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Reversing a NB

Gazboatman

By Gazboatman
in Boat Handling

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twbm Experienced

twbm

Posted
Posted

Never seen one, but, as an apprentice, remember being sent to the stores for a long weight..... :unsure:

 

:smiley_offtopic: , but one of our part time staff was sent to another bar across the road for a jug of icemaking solution recently. Scary thing is he's doing a degree in Aeronautical Engineering.

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Guest

Guest

Posted
Posted (edited)

Only wrong if you know the boat.

 

Steering whilst in reverse varies so much from boat to boat that you have to have some familiarity with the vessel before it can be achieved confidently (if at all, in some cases).

 

Steerage can be gained, with gentle use of forward gear whilst moving backwards, on any old tub, making the more reliable method on an unfamiliar boat.

I have to agree. My previous boat would not steer in reverse. Plenty told me how to do it, a few even attempted to demonstrate, and they couldn't do it either (one expert did worse than I :) ) My current boat reverses reasonably well on the tiller in the right conditions. I once hired a very ordinary looking day narrowboat, and even as a total learner, could reverse it easily. We once hired a wheel steered boat on the broads, and it responded well to opposite lock in reverse, you pointed the rudder where you expected it to go, and it wnet in the opposite direction, but once used to that strange quirk, it reversed beautifully. There is no "one size fits all" on this subject. None of the above have/had BTs.

 

I have heard of the bucket and mud weight trick, and dragging a floating tyre, but never tried it.

Edited by Guest
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alan_fincher Veteran II

alan_fincher

Posted
Posted

The accuracy of my reversing is also dependent on the number of people watching.

 

I think I've said this before on a previous thread, but I've also noted that the success factor is inversely proportional to the number of people watching.

 

I can't believe it needed until post 32, (and then a repeat at post 51), to accurately sum up the reversing problem......

 

Basically the rule should be - if there is any audience at all - don't try.

 

If you are absolutely convinced nobody at all is watching, then it's worth a try, and you have a fair chance of success.

 

Another thing I have learnt, is that even if you know what your boat does in certain circumstances, don't actually hope to exploit it to your advantage.....

 

If forced to pull up in a hurry, Sickle's front end always swings heavily to the left - every trick you might do with the tiller to stop that happening, is of only limited effectiveness. (Oh how I wish her prop rotated the other way, and any unwanted "bow swing" was away from the path of an oncoming boat, not in to it!.....)

 

But try and exploit that, if you actually want the bow to go left, (e.g. you want to impress with a slick winding manoeuvre), and the ruddy thing will invariably pull up in a dead straight line!

 

Particularly if there was a big audience, of course..........

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bizzard Veteran II

bizzard

Posted
Posted

I can't believe it needed until post 32, (and then a repeat at post 51), to accurately sum up the reversing problem......

 

Basically the rule should be - if there is any audience at all - don't try.

 

If you are absolutely convinced nobody at all is watching, then it's worth a try, and you have a fair chance of success.

 

Another thing I have learnt, is that even if you know what your boat does in certain circumstances, don't actually hope to exploit it to your advantage.....

 

If forced to pull up in a hurry, Sickle's front end always swings heavily to the left - every trick you might do with the tiller to stop that happening, is of only limited effectiveness. (Oh how I wish her prop rotated the other way, and any unwanted "bow swing" was away from the path of an oncoming boat, not in to it!.....)

 

But try and exploit that, if you actually want the bow to go left, (e.g. you want to impress with a slick winding manoeuvre), and the ruddy thing will invariably pull up in a dead straight line!

 

Particularly if there was a big audience, of course..........

Twin contra rotating props is the answer.

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bizzard Veteran II

bizzard

Posted
Posted

Yes that's what my boat will have - but then you need two weed hatches of course, or some other method of prop access. Perhaps hydraulic pods which swing up out of the water for cleaning ;)

Volvo Penta sterndrives.

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Phil Ambrose Veteran II

Phil Ambrose

Posted
Posted

Didn't we all, normally the day before a bag of sky hooks

 

And after the sky hooks you were sent to get a rubber hammer, thinking you were wised up you would refuse and laugh just to be proved wrong by someone coming up with a rubber hammer, happy days ( that was when engineers were king)

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Liam Veteran II

LiamDonate to Canal World

Posted
Posted

It's definately possible. Even I can do it!

 

I have on numerous occasions, reversed Ariel back from the current mooring to the next bridge which is around 2600 feet away (or 800 metres) with only having to correct once to straighten the boat up after reversing off the mooring. I have also reversed past boats coming towards me who want to pass and carry on.

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mykaskin Experienced

mykaskin

Posted
Posted

Reversing into Yarwoods Basin from upstream yesterday, using just reverse, the boat swung into the basin, and continued into the mooring. There was a moderate wind blowing from the stern keeping me in line with the canal, so prop walk is a significant effect for sure on Victoria.

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