I have a Yanmar on my 376. I've heard that it's best to put the transmission in reverse while sailing with the engine off..however; Recently I was sailing for about 7 hours and when I started up to motor the transmission was locked up in reverse. I couldn't budge it with the cockpit throttle. Had to go below and really force it out of gear to get it working properly again. I haven't had any problems since but I'm wondering if it should be left in neutral, forward or reverse? In neutral the shaft turns freely while sailing and makes a rather loud clicking sound which is really annoying if you're in the aft cabin(obviously on longer trips people are trying to sleep back there). Any thoughts or information would be helpful. Thanks
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reverse start
Rather than wrestle with the shifter to get out of reverse, I often just start the engine with it in gear, and then shift right away into forward. Have done this a zillion times without any damage. (Yanmar 4JH2E)
Rather than wrestle with the shifter to get out of reverse, I often just start the engine with it in gear, and then shift right away into forward. Have done this a zillion times without any damage. (Yanmar 4JH2E)
Feathering or folding prop.
A feathering or folding prop would reduce torque on the transmission and should make it possible to shift to neutral before starting. There are other benefits, too. John's solution is less expensive. Fair winds, Ron "Counterpoint"
A feathering or folding prop would reduce torque on the transmission and should make it possible to shift to neutral before starting. There are other benefits, too. John's solution is less expensive. Fair winds, Ron "Counterpoint"
same as John.
Rich: I do the same thing as John. Normally I take it out of rev first. If it is bound up I just hit the starter and it comes right out. I think you will find if your battery starts getting weak this may not work too well.
Rich: I do the same thing as John. Normally I take it out of rev first. If it is bound up I just hit the starter and it comes right out. I think you will find if your battery starts getting weak this may not work too well.
SO is it better to sail in REVERSE gear??
All your responses deal with how to get the YANMAR out of reverse... But is it correct to sail with the engine off in REVERSE???
All your responses deal with how to get the YANMAR out of reverse... But is it correct to sail with the engine off in REVERSE???
Yes... and...
I just attended a Yanmar seminar this week and they said that starting the boat while under sail, with the engine in reverse, is 'authorized' by Yanmar, preferable to neutral, and will not damage the engine or tranny unless the RPMs are cranked way up.
I just attended a Yanmar seminar this week and they said that starting the boat while under sail, with the engine in reverse, is 'authorized' by Yanmar, preferable to neutral, and will not damage the engine or tranny unless the RPMs are cranked way up.
Sailing in reverse
There is a long thread about this. Look under 'propeller free wheeling' or just 'free wheeling'. These words will connect you to an in-depth discussion held about 2 years ago. The consensus then was that putting the tranmission in reverse when under sail is correct. Putting the transmission into forward will (or maybe it was 'could') damage the transmission.
There is a long thread about this. Look under 'propeller free wheeling' or just 'free wheeling'. These words will connect you to an in-depth discussion held about 2 years ago. The consensus then was that putting the tranmission in reverse when under sail is correct. Putting the transmission into forward will (or maybe it was 'could') damage the transmission.
sailing in "reverse"
Rich, Yanmar here in Florida advises the same thing: sail with the boat in "reverse". Yes, it is very difficult to put into "neutral" with the engine off, but just start it while still in reverse, and then right away shift into neutral or what-ever. Yanmar assured me that there is no danger to the system to start the enging while in "reverse" . After the engine starts, shifting into any gear goes very easily.
Rich, Yanmar here in Florida advises the same thing: sail with the boat in "reverse". Yes, it is very difficult to put into "neutral" with the engine off, but just start it while still in reverse, and then right away shift into neutral or what-ever. Yanmar assured me that there is no danger to the system to start the enging while in "reverse" . After the engine starts, shifting into any gear goes very easily.
Shifting to neutral
You can shift to neutral by stopping your boat first. Now, if the thing that is going to stop your boat is a dock, I wouldn't worry about it and just crank 'er up in reverse.
You can shift to neutral by stopping your boat first. Now, if the thing that is going to stop your boat is a dock, I wouldn't worry about it and just crank 'er up in reverse.
Theory vs. observation
What to do with the transmission while sailing is a topic that comes up repeatedly. One time around, someone posted a diagram of the transmission with an explanation of how the cone clutches work. This should still be in the archives. It was very convincing that you should sail in reverse, with the explanation being that the cone clutch for forward gear will progressively tighten itself as you sail, while the reverse cone clutch won't do this. The analogy is somewhat like the self-servo action of drum brakes (not disk brakes) on a car. I was convinced and thought the issue was settled. That is, until I tried it on the water. On my boat ('89 H30 with 2GM20F), if I sail in reverse, it jams in gear and I have to start it in gear, as described by several recent posts. If I sail in forward gear, I can easily shift into neutral when I want to start the engine. The only purpose of sailing in gear is to stop the prop and transmission from free wheeling while you are sailing, so from that point of view, it doesn't matter which gear you use. The criterion for selecting forward or reverse is just which gear is easier to shift into neutral. So, which am I going to believe, theory or person experience? I'll go with experience while still admiring the elegance of the theory. Bob England.
What to do with the transmission while sailing is a topic that comes up repeatedly. One time around, someone posted a diagram of the transmission with an explanation of how the cone clutches work. This should still be in the archives. It was very convincing that you should sail in reverse, with the explanation being that the cone clutch for forward gear will progressively tighten itself as you sail, while the reverse cone clutch won't do this. The analogy is somewhat like the self-servo action of drum brakes (not disk brakes) on a car. I was convinced and thought the issue was settled. That is, until I tried it on the water. On my boat ('89 H30 with 2GM20F), if I sail in reverse, it jams in gear and I have to start it in gear, as described by several recent posts. If I sail in forward gear, I can easily shift into neutral when I want to start the engine. The only purpose of sailing in gear is to stop the prop and transmission from free wheeling while you are sailing, so from that point of view, it doesn't matter which gear you use. The criterion for selecting forward or reverse is just which gear is easier to shift into neutral. So, which am I going to believe, theory or person experience? I'll go with experience while still admiring the elegance of the theory. Bob England.
Clarification
Just to clarify. On the occassion that I originally referenced I did start the engine in reverse. Once it was running it still wouldn't come out until I went below to really force it. This is not a problem I've experienced before (and I sail in reverse all of the time) and hopefully it was just a fluke. Thanks for all of the feedback.
Just to clarify. On the occassion that I originally referenced I did start the engine in reverse. Once it was running it still wouldn't come out until I went below to really force it. This is not a problem I've experienced before (and I sail in reverse all of the time) and hopefully it was just a fluke. Thanks for all of the feedback.
Live and Learn
Tried the reverse method yesterday on our H37C 30hp Yanmar and was amazed at how easliy it worked. Thanks for adding this to my, "Book of Knowledge." Ron
Tried the reverse method yesterday on our H37C 30hp Yanmar and was amazed at how easliy it worked. Thanks for adding this to my, "Book of Knowledge." Ron
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