Back Up Jack!

[Mike Harry]

Is it just me or is the reverse in these things (advance models) pretty much worthless? Itll back up, dont get me wrong... but it doesnt really swing the nose around very well in tight areas.

Is this just me? Am I doing something wrong? If I had any complaints, which I dont, this would be the closest thing.

[phil]

Inboards don't turn while in reverse. Well, usually they turn slightly but only one way and it's determined by the directional rotation of the prop. It's an inboard characteristic not an American Skier thing.

[Joel]

Also, it wont turn well in reverse because with an inboard boat you dont have any water passing over the rudder.  Since the prop is positioned in front of the rudder - its attempting to PULL the water rather than push it over the rudder.  Inboards dont have "flanking" rudders - some river tugs have them, usually around the 10,500 hp range (three locomotive engines - very cool).  Flanking rudders are positioned in front of the props so when the props are in reverse the river tug can use them to turn - typically with a following current (down river) and even then theyre not very efficient (lots of vibration & shaking - again very cool thing to witness).  Anyway, the only turning you'll get from any inboard in reverse is from the prop blades "stepping" or sliding the boat to one side or the other... yours should be to the stbrd side.

Play with her out on the open water, bumping her forward & aft... pretty soon you'll have her turning on a dime.  When you pull up to a dock - go straight at it at, bow first, 90 degrees at a no wake / slow pace... when you get about a boat length away turn hard to port, put it in neutral, and when the bow starts coming around, bump her into reverse (lightly), then neutral, then reverse, etc...  she should slide right up to the dock - driver side to...   easy as pie 

[phil]

Also, it wont turn well in reverse because with an inboard boat you dont have any water passing over the rudder.  Since the prop is positioned in front of the rudder - its attempting to PULL the water rather than push it over the rudder.  Inboards dont have "flanking" rudders - some river tugs have them, usually around the 10,500 hp range (three locomotive engines - very cool).  Flanking rudders are positioned in front of the props so when the props are in reverse the river tug can use them to turn - typically with a following current (down river) and even then theyre not very efficient (lots of vibration & shaking - again very cool thing to witness).  Anyway, the only turning you'll get from any inboard in reverse is from the prop blades "stepping" or sliding the boat to one side or the other... yours should be to the stbrd side.

Play with her out on the open water, bumping her forward & aft... pretty soon you'll have her turning on a dime.  When you pull up to a dock - go straight at it at, bow first, 90 degrees at a no wake / slow pace... when you get about a boat length away turn hard to port, put it in neutral, and when the bow starts coming around, bump her into reverse (lightly), then neutral, then reverse, etc...  she should slide right up to the dock - driver side to...   easy as pie 

Thanks for extrapolating on that. Yeah, that river boat you describe sounds like it would be cool to see. Also, I thought I would add that I dock my boat just the way you described.

[Mike Harry]

Thanks guys. Ive been a poor Mo-Fo for most of my life (still am incase you were wondering) and have alway had boats, but they were the tiller motor type. Not really used to the Advance yet and am getting little suprises now and again. This was one of them that made me feel retarded.......

[brandon]

Joel said the most important thing about all this in his post.  To sum it up, have patience and practice what you will be doing and you will have it mastered in no time.  Many times people would buy their first new boat and think it was easy, only to bring it back with some sort of dock rash.  As far as backing up, if you have your rudder turned the way you want to go and just bump it in and out of neutral, it will usually start heading the direction you.  Just keep taking her out and practicing and you will get your own technique that works fine.
 

[Midskier]

of the inboards, the smaller flatter bottomed boats are of the easiest to maneuver in reverse, practice, practice, practice.......... and then knowing which way works best and why will soon enough make you look like a pro.  our boats tend to "walk" towards the right / starboard side when in reverse, so use that to your advantage, try docking when @ all possible on the drivers side, then you can bump in and out of gear as needed and use the natural tendency to "walk" the back end around where you want it, caution to much "practice"  in reverse under a huge amount of throttle with the rudder / wheel fully locked to one side or the other could have catastrophic results           :O , be gentle she'll do what you ask.

Dan T

[chrisheile]

I ended up, just by chance on the left side of a dock between two boats.  I dock by coming in at a 45, with a fair amount of steam, into neutral and coast a bit, then slide into reverse, pulling the stern right into the dock.  When I leave the dock, I push off the back a bit, slide it into reverse just momentarily and back into neutral, then forward with wheel turned to the right.  I allow the stern to kick out as long as i can then back into reverse for a bit, back into neutral and there is generally enough momentum to carry me back enough past the pontoon to slide it back into reverse and out.

It is a dance.

[daveo]

It just takes some time to get a feel for it.

[Mike Harry]

Thanks alot guys, all good info to take in. Still love it..... getting used to the holeshot power and speed ........ feeling pretty good about reverse now........ this thing will turn on a dime at high speed too!

One of the best projects I have ever gotten into, pretty proud of where it has gone so far, a few more things and she will be complete.

[Pelvic Woo]

You'll get so good at docking your inboard that you'll forget how to drive an I/O.  I borrowed my brother's I/O and felt like it was my first time behind the wheel - sloppy and all over the place.  I'll never own anything but an inboard again.   

[Joel]

Gonchuan!!!   Good for you!!!  Cant wait to SKI behind it!  Hopefully, this summer in TN   

[Mike Harry]

Get your A$$ down to central Florida, well roll out today!