[C320-list] Reversing can be easier

[Orlando.Duran at AveryDennison.com]

Of course you knew I had to chime in on this... :)

When I bought cl 3 #112 it came with the 3-bladed  prop--lots of prop walk--ALL props, no matter what, have prop walk, fluid dynamics and all-- but I learned that that's not bad thing at all, I used it lots of times to get out of slips without a lot of room, etc. Once you understand the amount of 'walk' your prop has, you learn to use it and not complain about. In reverse, when going forward, it was like having power brakes, it would stop the boat RIGHT NOW...

3 years later, I purchased (from this list by the way) a Martec 2-blade folding prop, less prop walk--again not always a good thing--and it took a bit of getting used to not having as much stopping power in reverse.

My point in this is that you simply need to get used to your particular prop and take advantage of it's advantages and disadvantages...

Oh yeah, dumping that 3-bladed prop was the best thing ever for boat speed under sail, getting rid of that 3-bladed anchor..er, prop, made that boat competitive....
----------------------------------
Regards,
OD

Sent from my BlackBerry Wireless Handheld


----- Original Message -----
From: "Chris Burti" [clburti at gmail.com]
Sent: 06/18/2008 08:12 PM
To: C320-List at catalina320.com
Subject: Re: [C320-list] Reversing can be easier

I respectfully disagree that 320's exhibit significant prop walk with a
factory prop. I attribute most of the backing problems that I've observed to
poor technique. I've been backing our 320 into slips everywhere we go in all
wind conditions for five years with little or no problems. We have a factory
three bladed prop that works fine as long as I don't let the barnacles get
growing on it. Our approach fairway is less than 60' wide and that is
adequate to get control in reverse. the only time I see any evidence of
significant swinging of the stern from the prop is if the water is thin the
keel is dragging and I 'm fighting a cross wind.

Seriously, if you want to experience prop walk at its worst, get out on a
full keel sailboat with the prop in the rudder aperture or try backing a
single screw inboard ski boat. After that experience I suspect that you'll
never complain bout a fin keel boat again.

On Wed, Jun 18, 2008 at 6:29 PM, Bruce Stanley <brucestanley36 at gmail.com>
wrote:

> Robert Seastream writes about poor Reversing.
> My circumstances mean that I must reverse into a tight marine pen (slip).
> The Kiwi Feathering Prop really does deliver positive and immediate thrust,
> with little or no Prop walk.
> I am sure there are other props that do this too, but not a factory fitted
> fixed 3 blader.
> Cheers
> Bruce Stanley
> Sydney
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> On Wed, Jun 18, 2008 at 10:39 PM, Robert Seastream <
> robert.seastream at comcast.net> wrote:
>
> > Backing at all (let alone straight) is something I simply can't get my
> boat
> > to do, so I don't rely on it as part of the docking process.
> > I've told my wife that when docking, if we miss we'll simply circle and
> try
> > again, since we have little/no effective reverse/braking power.
> >
> > Bob
> >
> >
>



-- 
Chris Burti
Farmville, NC

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