Bow Trolling Motor or Twin Screws on the Rudders...

[slugbug]

I have wondered about using a long shaft salt water for my M as a bow thruster to maneuver harbors not as primary but secondary for steering control. The M has such high free board I have almost been blown into other boats and it is hard to control just with OBM. Not sure how it would mount or if it would be long enough but with remote control I could single hand easily. The cost would be around $3.5-4K. Any thoughts?

[kurz]

Slugbug, when you have this steering problem with the M, do you have the centerboard down?

[Tomfoolery]

Slugbug, when you have this steering problem with the M, do you have the centerboard down?

CB down, rudders in, and OB connected to the steering.

Steer into the wind and/or current as required, keep a little speed, and if it doesn't look like you can make it, back up and give it another go. These things turn on a dime with the CB down and the directional thrust from the OB.

Lots of fun getting my boat onto my trailer in the Erie Canal, as the trailer sticks waaaay out into the canal when it's deep enough, and the water runs pretty good when they operate the upstream lock. Good practice, though.

[kurz]

what can help also ist going backward. So at least the direction where you go you can control...

[Ponaldpe]

I have done the backing up to a dock in high winds it worked for me .If you can back up wind , even in a Florida summer storm and hard rain I single hand all the time it's about the only way in high wind I can do it by myself.

[sailboatmike]

Much more control going backwards, the steering becomes far more precise and its easier to get the boat exactly where you want it, the turning force (rudders) are right at the front (well back but your going backwards) giving much faster response than waiting for her to turn around her keel (as you are going forward) and its much easier to see just how far you are away from things

[slugbug]

Now that you ask I have to say I don’t put the CB down cause I usually pull it up coming into port. The reverse steering
I have used before and found it works quite well to manuever tight spots but mostly I
am docking bow first. What will the CB do to reduce wind effect when motoring at very slow speeds?
Thanks, SB

[sailboatmike]

What will the CB do to reduce wind effect when motoring at very slow speeds?
Thanks, SB

The centerboard will give you some lateral resistance but not a huge amount, centerboard down is more to do with having a pretty flat bottom and giving some steering authority, we need to remember that water needs to be flowing over the foils at about 2 knts. minimum for them to have effect, without the centerboard down she just skids over the surface, its not a pleasant sensation when your desperately trying to steer around something

[slugbug]

Thanks Sailboatmike for the recommendation on using the CB I will definitely lower it in windy conditions.