I have an H22 with a 7.5 HP Merc outboard. There is plenty of power in forward. Reverse borders on useless. I was told that Merc made something called a reverse thruster kit. Is anyone familiar with this kit?
Reverse Thrust
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practice
I have a hunter 30 now, but once had a chrysler 22 with a swing keel. i had a suzuki 4hp. i would say that you have plenty of motor. It just takes a lot of practice to learn to back a boat. the boat will always go to port while backing. try getting some momentem backing, then while still moving put it in nuetral and see if you have better luck.
I have a hunter 30 now, but once had a chrysler 22 with a swing keel. i had a suzuki 4hp. i would say that you have plenty of motor. It just takes a lot of practice to learn to back a boat. the boat will always go to port while backing. try getting some momentem backing, then while still moving put it in nuetral and see if you have better luck.
It's the nature of the beast
If your outboard exhausts through the lower unit, past the propeller, then in reverse the prop is pulling on a water/exhaust mixture less dense than the water it pulls on going forward. My Hunter Whisky II has a 9.9 on her stern, port side mount. You learn to compensate. (You'll never be able to run into a slip and hit reverse like the power boats do.) You learn stuff such as engaging reverse at just above idle while still tied by a line or two in the slip. As tension builds on the dock lines, release them. You'll have immediate momentum. Stuff like that. Good luck - you ain't alone.
If your outboard exhausts through the lower unit, past the propeller, then in reverse the prop is pulling on a water/exhaust mixture less dense than the water it pulls on going forward. My Hunter Whisky II has a 9.9 on her stern, port side mount. You learn to compensate. (You'll never be able to run into a slip and hit reverse like the power boats do.) You learn stuff such as engaging reverse at just above idle while still tied by a line or two in the slip. As tension builds on the dock lines, release them. You'll have immediate momentum. Stuff like that. Good luck - you ain't alone.
Reverse
I've got the same motor on the back of our Hunter 25.5. The only time its used in reverse is backing out of the slip and slowing momentum if we come into the marina a little too hot. No power problems. The lock-down tab is broken so we can't even lock it down. It doesn't provide much power in reverse, but unless you spend a lot of time backing up (???), it probably doesn't need to do much.
I've got the same motor on the back of our Hunter 25.5. The only time its used in reverse is backing out of the slip and slowing momentum if we come into the marina a little too hot. No power problems. The lock-down tab is broken so we can't even lock it down. It doesn't provide much power in reverse, but unless you spend a lot of time backing up (???), it probably doesn't need to do much.
Thanks for the response
Thank you for the response. Our outboard does exhaust through the prop. The prop does not seem to get a good "bite" because of the exhaust causing prop cavitation during reverse operation. As you can guess I am fairly new to sailing. This is our first sail boat. In and out of a slip with a sail boat has been a real learning experience. My latest experience was pulling in and out of our slip with ~10 knot winds directly at the stern. It was very difficult to get the momentum to back out of the slip (I'll use the approach of building some momentum before casting off the last line in the future). It was even more difficult to hold the speed down when returning to the slip, even with the motor in reverse (no sails up) for a considerable amount of time as we coasted into the marina and then on to our slip. Perhaps turning back into the wind as I approach the slip to bring the boat to a virtual stop before turning again to pull into the slip. I thought there may be some sort of modification or technique that would help offset the prop cavitation during reverse operation. Again, thanks for the help.
Thank you for the response. Our outboard does exhaust through the prop. The prop does not seem to get a good "bite" because of the exhaust causing prop cavitation during reverse operation. As you can guess I am fairly new to sailing. This is our first sail boat. In and out of a slip with a sail boat has been a real learning experience. My latest experience was pulling in and out of our slip with ~10 knot winds directly at the stern. It was very difficult to get the momentum to back out of the slip (I'll use the approach of building some momentum before casting off the last line in the future). It was even more difficult to hold the speed down when returning to the slip, even with the motor in reverse (no sails up) for a considerable amount of time as we coasted into the marina and then on to our slip. Perhaps turning back into the wind as I approach the slip to bring the boat to a virtual stop before turning again to pull into the slip. I thought there may be some sort of modification or technique that would help offset the prop cavitation during reverse operation. Again, thanks for the help.
Bud, don't give up!
If your motor has a 'reverse thrust kit' available, BUY IT! They work. My buddy put one on his Evenrude back in the '70s. Reverse became as good as forward. Go for it. Besides, I don't want you T-boning me.
If your motor has a 'reverse thrust kit' available, BUY IT! They work. My buddy put one on his Evenrude back in the '70s. Reverse became as good as forward. Go for it. Besides, I don't want you T-boning me.
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