Thread subject: Whaler Central - Boston Whaler Boat Information and Photos :: Question about steering functionality
Posted by truebaca on 07/18/17 - 2:16 PM
#1
I have a 2003 sport 150. The boat has a 60 HP 2 stoke mercury. I have only had it on the water 3 times. Im just noticing that the turning radius is much tighter in one direction that it is the other. I can turn it close to 45 degrees in one direction, but only 20 degrees in the other direction. Is this normal?
Posted by Joe Kriz on 07/18/17 - 2:27 PM
#2
No it is not normal.
Can't tell from here what the problem is though.
You will need to find out what is stopping it from going in the one direction.
Posted by jgortva on 07/18/17 - 2:53 PM
#3
truebaca,
That depends on the speed you are going. At higher speeds, the boat should turn relatively even or its a real problem. At slow speeds however, you will experience the physics of prop rotation. If you put the boat in forward gear at idle speed, you will notice if you turn the wheel to the right to match the clockwise prop rotation the boat will turn sharply and smartly. If you turn it to the left or against the prop rotation you will notice the boat will want to crab sideways and turn in a much larger radius. It will do the same in reverse, however backward. In other words in reverse, turning with the prop rotation and the boat will wander or walk sideways more than turn and in the other direction it will again turn sharper and smarter. This is called the strong side and weak side and you should practice memorizing which direction is the strong and weak sides for both forward and reverse. Once you have them memorized, you can now use the strong side as much as possible to make a tight turn and the weak side to walk the boat sideways in either forward or reverse such as in a docking maneuver. All great single engine boat pilots use the strong and weak sides to their advantage weather they know they are doing it or not and the techniques are detailed in many how to books on single engine boat handling.
Jim G.
Posted by blaster on 07/18/17 - 4:57 PM
#4
While torque has an effect on turn radius, there shouldn't be a 50% difference. When out of the water does the motor turn more one way than the other?
Edited by blaster on 07/18/17 - 4:59 PM
Posted by Joe Kriz on 07/18/17 - 5:08 PM
#5
truebaca wrote:
I can turn it close to 45 degrees in one direction, but only 20 degrees in the other direction. Is this normal?
If the motor can turn 45º in one direction, it should also go 45º in the other direction.
Regardless of turning radius.
Something is stopping the motor from turning in the one direction.