Fairline Corniche - Move Sideways

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Dazzajohm

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Hi all,

I've recently bought a shaft drive fairline corniche and have just been spending some time getting used to handling it as I've moved up from a smaller single outdrive with bow thruster.

One thing - I just cant seem to make it go sideways. I always thought with shaft drive boats you could split the sticks to make the boat turn then turn the helm to steer against the direction of turn and the boat should move sideways.

I know these boats a fairly popular and some of you have or have had these. What am I missing?

Cheers
D
 
The trick is to turn the wheel over the way you want to go, then bursts astern on the engine away from the direction of travel, and hard bursts ahead on the travel side engine.

The idea is the the astern engine will naturally push the stern away from its side (prop walk), then the bursts ahead blast the rudder which in turn levers the bow round, but much depends on how big the rudders are. I could never make it work on my Turbo 36, nor my current Corvette, but the blades on both are quite small. I expect the Corniche has the same rudder.
 
Doesn’t work with the corniche, rudders are relatively ineffective until at 5knots plus and a relatively short hull doesn’t help.
Splitting the sticks she spins no problem though
 
"I always thought with shaft drive boats you could split the sticks to make the boat turn then turn the helm to steer against the direction of turn and the boat should move sideways. "

pretty sure that won't work - I suspect the boat will continue turnings per the throttle positions.
to make a shaft drive boat go sideways with just the engines isn't easy. If there is little or no wind you can use prop walk to progressively move the boat out sideways but the force is weak.
Basically put one engine into gear for just long enough that the boat starts to move forwards, and then back to neutral, then put the other lever into gear again just long enough so the boat starts to want to move forward then back to neutral again and so on etc. This effectively makes the boat waddle sideways - you will probably need to correct the boat position as you progress.
if you are stuck alongside, there are a variety of tricks using ropes and fenders that are much more effective - called "springing off". Try YouTube or someone else may be able to describe then more effectively than I can
 
Thanks for the replies.

Yes I did wonder whether the rudders may be a bit small to allow the boat sideways. I have driven a couple of workboats before with Jets and making them go sideways was a doddle but then again that’s completely different propulsion to props.

I was trying the prop walk scenario but I had a breeze blowing me back alongside so I could only get a short distance off the pontoon before I’d get blown back on again and boats all around me so it was rather tricky.

I’ll do as suggested and look at YouTube for how to spring off. I guess it’s just changing technique and getting used to it. With my previous single outdrive and bow thruster I could get her in and out of anywhere really easy even in a stiff breeze.

Cheers
D
 
At least on bigger ships (150m+ with dual propellers) if we want to move sideways we split the sticks so that we put about 20% forward and 35-40% aft so that the side you want to move to is the propeller going forward. (with pitch props the propeller turning direction doesn`t affect the end result) No rudder needed for this manouver although bow thruster will help a lot. Never have driven a shaft boat so cannot confirm it will work but might be a good idea to try on a quiet day.
 
We have had quite a few semi displacement boats, been driving boats since I was about 7 years old ,last two boats (birchwoods) and never had any problems going sideways but when we bought our sealine 360 twin shafts planing hull with small rudders I was rubbish and I mean rubbish at handling it infac I questioned how I ever drove any of the other boats made me feel like a complete novice , on the semi disp boats I always turned the wheel towards the way I wanted to go and put the opposite engine in reverse , but with the sealine to go left I use more forward gear on the left engine (thats the only way I can get the boat to move sideways) and dabs of the bow thruster , but I find using forward propulsion makes going sideways far easier than using reverse gear , This is just my opinion but I've master this boat now
Nick
 
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