Motors or wheel

[tonytav]

Hi guys first season with the new boat. 06 280 with alphas, was backing into slip yesterday and was basically scalded for using my wheel and not my motors. Past boats were all single screw. Just wondering how everyone else does it.

 

[Gunn]

Congrats on the new boat. I personally will center the wheel and use the throttle/shift controls when I am at idle speeds. It makes it pretty easy to spin the boat about a point and get lined up properly.

Tom

 

[fwebster]

The notion that the wheel stays centered while docking is valid and makes sense only when the distance between the drives gives you the ability to use asymetrical thrust....i.e. one forward; the other reverse. When the centerline distance between the props is relatively small, s it would be on a 280 with 4.3's and Alpha drives, trying to maneuver the boat means a lot of sitting still in one spot until the props bite or you apply power. Sometimes it works better to use the steering to make the thrust also directional.

As far as criticism from others, I have very little patience, period and none for the dock expert who gets his knowledge from magazines instead of on the water learning how to really run a boat. Its your boat, you are responsible for it and the safety of your passengers, so get busy and practice by using and enjoying your boat, then do what works best for you. If you can put the boat where you want it 95% of the time, you are not doing anything wrong, no matter what the dock-side observers say.

 

[saopm]

I usually use the wheel to line up with the slip then use the sticks to make corrections as I back in. With outdrives you can push or pull the stern to port or starboard. It's a big advantage, why not use it.

 

[Rxflyer]

Like Frank says, whatever works for you is good. Now, something you might want to try for fun, is backing it in with one shut down - the one that runs your power steering pump. Had that happen to me the 2nd or 3rd time I had my DA300 out. The IAC failed that engine for me. Not overly difficult, but nice to know how the boat - and you - react.

 

[JVM225]

Most people that scold you have experience with twin engine inboards. Twin I/O's are a completely different animal and generally require use of the steering wheel.

 

[GrandMaster]

Most people that scold you have experience with twin engine inboards. Twin I/O's are a completely different animal and generally require use of the steering wheel.

Agreed, and after a while one should be able to maneuver the boat using either/or. For the OP, the most important thing to remember when using the steering wheel is to turn the wheel first, then put it in gear.

 

[src]

Have just put my first boat with twins in the slip 3 times this weekend, I can say that if you can put it in there without damage to your boat, anyone else's boat, and the docks, then they can shut up until you ASK for advice. It's a harrowing experience when you are first learning, and having someone tell you how wrong you are doing it (when you are doing it well enough to make it work) is counter-productive.

Lord only knows I'm not doing it "right", but I'm doing it "right enough".

 

[Kameroo]

I had a 1991 280 (became the '92-'95 300) with twin Alphas. With the props close together, all the way at the back and with a small bite, that set-up is as tough as it gets if you try to use shifters only. With some practice, you'll figure out how to make it the best of both worlds.

Like they said, don't worry about the peanut gallery.

 

[Gunn]

Like Frank says, whatever works for you is good. Now, something you might want to try for fun, is backing it in with one shut down - the one that runs your power steering pump. Had that happen to me the 2nd or 3rd time I had my DA300 out. The IAC failed that engine for me. Not overly difficult, but nice to know how the boat - and you - react.

First trip out last year my fuel pump died and had to back into a slip I had never been to before at 11:00pm, with one engine and no power steering! I was full of anxiety, but I made it in no problem.

Frank is right (of course) in that just using the shifters can take awhile to properly turn and get pointed in the right direction, and then move forward or backward. If you have calm winds and currents, it's not an issue. I like to keep the wheel centered in this case so I don't get confused as to where I left it (although I know 1-1/2 turns from one stop or another will center my drives).

Sliding the boat sideways is also a good use of the wheel. You can pivot using differential shifters to get the bow swinging where you want, and then use one engine with hard over on the wheel to then get the stern going in the same direction, effectively sliding you towards or away from a dock.