Lock the Prop ???s for Ken Palmer

[Charles Duhon]

I was glad to read the discussion about locking the prop in reverse when sailing.Should I put the transmission in reverse gear while the engine is running and then shut off the engine?I don't ever switch gears unless the engine is running at idle, and what about starting the engine while it is in reverse gear? wouldn't it be harder to start?Charles Duhon"Artistry"

 

[Michael Cohn]

Ok

Put it in reverse AFTER you turn off the engine. Put it in neutral BEFORE you start the engine.MC

 

[Ken Palmer]

I agree

I agree with Michael. Do as he said in his post. There have been times where I have forgotten to go to reverse after shutting down the engine, and set the sail. I hear the whir of the prop turning the shaft when my speed gets up, which reminds me to go to reverse. While at this Yanmar class, they had a transmission out on the bench, and explained how it worked. It is actually a very simple operation, not at all like the complicated ones in cars. My student handbook is at home, so I cannot refer to it. If you want more details on how the transmission works, just post a request here and I'll look it up.Ken Palmer, S/V Liberty

 

[Bryan]

Locked in reverse

I was surprised by the posts on this subject that there seemed to be no one supporting leaving it in neutral. I seem to recall previous discussions on this subject in which there was a a divided opinion between neutral and reverse. My problem is, when sailing in reverse, I cannot shift to neutral if the boat is doing anything better than a couple of knots (I have a 39GM3F with a three blade prop). I don't want to start the motor in reverse, and it makes me nervous because its not always convenient to hit the brakes when you want (or need) engine power. Anyone else have this problem?

 

[Stephen Ostrander]

question

Aside from the issue of excess drag, has anyone ever had a transmission failure from leaving it in neutral? Just curious.