When sailing on a boat with an inboard diesel engine with the engine off or idling, is it best to leave the transmission in neutral or in gear (forward or reverse)? Thanks for the help.
Even though many sailors leave their transmission in neutral, the "official" practice is to put the transmission in reverse so that the shaft does not turn while sailing. This is supposed to reduce wear on the shaft and cutlass bearing.
The instructor in my Power Sqadron class I took last year recommended that it's best to have it in reverse particullarly when people swim off the boat or MOB. Even if the motor is stopped, currents will cause the prop to spin if it's in neutral or forward.
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