I was looking at an article on docking and it suggested that on boats with separate controls for gear and rpm, to set the rpm at the desired level and then just operate the gearshift to control momentum and direction. Nice idea, but just how much damage is this likely to do to the transmission? Other than idle, is there an RPM range within which changing gears is safe, say on the Yanmar 2G series?
Docking Technique
- Thread starter wufibugs
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No way I'd do that with any boat, ever. NEVER! Try dual engines and dual controls plus a wheel w/o a bow thruster in really tight quarters. Fun, fun, fun, till daddy takes the T-Bird away......
Seriously though, if you need some hints on docking a sailboat, nothing beats the movie, "Captain Ron". That's how you dock a sailboat!
Seriously though, if you need some hints on docking a sailboat, nothing beats the movie, "Captain Ron". That's how you dock a sailboat!
Every effort is made on our boat to change gears with the engine at idle. Less strain on all the moving parts.
An article that I wrote awhile ago gives some tips on sailboat maneuvers when docking/undocking. Hope they help.
http://hunter.sailboatowners.com/mods.php?task=article&mid=45&aid=5998&mn=42
An article that I wrote awhile ago gives some tips on sailboat maneuvers when docking/undocking. Hope they help.
http://hunter.sailboatowners.com/mods.php?task=article&mid=45&aid=5998&mn=42
Great question, maybe you will get a serious answer. I have never used dual controls, but I would be nervous about going above idle. However, when docking I rarely need to go above an idle anyway.
You have a point. The acceptable range of engine RPM that you can safely move the transmission in and out of gear is quite narrow. It perhaps could be defined as the range between idle and fast idle (700-950 RPM). Anything higher will produce resistance at the shift lever and undue wear to clutches and transmission components. On the upside the transmission are quite sturdy and will take some abuse and the small diesel engines are full of torque and a 200 RPM increase can effectively produce a necessary spike in forward or reverse motion. The practice is commonly used and most will indicate they set the RPM by feel. The same problem is experienced by those that sail with the transmission locked in reverse,(Yanmar now recommends the setting of the transmission in neutral) that they either have to slow the boat down to less than 1 knot to shift out of reverse or start the engine in reverse.
Previous boat had separate shift and throttle.
Always dropped down to idle speed and then used gear shift in neutral forward, or neutral reverse to nudge into or out of slip. You can also use throttle for burst of power as needed.
The thing is to pause momentarily in neutral since going from forward all the way to reverse is really hard on things.
In a few of those docking moments I'd rather forget there were incidents where forward to reverse occurred. The thunk sound kind of indicated that the mechanical parts didn't like it but it didn't break anything so I guess I'm lucky.
Current boat has single lever and even with that it's very similar with need to slow idle and always pause in neutral between forward and reverse
Always dropped down to idle speed and then used gear shift in neutral forward, or neutral reverse to nudge into or out of slip. You can also use throttle for burst of power as needed.
The thing is to pause momentarily in neutral since going from forward all the way to reverse is really hard on things.
In a few of those docking moments I'd rather forget there were incidents where forward to reverse occurred. The thunk sound kind of indicated that the mechanical parts didn't like it but it didn't break anything so I guess I'm lucky.
Current boat has single lever and even with that it's very similar with need to slow idle and always pause in neutral between forward and reverse
The concensus is to minimize wear and tear on the gearbox by using idle rather than throttle and pausing at neutral when reversing direction of rotation. This has always been my intuition until I read the little article suggesting there is a safe shift zone that Benny identifies. Still, the benefits of 100 or so more rpm probably don't outweigh the potential mechanical downsides. Helpful article, Terry. Thanks.