When you engage astern continue to steer normally while the boat continues to answer normally.
When it stops doing so put your rudder amidships or slightly towards the direction of the prop-walk stern kick.
Wait until the boat gathers sternway then very carefully input a small rudder angle to
counteract the swing of the stern, if this does not work do not put on more rudder,
return it to amidships and wait until the boat gathers more sternway then try again.
Keep this under very careful control as allowing any larger rudder movement will
cause it to stall and lose effectiveness. As your sternway increases it will be possible
to use slightly larger rudder inputs but you should never put it to anything approaching its full travel when making sternway.
Finally, increasing astern power when the boat’s rudder is stalled does not solve the
problem, it just makes it worse because the prop-walk swing increases, causing an
even larger angle of attack of the water flow over the already stalled rudder. Conversely, decreasing astern power can help by reducing the prop-walk swing and
therefore the angle of attack of the water flow over the rudder.
All boats are of course different in their handling characteristics so this will need
some practise. Having said this I can assure you that all boats can be steered when
making sternway as long as their rudder is not in a stalled state.
__________________________________________________________Tony Mead
Marine Surveys
Boat Deliveries
Surveys & Deliveries of Yachts and
Motor Vessels up to 24 metres
John Crompton
Member I.I.M.S.—Yachtmaster
www.smallboatsurveys.com
Mobile: 077383 356299
Office: 01253 731099
john@smallboatsurveys.com
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