|
A
Walk On The Tame Side (21-6)
by Dusty Miller
|
 Prop
walk is a common problem among recreational boaters.
At every seminar I have held at marinas and in-water
boat shows throughout the summer, this is a subject
that's always brought up by someone in the audience.
Single engine boats commonly prop walk and boaters find
it to be a challenge. While my Bertram is a twin I/O,
the two props are not counter rotating. They both turn
the same direction, so the stern pulls in the direction
the props are turning. This is not a big deal in open
water, but it’s a real dilemma when backing into
a slip. You have to learn to compensate for that pull.
If the boat pulls the stern to starboard and you’re
docking on the starboard side, prop walk can be an aid
rather than a problem. However, going the other way
can be a pain. Many boaters we spoke to just didn’t
bother trying to dock on that one side. I think that’s
giving up too easily. You can overcome prop walk. Again,
you just have to practise.
If you’re not sure whether it’s prop walk
that makes docking difficult, take your boat out into
unrestricted water on a calm day. Make sure your wheel
is straight and put it in reverse. If the stern falls
off to port or starboard and it’s not that wind
it’s probably prop walk.
Here’s how you overcome it. Line your boat up
properly, aiming your stern at the dock from a downwind
position. From that position, reverse up to the dock
to lie on the starboard side and, in this case, you
know the prop walk will pull the stern to port. Remember,
your boat may pull the other way. Make sure your wheel
is straight and just touch in, touch out on the throttle
to start the movement astern. Repeat the touch in, touch
out to keep the boat moving back. Remember you're just
idling. Don’t add any gas unless you have to overcome
a strong wind – but for the sake of this column,
the wind is light.
As the prop engages, the boat will set off in a straight
line. Soon, however, the prop walk will start to pull
the stern to port. Now here’s the trick. As soon
as the boat pulls to one side – in this case to
port – put the engine in neutral, turn the wheel
to port and engage the engine in forward. Again, touch
in, touch out. You want just enough turns on the propeller
to stop the swing and line up the correct angle again.
Depending on the strength of the pull, you may have
to let the boat start going forward before it straightens
out, but the important thing is to straighten the boat
out before proceeding in reverse. Once the boat is straight
and on line, go back to reverse and touch in, touch
out. As soon as you notice the prop walk, go into neutral,
turn the wheel in the direction of the turn and touch
in, touch out in forward.
The finesse is to correct the prop walk soon enough.
Don’t wait. You want to make minor adjustments
only. If you delay too long – and it may only
be a few seconds too long – the boat will start
a swing and you’ll have to go back to the start
(aim, and get underway again). So, stay focused on the
direction of the boat and the split second it starts
to move off the straight line, correct it. Immediately.
You may be able to correct prop walk by turning the
wheel slightly to compensate for it. In other words,
if it walks to starboard in reverse, turn the wheel
slightly to port. This doesn’t always work, particularly
with rudders, since the boat is travelling so slowly
and there isn’t enough flow of water over the
rudder to steer with. But do try it as it does work
sometimes. Whatever method you use, remember practise
is the only way to turn a technique into a skill. (Page
Top) |
|
|
|
