Major issues with steering in reverse!

[rhillman75]

This may not be the best place to post this but I am at my wits end trying to get an "honest" answer from 2 different marinas that just want to do a water test for anywhere from $150.00-$175.00 per hour just to give me an idea! Everytime we go to drop the boat in the water...the boat drop that has 3 lanes is consistently busy...which means you better be able to steer straight back or hope your insurance covers "?"! I usually pull straight off with the steering wheel straight with full trim down, then I go to move the steering wheel left or right (depending where I am) and the damn boat just drifts straight back like the steering wheel is still straight then it eventually will turn but it takes a while. I have tried less throttle, more throttle, hydrafoil, and non-hydrafoil with really NO improvement, yet i see all kinds of boats that can "spin" on a dime. I have a Sylvan V196 with a Mercruiser 4.3LX Gen+ with an AlphaOne drive and a 3 blade 14.25" 19 pitch prop (I am changing to a 17 pitch prop soon), but I can NOT figure this out! The boat steers perfect (outside V-hull wander) in forward. Any thoughts?

 

[NHGuy]

Re: Major issues with steering in reverse!

Get out from the ramp and do some practice maneuvers in open water.
Try this. While stationary turn the wheel fully to port (left for landlubbers) and drop it into reverse. Just idle it. The stern will go left, to finish a turn around don't expect the boat to keep spinning, put er in N, cut the wheel the other way & put er in Forward, boat will respond. Try this both ways. I believe you'll find that it won't back as easily to the right as to the left. (I know starboard/port) Then try it with wind and boat waves...can be dicey, but once you start to figure it out it's fun to be master of your own boat. My best tool for close quarters is going really slow, almost stopped. I just click it in & out of gear to make my directional changes and moves. My next best tool is an extendable boat hook, it's the best $20 you can spend to keep your boat from getting out of sorts.
Single engine boats don't turn very well once moving astern. You need to stop, or nearly stop the boat and control it from the stern by directing it with the steering angle from a near stop.

 

[Pete104]

Re: Major issues with steering in reverse!

How long have you owned this boat? Your gimbal ring may be shot. Can you move the drive side to side freely?

 

[QC]

Re: Major issues with steering in reverse!

x2 on NHGuy's post, the reverse to forward and opposite helm AND the boat hook. While I understand the Gimbal ring comment, would not be this apparent unless the ring was just about to fall off, and then forward would suck . .

Another tip related to NHGuy's post is to make your steering changes before you put her in gear. Makes a HUGE difference with an I/O.

 

[lcmains1]

Re: Major issues with steering in reverse!

Keep in mind that a boat steers from the rear, not like a ar in the front. I'm not trying to insult you but keep that in mind.

The front will not "swing" when you are in reverse like a car does.

 

[45Auto]

Re: Major issues with steering in reverse!

Single engine boats don't turn very well once moving astern.

That depends on what kind of outdrive you have. "Single Prop boats" would have been more correct. A duo-prop outdrive (Bravo 3 or Volvo) cancels out the "prop walk" effect that makes a single-prop outdrive ineffective on many boats at low speeds in both forward and reverse. Low-speed manueverability is one of the strong points of a duo-prop outdrive.