Stopping______________________________________
Remember that your boat does not have any brakes. It uses reverse
thrust from the propeller to stop. Remember that once headway is
gathered, water is fl owing past the drive in a set direction. Reversing
this fl ow to slow down will take some time. As power to the propeller
is increased, the propeller thrust becomes stronger and will reverse
the fl ow of water past the drive more completely.
At the instant between slowing down and reversing, there is a time
when there is no thrust delivered by the propeller. At this short lived
instant, the boat will not respond to the helm’s steering maneuvers, as
the boat is essentially in neutral with no thrust being provided. Steering
will begin to work again once water fl ows past the drive. Don’t forget
that once the boat starts moving in reverse, prop walk will become
more apparent. This is why experienced skippers undertake a port
side landing when wind and current conditions permit.
Experience is crucial to determining stopping distances and direction
under different current and wind conditions. Practice stopping so
that you can safely operate your boat under all boating conditions.
5-14
Chapter 5
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