Pearson Yachts Forum
General Category - Pearson Owners and Enthusiasts => Boat Handling => Topic started by: Weatherhelm on January 05, 2014, 12:46:25 PM
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I bought a 323 last fall and have not sailed on it yet :-\ :-\
It has the original an Atomic 4/ walters v-drive Am I correct in assuming that in reverse this combonation tends to pull to starboard?
I need to know so I can pick out a slip where this wont be a problem I'm thinking the dock on port side
Cheers and Happy New Years
Ron Wolfgram
Saint Paul, MN
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The Atomic 4 pulls to port in reverse. If you have not done it much, remember to put it in reverse, give it a burst of power, idle down and take it out of gear, repeat while backing. The longer you keep it engaged in gear, the more prop walk you get. Coming out of a slip, or backing into one it is not very desirable. It took me a bit to get used to doing the short bursts, idle down, out of gear, before it became second nature. It eliminates most of the prop walk.
Coming into a fuel dock the prop walk is nice. You put the front at a slight angle to the dock so that the boat's stern will swing toward the dock when you engage it in reverse to stop the boat and the boat nudges against the dock in line with it.
Have fun, get it moving backwards, and coast in neutral. It helps if everyone on the dock is watching you the first ten times. :o
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Dave, thanks for the info. I here you about docking, its always a stressfull few moments.
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Good advice from Dave - and remember, "If you're not bored when you're coming into a slip, you're going too fast!"
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Hi Simple way to tell, the shaft is offset to one side of the rudder.. which ever side its on, the boat will pull in that direction in reverse..
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Ron,
Welcome to the Pearson 323 world. It's a great ride.
On Chelsea # 166, when on the hard people were telling me I had an issue with the prop shaft being twisted and off center. With a Skeg Rudder, if the shaft went straight back, you would have to pull the motor to pull the shaft, not practical. So if you look under Cheslea, the shaft comes about 1 inch off center as it exits the hull. I do have Port side prop walk and with the RT hand prop, makes it double. The instructions in the first reply are gospel. Also, if your trans is not engaging well in reverse, remember that you have to hold it in gear going backward. This is a friction system and your arm on the lever is the total friction. There is relatively simple adjustment in the gear box for increasing the ability of the bands to reverse. It's much like the original transmission on a Ford Model T. IT had no clutch, just a forward, reverse and stop pedals.
Good Luck, If you have any plans to come over to Lake Michigan, let me know, Pearson Friends always welcome aboard..
Lauri