QBhoy
Well-Known Member
Bit of a novel to follow, but here goes and hopefully starts an interesting post in these dark and depressing winter days and pre season !
So, my old fellow owns a stunning old Princess 385 with lovely tamd61 306hp's on shafts. She has extensively explored all the west coast of Scotland has to offer and faultlessly at that (hopefully owing to my meticulous servicing regime, year after year and the almost contorsionist abilities required to change the starboard engine oil filter).
Point being, my father now has to go in for a knee operation and won't be as nimble up and down the fly bridge steps as he used to be this season. Therefore, I will be tasked with close quarters manouvering.
Now, having had 30 years plus at handling motor boats from 18 foot to 24ft with a single leg outdrive, I fancy myself at anything such a boat can throw at me. In my own boat, even in a wind blowing me off the jetty, I can pretty accurately point the boat at around a 30o angle to the pier with a bit of forward momentum and at the last minute, turn the steering and hence the drive leg and prop toward the jetty and a nudge of reverse will see her slide in gracefully toward the jetty...almost in a sideways motion. Ideal !
This to me is fine, because the thrust is pulling the boat towards the pier whilst still having forward momentum.
With the big princess and no thrusters, it becomes a bit of a conundrum at to what option to go for.
The old man and his experience makes it look easy, to the point where an onlooker once commented on him "showing off with the bow thruster" that he doesn't have.
He tells me this evening that when going towards a jetty on the port side, he would be creeping in and out of gear on the stbd engine (with port in neutral) at the around 25-30o angle, them a quick nudge with the port engine in reverse would pull her in. It clearly works, but just interested to hear of others tekkers on this. With the steering on such a boat mainly relying on water travelling over the rudders, it's a different kettle of fish to what I'm used to...being able to physically move the direction of thrust with the leg.
Things are made all the more dramatic by the shear relentless power of the engines and fierce pitching of the props. Added to this, not being able to see the edges in relative to the jetty at close quarters, makes it all the more nerve racking.
Love to here of your theories and techniques, but I unlitmatly know that I'll no doubt find my way with her and practice makes perfect.
Allan
So, my old fellow owns a stunning old Princess 385 with lovely tamd61 306hp's on shafts. She has extensively explored all the west coast of Scotland has to offer and faultlessly at that (hopefully owing to my meticulous servicing regime, year after year and the almost contorsionist abilities required to change the starboard engine oil filter).
Point being, my father now has to go in for a knee operation and won't be as nimble up and down the fly bridge steps as he used to be this season. Therefore, I will be tasked with close quarters manouvering.
Now, having had 30 years plus at handling motor boats from 18 foot to 24ft with a single leg outdrive, I fancy myself at anything such a boat can throw at me. In my own boat, even in a wind blowing me off the jetty, I can pretty accurately point the boat at around a 30o angle to the pier with a bit of forward momentum and at the last minute, turn the steering and hence the drive leg and prop toward the jetty and a nudge of reverse will see her slide in gracefully toward the jetty...almost in a sideways motion. Ideal !
This to me is fine, because the thrust is pulling the boat towards the pier whilst still having forward momentum.
With the big princess and no thrusters, it becomes a bit of a conundrum at to what option to go for.
The old man and his experience makes it look easy, to the point where an onlooker once commented on him "showing off with the bow thruster" that he doesn't have.
He tells me this evening that when going towards a jetty on the port side, he would be creeping in and out of gear on the stbd engine (with port in neutral) at the around 25-30o angle, them a quick nudge with the port engine in reverse would pull her in. It clearly works, but just interested to hear of others tekkers on this. With the steering on such a boat mainly relying on water travelling over the rudders, it's a different kettle of fish to what I'm used to...being able to physically move the direction of thrust with the leg.
Things are made all the more dramatic by the shear relentless power of the engines and fierce pitching of the props. Added to this, not being able to see the edges in relative to the jetty at close quarters, makes it all the more nerve racking.
Love to here of your theories and techniques, but I unlitmatly know that I'll no doubt find my way with her and practice makes perfect.
Allan
