Single engine 27'r with Hydro prop.

Anyone elses boat doesn't like to turn when backing up? I forget which, but in 1 direction in reverse, it hardly turns. Crab walks more like it. Now the other direction, it turns 180* in 1/4 the boat length.

Is this a characteristic of the Hydro props?

My 29 isn't so hot in reverse either (24 Hydro - though no better with a 24 Bravo). Makes it quite fun getting back into my dry stack's launch pit at the end of the day.

US1 Fountain

Have you tried a little more throttle?? I jest recently sold my 27' Fountain with a 24 Hydro and turing the prop faster helped for me but I still don't back up for crap.

Good Luck

Yep, all kinds of throttle. Different trim settings.. Nothing.

It only does it in 1 direction. I thought maybe the prop rotation has something to do with it, but then the ones running rt hand would be opposite of mine, right?

The first time I launched my 27 had the same problem. Turning in reverse was terrible, almost ran into a buddies 32 Active Thunder. Fortunately he just sold a 27 and was laughing, saying it was a problem on his as well. I run a 27 Hydro, I just take it slow and easy til out on the open water.

It has to do with the rotation of the prop.

Remember your prop is like a wheel and it backs better to the direction of the rotation of the prop. Why because the wheel(or rotation) is pulling it that way, when backing the other way it is trying to back against the rotation of the prop.

I also suspect that because of the style of prop and Fountains agressive x diminsion that may compound the problem. My 27 did the same thing with a Bravo 1. To back a certain direction you had to "goose" it to overcome the prop, not a constant speed, but a quick "burst" of power to pull the back end the direction I wanted it to go, then a constant power setting in that direction. Also sometimes I had to "rock" it almost like a car that is stuck. A little burst in reverse, the counter with opposite steering and a little burst forward to then constant reverse. But you are right at a constant spower setting it would not back one direction very well at all.

I read a great article years ago in trailer boat magazine that talked about single engine manuvering it had diagrams and a really good explanantion of the forces at work. It was great information and it improved my docking skills a great deal, that and practicing when it wasn't busy at the marina.

If it makes ya feel any better, my first boat, a 201 Liberator with a single wouldnt back up worth a damn, same as you, turn the wheel all the way to the right, would spin right around, super tight, try to the left, would just sort of crab, bursts of throttle?....dont bet on it, sometimes turn , sometimes just go straight back.......Doug

Yep, just an hr ago. Sad to see it go, but looking forward to the search for a new one.

if your in a step bottom the prop is blowing water toward the frt and hitting the step pushing the boat forward as your trying to back up, i will usually raise the drives a little so that the prop is blowing the water down below the step and it seems to go alittle better, just my $ .02
later

I will have to try that. I usually have the drive neutral when I'm at idle.