, and I think the TMP hydraulic may also be but not sure.

 

Hurth and PRM mechanicals are layshaft boxes, so there is a reverse gear idler, these tend to be splash lubricated unless they are positioned so they are submerged in the oil. Personally I would not run one in reverse permanently, as you might with a wrong handed prop, but they are just like car and often use needle roller bearings for the reverse idler gear so a long reverse should cause no problems.

 

PRM hydraulics also use a reverse idler gear, but they do or used to sell on the fact they can permanently run in either direction.

 

I think (not know) that Velvet Dives use an epicyclic gear but very much based on vehicle automatic gearbox technology and parts, they seem to be well lubricated and seem to be very long-lived so again I think it is more not such a good idea to run  permanently in reverse but have not seen that in writing.

 

So definitely do not run sun & planet gear boxes PERMANENTLY in reverse if you what a long life. These types often tell you not to by the row the sun and planet gears make when working. For the others not running permanently in reverse is probably more precautionary than anything else.

 

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1 hour ago, Tony Brooks said:

PRM hydraulics also use a reverse idler gear, but they do or used to sell on the fact they can permanently run in either direction.

 

 

On twin engine set ups my PRM manual explains that you run one gearbox in 'forwards' and one gearbox in 'reverse' to get the contra rotation to stop prop-walk.

 

 

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