Re: Ski Nautique Engine Reverse Turn?
"Standard engine rotation" is left hand as viewed from the back looking at the flywheel . . . All modern truck, automotive, generator set and industrial engines that I know of rotate this way. I/Os reverse this direction in the drive and thus use a right hand propeller. Most standard "reduction gears" or marine transmissions do not. Soooooo, most straight inboards have left hand props . . . Now with twins you want one propeller of each direction, so older applications used opposite rotation engines instead of using the trans to change the rotation. This is much less common today, it is done in the tranny, reverse becomes forward and visa versa if the transmission can handle the torque both ways . . .
So, to your question . . . with boats that have a Starboard helm (most common) and are "single screw" or one engine and propeller, a right hand rotation prop is desirable to help use the weight of the operator to offset the props rotational torque. When a right hand prop is turned the boat wants to list towards port, so weight on the starboard side helps to counter this condition . . . Add some more people and who knows where you end up, so in some ways this whole deal goes out the window, but . . . there is almost always someone at the helm
The big negative to opposite rotation engines is parts availability and then of course their asscoiated cost.
