[Rhodes22-list] Straight

[Slim]

Bill,

My Merc has a tension adjuster that sounds about the same as yours.  It
doesn't lock the motor into position but stiffens it so it stays put but you
can still move it if you have to.  Once I get moving, I let go of the tiller
and adjust the angle of the motor until the boat is going straight.  Then I
steer with the tiller with a very light touch.

But under what condition(s) would you have tiller and motor in opposite
directions?

Slim

On 1/31/06 9:20 AM, "Bill Effros" <bill at effros.com> wrote:

> David,
> 
> How does your motor "lock" "straight?"  Different motors do this
> differently.
> 
> I keep the tension high on a slipping clutch that always allows me to
> turn the motor in an emergency, but keeps it "straight" the rest of the
> time.
> 
> I keep putting "straight" in quotation marks, because our motor mount
> creates an asymmetrical thrust.  If the motor is locked "straight" you
> must compensate with your tiller to keep your boat going straight.  This
> is inefficient, slows down the boat or increases gas consumption, and
> means that you turn the tiller different amounts when turning to port or
> starboard whether going forward or reverse.
> 
> Is it better to lock the engine "straight" or compensate by turning the
> engine slightly, and allowing the rudder to remain "straight" when going
> "straight"?
> 
> By not locking my motor, and not linking it to the tiller, it is always
> ready for an emergency.  They don't happen that often, but when they do
> I like knowing my motor is ready for whatever I may need to do.
> 
> When dealing with currents, wind, and reverse I sometimes turn my tiller
> and motor in opposite directions.  "Straight" is not always straightforward.
> 
> Bill Effros
> 
> 
> David R. Keyes wrote:
> 
>> I use my motor for steering and my tiller in the same way that Rob does,
>> although I do have the Yamaha 9.9 long shaft.  I link the motor and tiller
>> only on backing out of the dock slip (where I have to make a sharp cut to
>> avoid the next line of boats on the pier immediately astern) and on
>> returning into the slip.  Doing this, especially with the centerboard down,
>> allows a very sharp turning cut.  Sometimes I keep the motor in neutral
>> except to put it briefly in forward to "kick" into a sharper turning angle,
>> at a time when I need to be going more slowly even that at lowest forward
>> throttle speed.
>> 
>> At all other times, just like Rob, I have the motor de-linked from the
>> tiller and locked in straight fore-and-aft position, and steer entirely with
>> the tiller.
>> 
>> Incidentally, practice makes perfect on the steering.  It took me "only"
>> four years to "perfect" my turn so that I don't touch either side of the
>> finger slip or bump into anything else while making my sharp turns in close
>> quarters and sometimes with unfavorable winds catching and blowing the hull
>> and spars around.  Yet, if I changed to a different slip, I am sure I would
>> be set back a long way in the trial-and-error of getting into a close space.
>> Every marina is different.  I briefly was at one marina where I could sail
>> into my slip, even under conditions of many boats in close quarters and once
>> with my mainsail's inner mast furling jammed in the out position and having
>> to dock at a leeward slip on a broad reach.  But in my regular slip, if I
>> tried that, I might as well save time by already having the boat insurance
>> claim forms filled out and signed.
>> 
>> David Keyes
>> S/V Arrowhead
>> Lake Travis, Texas
>> 
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: rhodes22-list-bounces at rhodes22.org
>> [mailto:rhodes22-list-bounces at rhodes22.org] On Behalf Of Rob Lowe
>> Sent: Tuesday, January 31, 2006 7:50 AM
>> To: The Rhodes 22 mail list
>> Subject: Re: [Rhodes22-list] Outboard engines
>> 
>> Nick,
>> I've never seen the need to even use the motor for steering, except when I'm
>> backing out of my slip.  I do use the motor and tiller in unison to pull the
>> stern around, but that's only because it's such tight quarters.  Otherwise,
>> set the motor for straight ahead and use the tiller.  The tiller provides
>> much more response than the motor can.   And the 20" shaft suits me just
>> fine. - rob
>> 
>> 
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "Bill Effros" <bill at effros.com>
>> To: "The Rhodes 22 mail list" <rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org>
>> Sent: Monday, January 30, 2006 9:39 PM
>> Subject: Re: [Rhodes22-list] Outboard engines
>> 
>> 
>>  
>> 
>>> Nick,
>>> 
>>> I don't like the linked tiller and motor, and I don't have them linked.
>>> My tiller has a very light and precise feel all the time, and I like it
>>> that way.  It behaves the same way whether I'm under sail or under
>>> power.  To my mind, linking the motor and the tiller is just one more
>>> thing to go wrong.
>>> 
>>> Bill Effros
>>> 
>>> kuzzal at comcast.net wrote:
>>> 
>>>    
>>> 
>>>> Thank you Jerry & Bill for your thoughts. It sounds like that the 20" or
>>>>      
>>>> 
>> 25 " would be OK though from what you both say I am inclined to go for the
>> 20".
>>  
>> 
>>>> Any tips on how to link the tiller & motor?
>>>> 
>>>> Nick Kuzniarski
>>>> 
>>>> -------------- Original message --------------
>>>> From: "cjlowe" <cjlowe at bright.net>
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>>      
>>>> 
>>>>> Nick,
>>>>> The only bad thing I've heard about the 25" shaft is it's hard to get
>>>>>        
>>>>> 
>> far
>>  
>> 
>>>>> enough out of the water for a starboard tack.If you sail where you can
>>>>> expect a lot of big waves,I would be inclined to go with the 25".I'd
>>>>>        
>>>>> 
>> like to
>>  
>> 
>>>>> hear from somebody who has a 25" shaft,and get their opinion.I think
>>>>>        
>>>>> 
>> that in
>>  
>> 
>>>>> docking ,the long shaft would keep the controls higher over the
>>>>>        
>>>>> 
>> transom,for
>>  
>> 
>>>>> tight quarters steering with the motor and tiller.
>>>>> as if you weren't confused enough,
>>>>> Jerry Lowe
>>>>> 
>>>>> 
>>>>> __________________________________________________
>>>>> Use Rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org, Help? www.rhodes22.org/list
>>>>> 
>>>>> 
>>>>>        
>>>>> 
>>>> __________________________________________________
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>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>>      
>>>> 
>>> __________________________________________________
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>>>    
>>> 
>> 
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>>  
>> 
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