Stern Drives

[Guest]

Does anyone have any hints or tips for using sterns drives - especially when linked to 2 powerful engines?? We have just bought our first boat and are worried that we may have 'bitten off more than we can chew' as we had not realised that stern drives react differently to other steering. As somewhat 'mature' novices, we would really welcome any tips from all you vastly more experienced boaters. Many thanks in anticipation.
Pearl McGlen

 

[hlb]

Better give us some more info then. How big a boat/ What sort? What problems are you having? Welcome to Gardeners Question Time.

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Haydn

 

[Guest]

She's a Vee Express 267, overall length 32ft (long 'beak' at front!) the engines are
Volvo Penta V6's 205hp each. Apparently capable of 38-40 knots & enough acceleration to use for waterskiing!! But remeber, we are on the RIVER!!

 

[Guest]

I forgot to add, we are in a marina - hence the worries of handling!!

 

[LeytonC]

Hi, what river are you on?

I have 2 outdrives as well, so here are my top tips!!!
(Please correct as nessesary)

1) The distance apart usually dictates how good manoeuvring you get so
if they are close together then you MAY be better using them as one engine.

2) Very, very light throttle control, slip in gear and then out NEVER give it some
revs cos once the props grip the acceleration could place crew overboard.
(you will not be popular)

3) either, use engines or helm NOT BOTH, if you do then you will hit somthing.

4) Remember on the river there is flow, when mooring river side allow extra
throttle!!! but whatch for tip 2!!!!

5) Outdrives require flow thru props for steering so once in neutral you can turn steering without much effect, so be carfull, cos if you turn wheel and engage drive
boat will do something you dont expect.

6) If you are unsure, use *LOTS* of fenders.

7) Find a quite peice of the river and mess about, you will learn loads about your
boat.

8) Port engine forward, boat swings starboard.
Port engine astern, boat swings port.
S'board forward, boat swings port.
S'board astern, boat swings starboard.

9) Practise make perfect, go as slow as you can in marina. Dont shout at crew it upsets them.

10) have fun!!!!

Thanks

Leyton
(River Severn / Bristol Channel)

 

[hlb]

Firstly. outdrives are not as good at manuvering as shafts. But anyway the princible is the same. As said. the further apart the engines the beter. In the marina. First make sure the wheel is dead ahead. Then do not touch it till out in river. Use the engines only. Blip one into reverse and the other in forwards. to turn. Always leave a berth backwards. In reality this usualy means that the boat neads to come out of its berth at 90 deg. Buy a big round fender.and put it at the bow, just about the point where the bow starts to turn sharply inwards. Experiment for the right place. Now using only the engines you should be able to pivot the boat on the fender which is touching the pontoon and push your stern away, even in strong winds. Before doing anything, look where the wind and tide is coming from. Use it to you advantage where ever posible. Remember some manuvers are imposible in some conditions, so you nee planB or C. Learn Tutts pattented, cleat lassooing tecnique. So lets say strong wind is blowing off the pontoon. Ok not possible in marina finger berth but. Drive boats bow facing cleat. Holding two ends of rope, stand at bow and swing the rope over the cleat. Tie off with a little slack. How much needs working out youself. Now. Who ever is driving can swing the stern in. Again using only the engines. The near side one bliping into forards and the outer one reverse. When you get cleaver you can keep just the right amount of tension on the rope till the stern is along side. Meanwhile. Who evre was at the front. Calmly walks to the stern and pops the rope on tother cleat. Anything else??

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Haydn

 

[MBJB]

I’m on the river too. If you’re like me, you’ll think you need to avoid going anywhere with too many people around. I was a bit of a wuss and wanted to avoid the embarrassment of crashing with all the grockles watcing! I hasten to add it never happened.

Some will tell you that having sterndrives actually makes manoeuvring easier in many situations - 'tis true.
Anyway :
a) it really isn’t too bad at all and using them is the best way to understand what happens with any given control change.

b) As Leyton says, until you are familiar with your set up, avoid using both helm and throttles together to steer – use one or the other at slow speeds (locks, marinas etc.) I only used the engines to start with. To get enough steerage with the drives only, often meant that I was carrying too much speed for my own comfort. You’ll soon get the hang of it and will be able to use either (or both together which gives the most immediate results – but see c below)

c) Make sure you know where the sterndrives are pointing before applying throttle. Doesn’t matter whether you use reverse or forwards, getting it wrong can have surprising results - If I’m not sure, I count the number of turns on the wheel from full lock to full lock (with the throttle in neutral!) and then count half the number back again– they should then be pointing centrally. (I don’t have an indicator like some do)

I found doing an “inland waterways helmsman” course really useful too. Doing it sooner after I’d bought the boat would have avoided some of my more interesting mooring attempts – an added bonus is that SWMBO also takes the helm now!

You’ll know when you’ve sussed it – you‘ll be mooring / locking without ever getting off the boat.


