As Rob knows I back in all the time as my preferred method of docking. On the frers 33 the shaft I centered and the prop is RH so there is some prop walk to port in reverse but it is not pronounced. The biggest issues are visibility and the lack of bite of the prop when shifting from forward to reverse. If I am travelling at three knots forward and then shift to reverse it takes well over 30 seconds for the boat to slow to a stop and then start moving backward. Meanwhile the bow will blow all over the place. This makes coming in bow first to a slip a bit problematic if moving at any speed since reverse really dow not put on the brakes for me. The prop is a Martec elliptical folding prop. The problem with visibility is that these older designs tend to have a very beamy boat midships and much narrower transom. This makes helmsman lose sight of dock edge as we get close. On top of that if sailing with a crew they are very hard to see through. Like many others here I put the boat in reverse at the end of the marina system and then back the entire way in to my slip. I will also be at idle and go in and out of reverse as we get close. I stand to the side of the wheel and drive it just like a car which has the turning wheels on the front. Once the boat is in place a very short burst of fwd stops the boat. It is simple and very easy. Most problems with docking are after the boat is lying right alongside when someone pulls the bow in too soon or too late etc ... but that is minor
One question that I have been wondering is how much difference would a geared prop make for initial bite in reverse. Someone mentioned that it was very good with a Gori but I would think that not much difference than a Martec. Mike Persistence. Done for the season Halifax, NS From: CnC-List [mailto:cnc-list-boun...@cnc-list.com] On Behalf Of robert via CnC-List Sent: Friday, October 21, 2016 10:10 PM To: 1 CnC List; Chuck S Cc: robert Subject: Stus-List Slip Choice, backing in Chuck: I agree with you.....backing in does provide more control, especially for the bow. I have done this a few times over the past month or so as I have had to move my boat from one slip to another and I chose to back in so I did not have to change my lines and fenders from one side to the other.....it was far less stressful than I had thought. It makes leaving the slip a lot easier as well. Rob Abbott AZURA C&C 32 - 84 Halifax, N.S.
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