Sabre 27 handling astern

[Cockaigne]

For goodness sake, the Sabre is not a large boat boat by modern standards. It will obey the laws of physics and although I haven't sailed one, I have handled many similar boats, and they are invariably handy enough. True, they are smaller and lighter, and will be blown off course more quickly by the wind, but manoeuvring a boat like this is basic seamanship. The last two posts have summed almost everything necessary to control such a boat. There is no such thing as aboat that won't go astern. There are particular problems associated with boats with twin rudders, or long keels with a prop in a hole that never acts on the rudder, but we need to remember that we are not fighting the boat but out to enjoy ourselves.

https://www.yachtingmonthly.com/sailing-skills/going-astern-with-twin-long-and-fin-keels-2-34582

 

[DoubleEnder]

Interesting. Thank you. I own a full keeled boat with the prop in an aperture and a keel hung rudder. There are things that you can and can’t do and I’m reasonably aware of them. Always room for improvement and in many ways the most important thing is to be aware of what is possible and adviseable in the circumstances. But having just spent a few days in a marina- rare for me- I was impressed by the way that modern yachts with flattish underbodies and fun keels can be driven like cars in reverse. And I wondered if Sabre 27 was in that category.

 

[Davy_S]

But an Albin Vega is much more "interesting" with the prop abaft the rudder

Quite, I found the best solution was to pretend that I meant to hit the berth

 

[Andibs]

Nuts. Any small boat will blow off downwind, especially if it has a furling jib. It's time to learn to cope with it and not blame the boat.

Interesting how my bow will go upwind then when I start off till I get speed up. How long did you have a tomahawk for?

 

[LittleSister]

I own a full keeled boat with the prop in an aperture and a keel hung rudder. . . . And I wondered if Sabre 27 was in that category.

Sorry, I had misunderstood your original post.

The answer is no, it is not in the same category. It likely won't be as handy as most more modern boats, but significantly easier to control in astern than your current long-keeler. Same principles and advice given by various people above will apply, but the rudder will be more effective in astern than a keel hung one with a prop cut-out.