Moving sailboat in reverse gear over some distance

Just commenting ... but if anyone knows the channel from harbour to Hayling Yacht Co pontoons ..... I did that by use of furling genny and anchor ... my engine had seized ... 25ft Motor sailer ...

"poultey" - you say channel is winding - it just takes a little working out - but its what the old sailing ships etc did long before engines .... warping / sailing out.
 
Poignard said:
If you have a tender with an outboard, or can borrow one, this works:

Boat towing and berthing by tender - Practical Boat Owner
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I was also going to recommend the tender and outboard approach…. I did this on my old Contessa 26 when the Yanmar GM gearbox shifting cone would not stay in forward gear over 0.5K.

What made it slightly more amusing is I was taking my Day Skipper course on my own boat around Anglesey at the time. Trying to tow the boat on the last leg through the Swellies was not on the RYA syllabus, but our onboard instructor said this was covered under ‘practical seamanship’ !
 
I'd try Plum's suggestion of undo shaft coupling and add a washer in each bolt and refit, it if goes quiet cruise slowly to your destination forward then remove washers and recify rope cutter issue.
Measure washer thickness and make sure they match so as not to throw out alignment.
Refit with new nyloc nuts when done.
 
Have a look at the coupling at the gearbox. If you are lucky it will be a clamp type coupling. Loosen the clamp bolts (probably Allen key drive) and ease the shaft back a couple of millimeters, then tighten the clamp bolts. Mark the shaft first to give you a reference point. There may be a 4 or 6mm bolt going through the coupling and through the shaft in the middle of the coupling. This could be removed temporarily.
 
+1 to using your tender to tow it. 2 miles in a flat calm will be way less hassle than reversing.
 
Plum said:
Assuming the diagnosis is correct then I see no problem at all by reversing for 2 miles, and assuming you boat will steer sufficiently well in reverse. How close is "too close" to the P bracket? I assume you only need to move the rope cutter 3 or 4mm aft and if so I would separate the shaft coupling from the gearbox and re fasten with a 4mm thick washer for each bolt so the shaft moves aft by that amount, then you can motor forward.
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Indeed, I bought a purpose made spacer to do exactly this
 
I think other are making too much of a meal of this. Reversing 2 miles is perfectly doable if you just proceed at a slow pace, and in settled weather and gentle tide. Allow plenty of time.

Even boats which 'don't steer in reverse' for the purposes of moving into and out of berths (and I have had several long-keelers which are notorious for this) will steer quite acceptably once you start moving aft at a steady, modest pace.

To relieve strain on whoever is on the helm, you could rig up a temporary line to limit the tiller/rudder movement to about 20 or 30 degrees either way once you get going so it doesn't slam full over to one side, but this must be immediately and easily releasable. This could be e.g a line with a clove hitch over the tiller in the centre of the line, with either end taken to a cleat or winch on either side of the cockpit.

Getting a tow, or driving your boat with a dinghy and outboard tied alongside are also reasonable options.

For a tow, take sure the skipper of the towing boat is a cooperative and sensible type, that you have a ready means of communication (handheld VHFs amd/or agreed hand signals) and use a long stout line (ideally with a chain in the middle section - its weight will create a catenary to absorb snatch).

For dinghy alongside you will need several people. Make sure you have plenty of fenders between the two boats (allow for them being rocked up and down significantly against one another by a passing wake or waves), agree signals between the helms of the two boats.

Good luck, and do report back on how you get on.
 
johnalison said:
Depending on the tender, my 2.5 outboard would need refuelling more than once if working hard for maybe an hour.
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Yup, might need a refuel or two.

(Just to be clear, I also think it would be tolerable in reverse, but I would personally find it less hassle to tow.)
 
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I too agree that its not such a daunting mission ... just takes thought before starting off ...

I can understand for the newcomer and not so experienced owner - it can be daunting - but we all learn from such ...

2 miles is nothing in a car ... motorboat .. sailboat without problem ... but in OP's case - 2 miles can be a long way if taken wrong way ... and my honest opinion is that trying to do that going astern is not such a great idea.

I think I am not only one who will be interested to read the final decision and about the actual event ... honest interest and not to ridicule or be snidey ..
 
There are downsides: steering will be compromised, if it is a tiller, you will need some muscle to controll it.

The main issue is your engine/shaft coupling; that is designed to push the boat, which pushes the shaft into the gearbox, which pushed into the engine. If your reverse; you are pulling on the shaft,; the shaft wants to pull out of the boat. Nothing dramatic, just take it slow and you'll be fine.

Also: people sailed on rivers, even narrow winding rivers. Sail with the headsail and when turn on the engine for the parts where you can't sail?
 
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