When steering astern , getting a dreadful kick to port almost 90 degrees before any steerage. In astern steering generally is poor. Has anybody else had similar problems? Any solutions found?
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What kind of prop?
What kind of prop do you have on her? I've run a 343 with the stock, fixed prop and she backed up quite nicely with minimal prop walk. I have an Autoprop on my 361 and she kicks hard to port in reverse. Try going with minimal power and see if that makes a difference. Something to keep in mind is that same prop walk can be an advantage. When approaching a dock to stbd I drift in then use a bit of reverse to slow me and control how I touch the dock.
Mike
What kind of prop do you have on her? I've run a 343 with the stock, fixed prop and she backed up quite nicely with minimal prop walk. I have an Autoprop on my 361 and she kicks hard to port in reverse. Try going with minimal power and see if that makes a difference. Something to keep in mind is that same prop walk can be an advantage. When approaching a dock to stbd I drift in then use a bit of reverse to slow me and control how I touch the dock.
Mike
re: too much power
Thanks Rick , I've tried every which way , minimal power , lots of power , still takes along time to get steerage. It's a standard 3-blade fixed prop , I'll keep persevering , thanks for reply.
Royston
Thanks Rick , I've tried every which way , minimal power , lots of power , still takes along time to get steerage. It's a standard 3-blade fixed prop , I'll keep persevering , thanks for reply.
Royston
How's the performance forward?
Your prop may be undersized or have not enough/too much pitch. I have a Max-Prop on my 400 and it backs very well.
Your prop may be undersized or have not enough/too much pitch. I have a Max-Prop on my 400 and it backs very well.
re: prop
It's a standard fixed 3 blade prop , I'vr tried minimum to max power , but to no avail . She refuses to respond apart from crabbing to port for 10-15 secs.
Thanks for reply
Royston
It's a standard fixed 3 blade prop , I'vr tried minimum to max power , but to no avail . She refuses to respond apart from crabbing to port for 10-15 secs.
Thanks for reply
Royston
Before you repitch
Before you repitch the prop make sure you're not going to do more harm than good when in forward. As I said I have the same problem but have learned to use it to my advantage. Can I do so 100% of the time? No, but most of the time I've learned to anticipate accordingly. I always back into my slip. What I found I need to do was to run past the slip, angle the boat to port apx 45 degrees then hit reverse. The boat walks to port which straightens her up. I get enough headway to make the slip and throw it into nuetral, drifting into the slip. If I'm off on my approach I just apply a little fwd or rvse and realign to make it betwen the pilings. The small amount of time I'm reverse will never outweigh the benefits of the prop when in forward. Good luck.
Mike
Before you repitch the prop make sure you're not going to do more harm than good when in forward. As I said I have the same problem but have learned to use it to my advantage. Can I do so 100% of the time? No, but most of the time I've learned to anticipate accordingly. I always back into my slip. What I found I need to do was to run past the slip, angle the boat to port apx 45 degrees then hit reverse. The boat walks to port which straightens her up. I get enough headway to make the slip and throw it into nuetral, drifting into the slip. If I'm off on my approach I just apply a little fwd or rvse and realign to make it betwen the pilings. The small amount of time I'm reverse will never outweigh the benefits of the prop when in forward. Good luck.
Mike
backing
I had the same problem with my 361 in the past , what Ieventually figured out is you must give her good throttle for five to ten seconds then backoff almost to idle. This seems to get water movement past the rudder and then she follows nicely.
I had the same problem with my 361 in the past , what Ieventually figured out is you must give her good throttle for five to ten seconds then backoff almost to idle. This seems to get water movement past the rudder and then she follows nicely.
Port probwalk
is the norm with most inboard engines. Try getting the boat moving back slowly and then shift into neutral. In neutral, you should get full steerage when backing.
is the norm with most inboard engines. Try getting the boat moving back slowly and then shift into neutral. In neutral, you should get full steerage when backing.
Steering astern a cinch
All single screw boats will first start tending to port when motoring astern due to prop walk. This simply means as the prop bites at first, it is sort of clawing in the direction of the spin of the prop. Once it gets a bit underway, say about 1 kt, the flow over the rudder will begin to build enough to direct more of the movement astern. Experienced boaters know to use this to advantage. They bring their boats to a position before backing that benefits from that movement to port...sort of helps them back into the slip easier. But even when that is not possible due to the placement of the slip, they angle the boat about 45 degrees bow to port so that when the backing starts the stern will simply move to the originally intended line when the boat does back. I back into my slip each time this way and have no problem...and I have a cross wind and an end slip...two factors thout ought to make it harder. Practice. It gets to be fun!
Consider it a low cost thruster
Royston,
I have a 2002 B361 with a 3 blade max prop. Once I have "sternway" (the boat is moving backwards through the water) she tracks very nicely. But when I put her in reverse from a dead stop, the stern moves to port about 2 boat widths. I've learned to adjust for it, and actually use it to my advantage. For example, if I'm rafting off with friends, I approach with my port side to. When I'm along side, I put her in reverse and she nestles up to the target boat just like I had a stern thruster. People are always amazed. Here's the bad news...if you need to approach from starboard you are really screwed.
Agaliha
Royston,
I have a 2002 B361 with a 3 blade max prop. Once I have "sternway" (the boat is moving backwards through the water) she tracks very nicely. But when I put her in reverse from a dead stop, the stern moves to port about 2 boat widths. I've learned to adjust for it, and actually use it to my advantage. For example, if I'm rafting off with friends, I approach with my port side to. When I'm along side, I put her in reverse and she nestles up to the target boat just like I had a stern thruster. People are always amazed. Here's the bad news...if you need to approach from starboard you are really screwed.
Agaliha
In this case you need to hold with your hand a line from the starboard side of the boat stern while backing out. Unless of course there is cross wind on your starboard side to naturally "cancel" the prop walk.
Agree with Philip
The "prop walk" is so strong that you have to hold onto a line or piling when backing out. That is exactly why I back into my slip. That way, I leave the slip in forward gear. The "prop walk" isn't as pronounced in forward gear (don't ask me why) and you can use the rudder to offset it in forward and you can't in reverse.
Agaliha
The "prop walk" is so strong that you have to hold onto a line or piling when backing out. That is exactly why I back into my slip. That way, I leave the slip in forward gear. The "prop walk" isn't as pronounced in forward gear (don't ask me why) and you can use the rudder to offset it in forward and you can't in reverse.
Agaliha
Reversing
We have a lift keel 323 . The prop walk in reverse stops the boat turning to starboard unless you put it in neutral then the boat follows the rudders .. Just fitted a bow thruster and that helps getting out of tight spaces.
We have a lift keel 323 . The prop walk in reverse stops the boat turning to starboard unless you put it in neutral then the boat follows the rudders .. Just fitted a bow thruster and that helps getting out of tight spaces.
We have a web site of sorts for the 323. I don't know if you are on it, but I'm sure other owners would appreciate your bow thruster knowledge. If you'd like to join the site: http://www.beneteau323owners.net/
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