Driving Outdrive Legs

[SmoothNBlue]

We have just taken delivery of a Targa 40 with KAD44s with outdrive legs.
Any tips on driving and parking this!


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[Talon]

Small throttle movements, keep the revs low.

I tend to click the throttle in, hold for 2 seconds then click to neutral. You can then move the boat very gently. I think one mistake people make is handfuls of throttle, it all starts to get out of hand! Unless it is a very windy day, then obviously you need a bit more power.

I guess you have twin engines, centre the steering and use the engines to turn you, one engine forward and one reverse to turn on the spot, then use the engines independently to steer yourself to your mooring. Again, one click movements, hold for 2 secs approx. Keep it calm and simple.

<hr width=100% size=1>Alex

<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.mad-als.com>http://www.mad-als.com</A>

 

[[2574]]

Agree with everything that Talon says, except centreing the helm and driving on engines alone. That doesn't work on our T39 with twin KAD43's. Because the legs are close together you don't get the directional thrust from one using only one engine that you do from shaft boats. However, you do get excellent thrust from using a combination of helm and choice of engine which makes the boat super-manouverable. But as Talon says - no power, or as little as possible, at all times. I usually use one engine only to push me down the marina fairway as slowly as possible and then only use the second engine with helm for directional control.

Have fun - you'll find the boat very east to control after a little ptractice. Before our T39 we had a single engine shaft boat which was a nightmare to control by comparison.

rob

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[Mike21]

You need to ideally use the helm as well as engines to manouver with duoprops. rest as Talon posted
Using engines only works well with shafts or single prop outdrives.
It might be worth getting some instruction if you are not sure.

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[RDL]

Would have to dissagree with Mike21, I have a Targa 37 with Kad44s. Once in the Marina, steering wheel is in the neutral position and then use engines only. As previous posters have said, into gear then straight back out again. Bit of Bow Thruster to help keep the bow turning as I back into my berth. I do agree that outdrive boats are highly manouverable when the wheel is used in conjunction with throttle, but as yet I have not found the need.

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[Benny1]

Oh dear...this is a sore point in my family...I use the steering and throttles and my Dad (having had a lesson I bought him last year) insists that you need only use the engines. We have had several 'disagreements' over this.

I think (but I am biased) that you need to use the wheel as well...using engines alone on a calm, windless day is fine, but if there is a strong breeze or worse it's much, much easier to use the wheel as well. Shaft driven boats are fine with throttles alone, but an outdrive boat with a bit of windage (as a Targa 40 has) tends to get blown about a lot more.

Outdrive driven boats do not 'sit' as steadily in the water as a shaft drive boat principally because they are much lighter (due to much smaller engines). They also have the cnetre of gravity much nearer the stern for obvious reasons, which means they don't spin as well.

In my opinion both of these mean it's much better to use the wheel in conjunction with the throttles. However, this method can get confusing until you are used to it, especially if you get into a panic. So, as witht he other posters, I would agree that you can never be going too slowly or use too little throttle, that way if you get it wrong, you only have a gentle tap as opposed to a big bang.

One good analogy is a supermarket trolley. Steering a twin outdrive boat requires exaclty the same imputs from the engines as a trplley does from your hands.

Hope this helps.

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[Col]

I find with duo's, best manouvering is achieved with a combination of wheel and engines. To turn on the spot to std, initiate turn with full stbd helm, touch of port engine ahead. As soon as boat starts to move, opposite helm, stbd engine astern. This will turn boat virtually in own length. Do the opposite to turn the other way.

Mooring up, I tend to use one engine at a time for control. Use engine nearest pontoon (with engine in reverse, helm turned towards pontoon) to pull stern of boat into pontoon. You need to vary this technique with differing tidal and wind influences, maybe using one engine more than the other.

If you are really unsure, arrange a days own boat tution with someone like Powerskipper.

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[Talon]

one other weird thing we have with ours and I don't know if this is a standard thing but you may want to be aware as it took me a while to figure out.

If you press the throttles forward they reach a point where they click, the gear engages and you move forward on tick over. Bring them back to neutral and the gear disengages and the engines idle.

However!

If you pull the throttles back, they reach a point where they click, the gear engages and you move backwards on tick over. Bring them back to neutral and they do NOT disengage and the boat continues on a reverse idle course. To disengage the gear box you have to pass neutral by going towards the forward click and then come back to neutral.

Can anyone tell me if theirs is the same, also, why is that the case, it is a right pain in the butt! The amount of times I give the throttles the usual wobble to make sure I am out of gear, then suddenly find myself drifting backwards on a slight turn because one of the engines were engaged in gear.



<hr width=100% size=1>Alex

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[Dave_Snelson]

Always manouevre at tick over speed - never any more, 'cos you'll just embarass yourself. You can "tank" steer a boat like yours as well as using the helm. Moving slowly ahead with full stbd helm and port motor only, turns you quite quickly, but not as quick as engaging the reverse on the port motor while moving (and vice versa). Just take your time - there's no rush. Cheers.

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[BrendanS]

Sounds like it needs adjusting.

<hr width=100% size=1>There is no such thing as "fun for the whole family."

 

[kghowe]

Try this trick if you want some practice.