All the best

 

[duncan]

practice practice practice
and that goes for 1 shaft, 1 drive , 2 shafts or s drives all with or without bow, stern thrusters etc
just spend a weekday manoevering around the marina seeing how the current effects things, reaction to wind, etc
couple of specifics - drives will act like small rudders when water is flowing over them - especially BIIIs
as already hinted strongly - only use tickover revs for manoevering
stop boat in a reasonably open position and see what the current / wind are doing before heading into the berth - obvious but...
oh..and enjoy it

 

[ChrisP]

In a smallish sports boat I’ve never found 1 ahead and 1 astern turning very effective. I usually use them same as an outboard rig. If you’re new at it take it gently and only use one drive at a time. If you’re on the river you’ll probably find that 1 engine will give you all the umph you need anyway. Take it easy find a quiet spot then play for a couple of hours turning, reversing, approaching imaginary posts etc keep playing with both engines and find out what the different effects are. Then let the other half have a go. Don’t try anything too flash for a couple of hours it can all go S**T shaped bloody quickly

Good luck

ChrisP ;o))


What do you mean the sea gull in front's walking !!!

 

[LeytonC]

Forgot to say (this is probably known by everyone)
make sure the drive gaiters (not sure on spelling) are changed
either every 2 years or whenever needed cos water in the
drive is not a good thing. Also once boat lifted check the lower oil
seals for fishing line as line cuts them and water gets in.

Hope this helps!!



Thanks

Leyton
(River Severn / Bristol Channel)

 

[Bejasus]

Where did you find your Inland Waterways Helmsmans course. I am fairly new to this and a couple of the rivers on the Broads can be extremely rapid on an ebb tide. I don't have the complicatio(benefit?) of outdrives as I am on a shaft. At least I have a bit of spare HP if required. SWIMBO could use some tuition also as I work offshore and she won't take the boat out on her own yet.

"I am the master of my fate: I am the captain of my soul."..........I think????

 

[MapisM]

Just curious, but...

...on which basis did you choose the boat?
Nothing against it, but doesn't seem the best choice for the type of usage.

 

[adarcy]

Hi Pearl

We had the same setup 205/sterndrives on our Targa27 (LOA29)

I presume yours are Duoprops, if so a lot of the good advice you have had here doesn't really apply.

Single props will do a paddlewalk, just as shaftdrives do but usually less efficiently as they are closer together. We found that this ahead on one and astern on the other did not spin the boat very effectively. The point about Duoprops is that they are balanced and do not have a paddlewheel effect.

We found the best way was to use the engines alternatively after having turned the wheel to the other lock. eg you want to move the stern of the boat away from the pontoon on your starboard, wheel to starboard - very short engagement of power on the port engine, almost into gear and straight out again, moves the stern a bit to port obviously with the fender on the stbd front quarter as advised to protect the hull. Then spin the wheel to port whilst in neutral and then a bit of astern on starboard. You are now 30-45 degrees to the pontoon and can either engage the port in astern straighten the wheel and just reverse away or take it out of gear, wheel to starboard and engage astern on port which will pull the bow off, nuge the stern back a bit and you will be (roughly) parallel to the pontoon but a few feet off.

We found the secret was to use the outside engine when you have vectored them.

Best of luck and practice somewhere quiet and well fendered.

Anthony

 

[boatone]

"...........with the fender on the stbd front quarter as advised to protect the hull.....!
Front quarter???? Wot sort of boats that then....?/forums/images/icons/smile.gif

<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.boatsontheweb.com/galleryframes.html> BoatsOnTheWeb and Boaters Photo Gallery</A>

 

[adarcy]

Re: quarters

A beginners !

<<we have just bought.....>>

just trying not to retype everything from previous posts - sorry

 

[hlb]

Oi. Why's it shrunk??

Like that, he means. Wats up with ya/forums/images/icons/laugh.gif

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Haydn

 

[MBJB]

We did ours with Bisham Abbey in Bucks (or is it Berks?) on our boat, but you could use theirs. It's a nice easy, relaxed 1 day affair. I think it was an RYA jobbie so I guess most RYA centres would do the same course.

Covers locks too, but as your on the broads that probably wouldn't be much use (unless you're planning on doing some of the rivers...?)

 

[Bejasus]

I was thinking mainly to give 'er indoors the confidence to take 'er outdoors out with me if i'm away at the time. Thanks I will check around.

"I am the master of my fate: I am the captain of my soul."..........I think????

 

[Bejasus]

I was thinking mainly to give 'er indoors the confidence to take 'er outdoors out without me if i'm away at the time. Thanks I will check around.

"I am the master of my fate: I am the captain of my soul."..........I think????

 

[bernard_foster]

The trick is... to look and point ther boat where you want to go, rather than lookomg 1- = 2- feet in front of the bow. And if you want to spin around in a smaller circle, give it a few more re