Stee6043
Well-Known Member
This thread should be mandatory reading for the oft recurring V-drive vs IO discussion....
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So let me get this straight. You're suggesting that moving one's hands from the shifters to the wheel then back to the shifters is somehow easier than just using the shifters?The skippers who dock well, almost without exception, place the stern to the wind, back into the wind, and use the steering wheel to pivot the boat into the slip. Not saying a blind squirrel never finds a nut. There are probably a few skippers who can do it with throttles, but that is not the easy way.
What does the size of the boat have to do with it? Is there any boat on this site where you can't reach the wheel and shifters from the same position?...This blind squirrel has been pretty successful at finding nuts doing it my way, but I guess if your boat is of a size where you can reach the wheel and the shifters from the same point, your way would work. Another nut bites the dust!
How are you able to do this when you're standing to port side of your shifters operating them with your left hand, have you modified your boat?...and then when the stern is right at the opening I'll give the upwind engine a bit of throttle so it can swing the bow around to a point where I'm aligned with the slip, then just back straight in.
Not to get tied up in the middle of this but I literally do the same when sterning in. Left hand on the shifters and looking back. If I need a little throttle then I reach over and goose her.How are you able to do this when you're standing to port side of your shifters operating them with your left hand, have you modified your boat?
Clear disregard for the no wake, hahaThis is how I do it... Wind is not a factor. Marina loves me.....
So let me get this straight. You're suggesting that moving one's hands from the shifters to the wheel then back to the shifters is somehow easier than just using the shifters?
When I'm backing into a slip I am standing with my back to the helm, to the port side of the shifters, and I move them with my left hand. From where I'm standing I would have to move to my left to reach the wheel, then back to my right to reposition myself.
This blind squirrel has been pretty successful at finding nuts doing it my way, but I guess if your boat is of a size where you can reach the wheel and the shifters from the same point, your way would work.
Another nut bites the dust!
Interesting but not really relevant to the OP which was asking about how to stern into a slip with a twin I/O boat. Your boat handles a bit differently.Woody, to answer your questions, normally when I'm backing into the slip I'm standing to the port side of the shifters, in front of that engraved "Beachcomber" sign, facing to the stern of the boat and operating my shifters with my left hand. From that position I can reach the wheel but it's a bit awkward to do it.
Occasionally, if backing into a strong wind and I feel a bit of throttle might be needed I'll stand in front of the wheel, still facing the stern, and operate my shifters with my right hand and the throttles with the left hand.
My preference is to stand to the port side of the shifters and move them with my left hand. That's the way I've done it most often and the way I'm most comfortable.
I/Os are not designed for operating with wheels only. Much easier and safety to dive the boat into the slip. Reason being wheels are too far back and usually to small to bite enough to turn the boat. I’ve owned many dual I/0s and outboards and much easier to use throttles and steering wheel to drive he boat into the slip.
The reason you need to use the wheel in a cross wind with twin I/Os is changing the direction of the prop thrust (with the wheel) gives you more maneuvering capability than the asymmetrical thrust provided by the props left in a neutral position. With props alone, you end up blowing by the slip opening as soon as the wind is abeam of the hull and starts pushing it where you don't want to go. The wheel gets you positioned more quickly.Years ago when I had twin I/Os, I would always use the wheel + the dockside engine when driving into a dock and leave the other engine running and in neutral just in case I had to back down & abort. That always worked good for me at the time.
I have no choice, I MUST back in as there is only a very short finger dock on one side of my slip and it's very difficult to get on and off my boat from the bow, especially since we don't have floating docks and have upwards of 5' of tidal range.I/Os are not designed for operating with wheels only. Much easier and safety to dive the boat into the slip. Reason being wheels are too far back and usually to small to bite enough to turn the boat. I’ve owned many dual I/0s and outboards and much easier to use throttles and steering wheel to drive he boat into the slip.
This is how I do it... Wind is not a factor. Marina loves me.....
for those of you with stern drive I/O boats. How you you tell the position of the out drives (for reversing into a dock). This is our first stern drive boat and I'm struggling especially in a cross wind. I know that the smart craft gauge has a display for it but my boat doesn't have an indicator.