First boat, is it OK to shift frd to rev

I am curious, can I be going slowly in forward and go straight to reverse in one motion or should I pause at neutral?

Re: First boat, is it OK to shift frd to rev

What type motor?
I go straight into reverse with my Evinrude, but she demands it. That's my brake

Re: First boat, is it OK to shift frd to rev

You should be able to go from full speed ahead to full speed reverse in one motion ... Just once tho....JUST KIDDN !!! JUST KIDDN !!! JUST KIDDN !!! Let the engine come back to idle and the prop/ outdrive gears stop turning before you have em change direction. There is no clutch dampening action as it is, let alone doing it under power. Just plain metal to metal slam.. Have you ever listened to an outdrive shift on muffs on land? Dont sound purdy at all ! The thought of doing it under speed makes me cringe...especially in that old boat... Just my opinion...

Re: First boat, is it OK to shift frd to rev

paultjohnson said:

You should be able to go from full speed ahead to full speed reverse in one motion ... Just once tho....JUST KIDDN !!! JUST KIDDN !!! JUST KIDDN !!! Let the engine come back to idle and the prop/ outdrive gears stop turning before you have em change direction. There is no clutch dampening action as it is, let alone doing it under power. Just plain metal to metal slam.. Have you ever listened to an outdrive shift on muffs on land? Dont sound purdy at all ! The thought of doing it under speed makes me cringe...especially in that old boat... Just my opinion...

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rpm's of the engine he means....if you have shifted to neutral , and are MOVING fast in the water and need to stop,, YES ... shift it into reverse...THATS YOUR BRAKING SYSTEM !!!

Re: First boat, is it OK to shift frd to rev

Let it idle in neutral or you will be looking for a tow and new out drive.

Re: First boat, is it OK to shift frd to rev

The water the prop spins in is a bit of a clutch in and of itself. There's slip that happens naturally. While I wouldn't recommend doing it at high speeds, going from one direction to the other under slow speed (ie <10 mph) should be fine. Just be fluid with your motion and don't let the gears (clutch dog) grind trying to engage.

Btw, I believe e Volvo drive has a real clutch in the drive (Cone Clutch system).

Re: First boat, is it OK to shift frd to rev

was kinda my gut feeling to pause in neutral and wait for the gears to slow or nearly stop but thought I would ask after watching a guy show off his high speed docking skills! He was jammin em pretty good.

Re: First boat, is it OK to shift frd to rev

My stuff is 30 years old so I don't take any chances! Boats slow down pretty quickly on their own, I have never needed reverse to decelerate during the docking procedure. If that other guy can do it 30 seconds faster than me by jamming his through the gears, good for him, and glad I'm not him!

Re: First boat, is it OK to shift frd to rev

In all but an emergency stop, going into neutral briefly is correct. The prop will naturally begin to spin in the opposite direction as the water flows over it and this will assist the gear change into reverse.

As a side note, on most outboards/outdrives the shift should be a positive one, don't drag it out trying by trying to slide it in, there are no synchro's and only minimal clutching. The shift may seem hard and drastic but it is actually easier on the gearcase. When in doubt, check your owners manual for the proper shifting method.

Re: First boat, is it OK to shift frd to rev

the guy showing off is not your role model.

Do not use reverse regularly as a brake. learn to drive without a brake. practice approaching objects (start with something soft like a marsh bank) and learn all directions of current and wind. Learn that a loaded boat has momentum.

When you come in to moor, instead of coming at idle and then having to bump reverse, try to approach drifting at neutral, bumping into forward as needed. It's usually easier to approach against the wind or current and let it work for you as a brake, and to use a cross-wind as a ferry.

As others said, it is important, when you do shift, to shift hard, don't ease it in. That's why neutral coasting is important.

I learned as an 8 year old on a small boat with a broken reverse, so I got good at it, then I learned to drive on beach trucks with no brakes. It can be done and your clutch dog will thank you.

Re: First boat, is it OK to shift frd to rev

Contrary to popular opinion, it is ok at IDLE speed to shift directly from forward to reverse and probably is a little easier on the gears. Reason: Because of the engineering of the lower unit, the pinion is turning any time the engine is turning. The pinion is ALWAYS engaged with BOTH forward and reverse gears so both are constantly turning. Pausing in neutral will allow the engine to speed up about 300 or so RPM, meaning that the dog clutch will try to engage the gear at a higher speed. Not a lot and certainly will not destroy the lower unit gears, so do what you want. HOWEVER: Engaging any gear at higher than the neutral speed is asking, no, begging for premature drive dog wear.

Re: First boat, is it OK to shift frd to rev

Frank, I agree, at idle speed it's probably better. However, all my Merc owners manuals disagree and I'm hesitant to recommend anything else. I've torn apart enough lower units to know what kills them quick and I know how I shift so I don't hurt them. Dang Merc just won't put it in print.

Re: First boat, is it OK to shift frd to rev

frank that's a good point about rpms increasing at neutral; some motors are worse than others at that.

Also a long pause at neutral while the boat is still moving forward at a good clip is still bad b/c the prop is still spinning.

We've blown out the clutch dog on a few motors that are used on a work boat by many members of a fishing/hunting club I'm in. "Been flounder fishing?" says the mechanic--becuase that is constant bumping back and forth. Also we often have to reverse to clear the prop of weeds so it's an easy bad habit not to be patient and let the boat slow down.

Re: First boat, is it OK to shift frd to rev

One possible solution: Don't approach the dock at a speed greater then a speed you are willing to hit it.

Re: First boat, is it OK to shift frd to rev

cr2k said:

One possible solution: Don't approach the dock at a speed greater then a speed you are willing to hit it.

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Must be nice to always boat in zero wind and current.

Re: First boat, is it OK to shift frd to rev

cr2k said:

One possible solution: Don't approach the dock at a speed greater then a speed you are willing to hit it.

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Now there's a piece of good advice!...Need to share that with my wife, who has been known to slam a dock!