Steering with Outboard Motor and tiller

[elvatoli]

We have our Venture 25 in a very tight Marina, and is it very shallow also (4 ft).
How do you steer better ?
1.- Coordinating the movement of the tiller with the movement from the OB Motor ?
2.- Taking out the tiller and steering with just the OB Motor ?
3.- Leaving the tiller in a center fixed position and steer with the OB Motor ?.
4.- Leaving the OB Motor in a fixed center position and steer with the tiller.

Apreciate your help.
It is difficullt to steer in reverse. And I dont know if te keel should be up all the way or it will help a little if you have it a little down like 1 ft.
For me, the Outboard Motor (Evinrude 9.9 Yachting) have the tiller from the motor too far from the stern, so I have to steer the motor seated outside the lifeline rails.
Also, to run fresh water into the motor, first of all, is very far from the stern and second, the intake water holes, are positioned between two metal rails, so the earmuds from your hose cant fit flush. Do I have to cut it to fit ?.
How can I reach the water intake that far, easily ?.

Thank you
Hector Lima
Bronwville/ Port Isabel, Texas

 

[MrBill_FLL]

4' is plenty of water... reverse is always a problem. (for me anyway)

what I did was put a 1/2" block of wood outside the transom, and then mounted the motor. this allowed the motor to turn a little more. (moving center of rotation aft),

then I moved it a bit (side to side) to get the most rotation possible in 1 direction. and a little in the other.

I rarely try to backup, mostly I do 360's to turn around. you need a least 1' daggerboard down.

I have seen some linkage between the rudder and the motor, but the motor must have room to swing in the well, for that to work 1st...

I've also see some add a simple post on top of the motor case to use for steering (but no motor controls).

-how much rotation do you have now?

 

[Justin_NSA]

I like the way the Hunters have a bar that connects the tiller to the motor. It sure would make turning easier. I have to back out of my slip and avoid other boats - it always makes me nervous. I use all of the above navigation techniques in no particular order

I added a prop ring to my motor to avoid gouging my Ida rudder

 

[scott21050]

I have a Hunter 22 and I installed a connecting rod between the the tiller and the outboard motor. I got the rod from West Marine and it took a couple of attempts but works great. The connecting rod has a quick release and you need to disconnect it before raising the motor.

scott

 

[caguy]

I use the tiller and motor to steer at the same time forward and backwards in a tight situation. Usually I just kick the tiller to the appropriate side and focus on the motor tiller and shift. I can practically get the boat to do spinners that way. My OB is on a mount that gives me plenty of room to swing the motor tiller.

How shallow is it? Can you put your rudder all of the way down? If not you are probably better off raising it out of the water. There would be no forgiveness grounding your rudder in reverse, gives me chills just thinking about it.
As far as getting to the water in take I am able to reach it from the dock by raising the mount and tilting the motor.
Frank

 

[walt]

Another vote for running both the tiller and angling the outboard (both forward and reverse) when Im comming into a dock or need tight manuevering - and you can pretty much turn a boat in its own lenght doing this even going slow. When I get into more open area and have boat speed so that the rudder "works", I lock the outboard to center.

Grounding a mac rudder in reverse - yup, big ouch..

 

[Bob 04 H260]

steering with outboard

I hope to build a linkage between the tiller and motor at some point but have not done it yet.
I steer with the rudder only if I have enough way on, if it is tight and the boat is not turning fast enough I'll reach back and turn the motor and give it a little shot of gas to "kick" the back of the boat around. I find I can make the boat go anyplace I want in reverse, have used it a few times to come into a slip in very high winds when the bow of the boat could just not be turned.

So I don't "steer" with the motor except in reverse, but I will use it for "course corrections" in tight spots.

I will sometimes turn the motor toward the dock and use reverse to pull the stern in when I have a dock line off the bow already and the wind is pushing me off the dock.

I have a Honda, 9.9 extra long shaft and can not touch my Ida rudder with the prop no matter how I turn them. I can turn the motor a full lock turn to port and almost full to starboard.

Bob

 

[caguy]

Bob, if my motor mounted directly to the transom as does yours, I would be inclined to relocate my tiller to the top of the hood, or make a bracket to raise it clear the cubby hole.
Frank

 

[TC22454]

I have the Honda 9.9 XL shaft also and use both the motor and rudder to steer. With practice over time I have learned that I can turn the motor and pretty much counter steer with the tiller to go straight when approaching the slip. When I get to the slip I swing the tiller to combine with the motor and she spins on a dime. I can do this going very slow and just goosing the motor only when necessary for more speed or a tighter turn. Centering the motor, putting it in reverse and a quick throttle is all that's needed to stop her.

My boat don't like to stop so S L O W is the game. My attitude in marinas and docking is as fast as necessary for conditions but as slow as possible. This method works great for that attitude. Regarding going in reverse, this method is nice because it allows me to go slow and not put a lot of force on the rudder blade.

Caguy, I appreciate your coment to Bob and, at first, was going to do what you recommended. However, I never have because that tiller mounting bracket is a benefit and not a curse using the motor/tiller steerring method. It keeps the prop away from the rudder and allows for good control without distracting your thoughts from tight situations. Again, a quick goose of the motor is all it takes to tighten the turn without increasing boat speed - even if the motor won't turn as far in one direction.

 

[Jansen]

Where did you get that prop ring?

 

[Justin_NSA]

Where did you get that prop ring?

I bought it at a boat dealer in town. They are made locally. I think there are other sources online, try Googling it.