peterb
Well-Known Member
It's all good advice. Just a couple of points, though:-
Where possible, keep the speed down. If you're going to hit something, then the slower the better. But............as the wind gets up you'll find that you will need more speed to give sufficient control. So do your early attempts under light conditions, leave the heavy weather handling until you've had some experience.
As you say, one of the problems is in going down between two pontoons, then finding that you need to reverse out or turn round. So go in backwards, then if anything goes wrong you can easily come out forwards.
Learn to control the boat going backwards. Most boats (certainly a Centaur) will control providing that you are going fast enough. Remember that when you are going forward the prop wash is over the rudder, so that you can control the boat even if she is stopped in the water. When you are reversing, though, the prop wash is directed forwards, away from the rudder, and your rudder will only work if the boat is moving. Try giving the boat a short blast at full throttle, enough to get her moving, then go back to neutral, get control, then (once the boat is pointing in the right direction) go to tick-over astern.
Practice in open water. Make up a dan buoy, and try manoeuvring round it. Because you and the buoy are both affected by the tide in the same way, it's as if you are in still water. First thing to try is leaving the boat alone, no sail, no engine. Start by facing into the wind, so that the wind slows you down then stops you. Chances are that the bow will swing away from the wind, and left alone for long enough the boat will take up a steady position relative to the wind. Most boats go beam on. Now try manoeuvring. Try doing figures of eight, first forwards then backwards; keep your speed down so that the wind has more effect and watch the effect that the wind has. You'll find that the boat likes to be in that beam-on position; she's slow to get out of it but fast to get back to it. Remember in a marina, that's the boat's preferred position; bring her to a stop and she'll try to turn to that position.
Basically, go and play with your boat. Try her in all positions relative to the wind and learn how she handles. Go enjoy yourself!!
Where possible, keep the speed down. If you're going to hit something, then the slower the better. But............as the wind gets up you'll find that you will need more speed to give sufficient control. So do your early attempts under light conditions, leave the heavy weather handling until you've had some experience.
As you say, one of the problems is in going down between two pontoons, then finding that you need to reverse out or turn round. So go in backwards, then if anything goes wrong you can easily come out forwards.
Learn to control the boat going backwards. Most boats (certainly a Centaur) will control providing that you are going fast enough. Remember that when you are going forward the prop wash is over the rudder, so that you can control the boat even if she is stopped in the water. When you are reversing, though, the prop wash is directed forwards, away from the rudder, and your rudder will only work if the boat is moving. Try giving the boat a short blast at full throttle, enough to get her moving, then go back to neutral, get control, then (once the boat is pointing in the right direction) go to tick-over astern.
Practice in open water. Make up a dan buoy, and try manoeuvring round it. Because you and the buoy are both affected by the tide in the same way, it's as if you are in still water. First thing to try is leaving the boat alone, no sail, no engine. Start by facing into the wind, so that the wind slows you down then stops you. Chances are that the bow will swing away from the wind, and left alone for long enough the boat will take up a steady position relative to the wind. Most boats go beam on. Now try manoeuvring. Try doing figures of eight, first forwards then backwards; keep your speed down so that the wind has more effect and watch the effect that the wind has. You'll find that the boat likes to be in that beam-on position; she's slow to get out of it but fast to get back to it. Remember in a marina, that's the boat's preferred position; bring her to a stop and she'll try to turn to that position.
Basically, go and play with your boat. Try her in all positions relative to the wind and learn how she handles. Go enjoy yourself!!