Go to your local B&Q Superstore, has to be a superstore for maximum effect. Choose if you want to simulate a mid summers afternoon at free flow or a mid winter trip, ie go Saturday mid day or Tuesday morning and load 3 bags of gravel and 6off 6ftx4" fence posts on one of those flat trolleys. Scoot around at your hearts content imagining every isle is a marina berth. You can even introduce a points system and if feeling really adventurious stick the wife in the front with a mop (aka boat hook) and she can get dockside practice as well. Take the kids for a Real feel of how to be distracted just when it matters scenario.

All good fun.

KGH

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[miket]

Hi Alan.
I'm sure Alan is too modest to admit that he and his wife have been boating for many years in a variety of primarily inboard engined boats, most of which have been twins.
The niceties of boating will be very familiar.
The vagaries of outdrive in comparison to inboard may be less familiar.

Alan, I should flog it and get a proper one with inboards!!

If you insist on persevering try the 2 methods suggested here (wheel centred and use of wheel) and see which suits.
When John and I were doing the VP boat handling competitions at Southampton, we received what we deemed to be good advise from the Yachtmaster Instructor in charge of a Sunseeker Portofina 400 with twin outdrives, which worked well and reduced complexity.
For manouvering only, try using steering but one engine only. Doesn't matter which one. Advantages were:
Only one gearlever to worry about.
Reduced tickover speed through water.

Also remember that the pivot point of an inboard engined planing boat such as your last one will be around midships, whereas the T40 will be around the outdrive legs, right aft.
In reverse use the bowthruster to counter the skidding bow. You did get the bowthruster?

An experienced chap like you will get used to it in no time.

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[SmoothNBlue]

Thanks everybody for the input - the weather's looking good this week end, so we'll give it a try!!



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[powerskipper]

Best advice is to go out into a clear area of water and play.
Find where your boats pivot point is on a forward’s turn and a reverse turn. They may differ.
Try using the wheel to aid turning and turning on throttles only.
The trick I have found is to not turn the wheel on full lock as this can create a strong swing when berthing.
Try to use only half wheel turn for low speed manoeuvres.
But do go and spend a morning playing with her. Its fun!
And if you still feel unsure get an instructor who knows outdrives to spend a day with you.

<hr width=100% size=1>Julie ,
IMOSHO of course,/forums/images/icons/smile.gif<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1>Edited by powerskipper on 11/02/2004 18:44 (server time).</FONT></P>

 

[Roy]

Hello Alan and Beverley

When leaving your berth : You cannot go too slowly. Put the wheel amidships and dunt the engines in and out of gear for just a second each - just enough to make headway and the start of turns. Watch the tide or the current closely before you move off and note the wind speed/direction. Stern driven boats can 'sail' if the wind catches the covers on the beam or stern. When returning to your berth: What I have always done, is come in to the marina with wheel amid'ships and just using engines - stop one to swing the boat to opposite side and so on. Sometimes a dunt astern on one engine to tighten the turn. By the time I get to the pontoon and the finger, I have a good feel for the wind/current etc. I next go past the finger end about a half boat length out and about two thirds of the boat past the fingers end. I then stop the boat dead using the engines astern for a quick burst. I turn around at the helm and face the stern and then port astern a touch and strbrd ahead.( I do it this way because there is a 20 ft stone wall that stops a port side to approach) Once she is lined up parallel to the finger, I just nudge her back in light touches on either engine until alongside her berth. Just judge the speed and distance and practise practise practise using plenty of fenders and you will become really good very quickly. We like to keep a boat hook and a rope handy and grab hold of the first boat cleat or the finger cleats. We always get anyone who offers to help to grab the pre-hung line at the midship cleat on our boat. Stern driven boats will swing round rapidly if some well meaning punter pulls on the stern or bow line and could result in a wee bash or two - to the boat of course - not the helpful punter - as if we would..? If you want any advice on trimming and planing your boat correctly, I can help but there are some members on this site who are actually professional instructors and they may advise you much better than I can - although according to my son, I am 'da bizness' when drivin the boat!! Cheers. Roy

<hr width=100% size=1>What does this mean then?

 

[TRH]

Hi Talon you have the same boat as myself,and I had the same problem. It's a very fine adjustment on the 305 fitted with Volvo controls I spent a day getting it right.

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[adarcy]

Re: Sorry Col

Far be it for me to be too pickey but surely you meant to type "with the engine AWAY from the pontoon" - greater leverage and especially if it is single prop the paddlewheel will help.
Even on our Targa27 with 205 DPs there was a marginal paddlewheel effect in reverse. Forward thrust on a port engine alone will move the stern portwards so if you are trying to reverse into a pontoon on the port side or slow to a stop and pull the stern in to the port I am sure you meant to type - using astern on the engine away from the pontoon

Anthony

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[ArthurWood]

"When docking, neutral should be your favourite gear." someone once told me. As others have said, do everything as if in slow motion and just nudge in and out of gear for a second or two at a time. If you screw up, don't panic, but pull away and start over again. Make sure your crew knows what you want them to do, if anything, and tell the rest to sit down out of the way and be quiet. You don't want a lot of distractions during what can be one of the most stressful aspects of boating. Practice either on a quiet area of water, if possible using a couple of floating fenders, held on the bottom, to simulate your mooring. Or find an empty mooring in a quiet marina and practice after everyone else has gone home.. Good luck

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[Talon]

Thanks for that, can I ask where you did the adjustments?

<hr width=100% size=1>Alex

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