Back & fill

[downey]

I finally had a chance to use this, new to me maneuver, it works awesome. I went from thinking these boats only turned in reverse with thrusters, to easily backing up a long distance.
I was out crabbing and let the boat drift, then would only go in reverse to retrieve the pots. I wasn't aware that you had to use forward, and that's where all the turning is done.

It's great practice to back up and try to keep as straight a line as possible, I kept the back door open and never let the marker get out of sight. Every time the marker would get close to disappearing (behind the bathroom) I would stick it in forward for a second and she would come right around.

For those like me that had never heard of this I suggest you google it, watch a video on it, then go practice. I will be much less stressed when/if I break a thruster pin now.

Thanks to Bruce and the guys who mentioned it.

 

[Boont Boater]

Good suggestion Downey. Practicing out where there is lots of room and few spectators is smart. My last boat had an outboard but I still did a fair amount of backing and filling. That boat's prop walk sucked the port side in, in reverse, for a nice tight docking experience with a port side tie. My R-29 with a swim step access on the starboard side also prop walks to port in reverse - not so tight a docking experience. I would like to rely less on the thrusters but I'm not there yet.