Zing
Well-known member
A lot of boats will find that manoeuvre hard without a bow thruster.There is no way that my fin keeled counter sterned Nicholson will reverse into a marina berth.
But she will heave to nicely.
A lot of boats will find that manoeuvre hard without a bow thruster.There is no way that my fin keeled counter sterned Nicholson will reverse into a marina berth.
But she will heave to nicely.
The only place I go in stern first is St Katharines, but when I bought her the previous owner took her in stern to, at Palma is a stiff cross wind, picking up the bow mooring line on the way in. Even 15 years on, I am not sure that I would be able to repeat the manoeuvre!There is no way that my fin keeled counter sterned Nicholson will reverse into a marina berth.
But she will heave to nicely.
I'm not saying it can't be done. In fact I did once manage to do it but it wasn't the berth I intended to go into.I’d video that anytime - what works for fin keeled wide sterned boat may be more amusing in your case.
Do you mean I should reverse my Twister into a marina berth?
You want to sell that old boat and get yerself a proper 'modern' long-keeler like a Vanouver 27...
Actually directional certainly when going astern was dramatically improved when I fitted a Darglow feathering prop: if one wants to use prop-kick as usual (mine is to port so I can use this with the tiller hard over and alternate bursts in for'd and astern to turn in her own length) then just give it plenty of welly, but if you ease the revs on quite gently she'll usually track nicely astern without any drama... usually!
Feature | Vancouver 27 | Twister | |
Transom | Vertical | Steeply raked | |
Rudder | Broad, vertical | Narrow, raked | |
Propellor aperture | Very large | Very small |
I have adopted a simple technique that I first saw a French yachtsman using.
Rig a bow fender.
Motor gently up to the walkway at the end of the catway so that the bow fender is pressed against it.
Leave the engine running slowly.
Put the tiller over towards the catway and hold it there with a loop of shockcord ( I have a loop each side)
The boat will stay put while you step ashore and attach your lines.
I have sailed several different long keel boats; none of them backed up in any reliable fashion until I changed and faired in the dead wood end as well as profiled & enlarged the rudder on our current boat, a Colvic Watson 32.
No, no. I'm happy with my Twister.
That’s very interesting. However, a comparison of the hull profiles of the Vancouver 27 and the Twister shows significant differences.
View attachment 107740
Feature Vancouver 27 Twister Transom Vertical Steeply raked Rudder Broad, vertical Narrow, raked Propellor aperture Very large Very small
View attachment 107741
It’s not just Vancouver’s though -you can do the same to a Hallberg I suspectI once sailed in my hanse 311 in company with a Vancouver 36 from Eyemouth to Blythe. She had full sail & I put 2 reefs in the main & furled the jib. She started off afew hundred yards ahead & i had to keep stopping for her. After the Farne Islands I called her up & said that I could not go any slower & I would have to leave them behind & meet up in Blyth. I Shook the reefs out & arrived nearly an hour before the Vancouver. It was being sailed by an experienced sailor as well. A few days later the same 2 sailors sailed the other owner's 34 ( one had a 36 & one had a 34) to the Tyne to get fuel & I shot past that in a F6 as though it was moored up.
Give me a Twister over a Vancouver any day of the week, if only for the looks. But then I had 2 stellas, so i might be a bit biased
Mind you they don't have to park very often. Just crash at the end.There is a french bloke sailing an IMOCA 60 around the world at the moment in the Vendee Globe properly single-handed (he has only one hand) and he is managing ok.
Do you mean I should reverse my Twister into a marina berth?
Imagine the panic amongst neighbouring yachts when someone shouts:Go on then - live a little.
Oh, they crash in the middle a lot too.Mind you they don't have to park very often. Just crash at the end.