and the act of pushing the bow to the appropriate direction. At
greater speeds, even the slightest movement at the helm will result in
quick reaction by the boat. As the vessel operator gains experience,
he/she will better gauge each maneuver and speed situation. There
is no substitute for actual experience driving a vessel, and the skipper
should always keep that in mind while keeping the safety of himself
and his passengers in the highest priority.
Backing Down_________________________________
Inboard-outboard (I/O) boats do not feature conventional rudders.
The boat uses a steering system that directs the propeller thrust by
turning the stern drive unit where the propeller is mounted. If your
boat has the steering wheel and stern drive straight while in reverse,
not only will you put your thrust forward, thus directing the boat
backwards, but due to prop walk, you may feel the stern being pushed
to port by the reversing propeller thrust. This tendency to back to
port can be eliminated by turning the stern drive to starboard.
Usually once a vessel begins to gather speed to stern, water passing
by the drive will continue to increase steering torque, and movements
will begin to seem more dramatic. When in reverse, turning the helm
wheel to starboard will direct propeller thrust to port, tracking the
stern to starboard. When backing to port, the helm wheel must be
turned to port. Also, prop walk is normally more pronounced in
reverse, and steering should be adjusted accordingly.
Remember a boat turns about its center of gravity. The stern of your
boat when going in reverse will lead before the vessel actually starts to
turn. Nothing can replace hands on experience.
5-13
Vessel Operation
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