Backing up an inboard

[mnpracing]

Any tips for steering while backing up an inboard boat? It seems like no matter which way the wheel is turned while backing, the back end of the boat goes to the right.

[zegm]

Now that you know that it goes right you always make sure you put yourself in a situation where that is the direction you want to go or at least know that she is going to go --Right!
I hope that made sense but after owning inboards for over 20 years it just comes to you. I have to make a very hard left hand turn to get into our slip, so I turn it hard left, blip the throttle and the boat starts to turn, forcing the bow to the left and the stern to the right. Because I know I will hit the bank before I get the bow completely around I then throw it in reverse and hit the throttle again hard, this continues the stern rotating the the starboard (right) side and keeps the bow going left. In this manner we are able to turn our 21 and 1/2 foot long boat 180 degrees in a canal barely 30 feet wide and into our slip!

[BensonWdby]

Unlike an outboard, backing up works best when you don't use continuous power. I find that I can almost back up straight if I do it more in very short bursts, like retro-rockets.

Also conisder that most of the time it is safest to approach a dock from the driver side so you have full vision of what is in the water between you and the dock, like swimmers or dogs or toys or ???.

So 1. Come in slow,
2. approach at about a 30 degree (or less) angle to the dock
3. as the nose gets close to the dock - short bursts of reverse. Make sure you warn anyone standing up that you are shifting to reverse.
4. You can use some front / back alternating throttle, but you can actually pull the boat up sideways to the dock this way.

[Sled491]

Remeber you now have a rudder not a stern drive or outboard type system. With these you turn the wheel and the prop and thus the force turns as well. But with a DD or a VD your prop is in front of the steering device, the rudder. So in reverse the reason you only turn to the right is because of the rotation of the prop is Right. Your rudder is now basically a non player. In forward you prop pushes water past the rudder giving our boats ultra tight and quick turning abilities.

[moombabound]

Benson nailed it. In reverse, the rudder does have an effect. With the wheel turned to full lock, as long as the rudder can have that effect during more time than than the prop is rotating, the boat will pretty much go backward. That's accomplished by short bursts, like he says. Necessary in certain situations.

[sandm]

the vdrive was our first boat, and have learned to put us in situations that don't require backing up, as it's hard for me. we actually drive another 10 miles to an upper launch that has 4 lanes to drop so we don't have to back up vs the closer launch with only 2 lanes. hate tethering the boat down the launches, prefer drive-on/off and need the room to turn around and head out straight.
sometimes am jealous of the i/o crowd, but once we start surfing, it's all forgotten

good advice above. plan on trying some next time we are at the lake...

[MasterMind3002]

Our Outback DD will back to the left if you turn the rudder hard left and bump the throttle in and out of gear. More out of gear than in if you need to make a hard left turn in reverse.

[kaneboats]

I am going to test this out. I've never tried "bumping" to go left because I never believed you could go left so why try?