Sailing with Yanmar in Reverse ?

[Bob Pullen HC-33 1981]

We have noticed that when sailing with the Yanmar in reverse (I do not have a folding prop), we have a larger tendency to "round up" under the same amount of sail, when compared with sailing with it in gear or neutral. I also notice much more rudder wash vibration when sailing in reverse.
I remember being told how advantageous it is to have the motor in reverse when sailing, so I have been blindly following that long forgotten explanation's conclusion, but I am curious as to how damaging it is to the gears/engine to do otherwise?
Many thanks in advance, for any suggestions, advice, or ideas which may help understand the reason for sailing with your engine in reverse.
Bob
S/V Seanorita
Yucatan

 

[Rick D]

Some Good Information Via This Link

(As far as the round up, I suspect it may be turbulence washing the rudder)
http://forums.hunter.sailboatowners.com/showthread.php?p=1100654&highlight=reverse while sailing

 

[Don S/V ILLusion]

Everything you notice is a direct result of listening to bad advice thus far, I.e., sailing with prop in reverse. Both the engine/transmission manufacturer and hydrodynamics dictate not using reverse to lock the prop.

Rather than offer more advice, I'd say only that doing your own due diligence is always the best course of action.

 

[Skipper]

Put it in neutral.

I think Yanmar says use neutral. Universal says use neutral or reverse, but not forward.

Re leaving it in Forward: It depends on the transmission, if it has clutches or not, etc. Forward may strain the clutch in the wrong direction when sailing. Also, it may be more difficult to get out of Forward under inverse strain, causing more wear on the mechanism. Physically, it doesn't make perfect sense to me. If the mfg hadn't said not to, I'd probably leave it in gear. However, since the mfg says not to use a certain gear position when sailing, IE Forward, I don't use it.

 

[Scotty C-M]

Yanmar says keep it in neutral. Here's thier service advisory:

http://sbo.sailboatowners.com/downloads/Hunter_gen_81433113.pdf

 

[Gunni]

Read the attached Yanmar Technical Bulletin

 

[tommays]

Cavitation is a problem with MANY older rudders designs as it very easy to disturb the water flow

From a racing standpoint there is a fairly huge penalty for upgrading from the base rudder due to how much better a new design works

 

[Anonymous 121765]

For my Universal 3M20A, the manuf. says to keep tranny in reverse. If the manuf. has a note on this in the engine manual, I would follow their recommendations. This is my second motor (w/reverse) & I have never had a problem. Yea, so you lose 1/5 of a knot, but hey, in the overall scheme of things aside of racing should not be a big deal.

The thing I don't like about keeping it in neutral is that the tranny is always spinning. This will add extra wear on the stuffing box packing, the cutlass bearing & also some tranny wear. Then, there is that low humming sound down below from the tranny & shaft free spinning.

CR

 

[Claygr]

Two practical reasons not to sail with your transmission in reverse: 1) you are going to increase the drag of your fixed "boat anchor" compared to allowing the prop to free-wheel in neutral (up to 100 percent more drag depending on the speed of the boat), and 2) if you are like me, you will at some point forget and start the engine with the transmission in reverse, which is not a nice thing to do to your engine and transmission. Sailing with the transmission in forward is a bad idea because of the potential for damage to the transmission.

Keep the transmission in neutral unless you get a folding or feathering prop, in which case Yanmar says it is OK to keep the transmission in reverse (it has to be in reverse initially to allow the blades to close/rotate).

 

[ggrizzard]

Good News and Bad:
I used to put the tranny in reverse on my YSM 12. After a few years of a re-build the transmission went silent. Was using reverse the cause? I'll never know for sure, but the good news is that, as a result, I bought a slightly used 2GM 20 and now cruise at 6.5 knots and no longer fret over currents or wind in close quarters.
Now I use neutral and will change the packing gland as often as necessary.

 

[Davidasailor26]

if you are like me, you will at some point forget and start the engine with the transmission in reverse, which is not a nice thing to do to your engine and transmission.

We would hang the ignition keys on the shift lever when sailing in reverse with our Universal. Can't restart the engine until you take they keys off the lever, reminding us to shift.

 

[Stu Jackson]

1. Do a search on "transmission position" when sailing, here or on Google.

2. It is NOT the engine type, folks, it's the transmission itself that will determine the correct position. True, most Westerbeke/Universals came with Hurth transmissions, and Yanmars with something else. Find out what transmission you have, find the manufacturer's website and RTFM.