Who loves the prop walk like I do?

Down2TheC · **Posted:** 20 Nov 2007 19:19

Just having fun here. I've heard sailors talk about props saying "that one reduces the walk" and it shocks me. I love the walk. I use the "back to port" to get into slips that would otherwise be impossible. In combination with deflecting the forward thrust off the rudder, I can make that baby pivot on a dime.

Post your thoughts pls.

(I'm only doing this because you guys are a bunch of "lurkers". You don't have to wait for something brilliant to say before you post. Some of these threads have 30+ views and 0 replies. Especially in the intro section.)

Tortuga's Lie · **Joined:** 27 Oct 2006 10:32 **Posts:** 827

O.K......I'll bite.
The prop walk on my boat is a little unpredictable, mostly, she'll back to port, but sometimes she'll go straight back without any apparent reason such as current or windage. I've got a two blade folding prop (Martek) and that could have something to do with it.
If I could rely on the prop walk, I would welcome it for I could spin it into slips easier. Confused

sailorflo · **Joined:** 17 Feb 2007 09:11 **Posts:** 30

I love the prop walk ,but do not rely on it. Once you get used to it though it comes in very handy. Ive used it many times to turn in tight places.

kgl51 · **Joined:** 11 Aug 2007 16:34 **Posts:** 16

I'm new to our Tartan, our prior boat was a 25 ft O'Day with an outboard, so I developed a fondness for prop walk based on our first adventure. Crane in was May 2, the lake was still mostly ice bound with a couple of marina's having open water. We trucked the boat in that morning from Duluth. It was raining, wind blowing from the east at 25-35 mph with gusts over 40. Just a normal nice spring day in Minnesota. There are 2 rows of slips extending in a North-South direction with about 50 feet or so between the rows. We were craned into a slip at the north end of the outside row with the bow facing into the wind. We needed to move the boat about 200 yards south to another slip on the outside row. I planned to back out straight, motor ahead turning south. As we began moving in reverse, we quickly accelerated due the the wind and the bow swung around 180 degrees so we are now facing due west. Tried to turn but the boat wouldn't begin to swing before we were almost on the next row of docks. So reverse, prop walk south , motor forward again, reverse, prop walk south. It took about 10 back and forth trips to move the stern that 200 yards and then I was able to back right up into the slip we were assigned. A friend who was helping who doesn't sail, was very complementary about my handling the boat. My wife who knows better, let me know she wasn't impressed. I'm just glad that the prop walk save my but that day.

Down2TheC · **Posted:** 29 Jul 2008 17:28

The Oceanis 391 charter had a 3 blade fixed and somehow had no walk to it. I have to say, having a known prop walk is better than waiting to get enough reverse way on to get steerage.

sailorflo · **Joined:** 17 Feb 2007 09:11 **Posts:** 30

The prop walk on Maetta is very helpful at times and a pain in the butt others.I do not like it but have learned to deal with it.I will say that I can turn her around in her own length. And that is something that is helpful in a crowded anchorage. Toast

Ive had people comment on how cool she looks doing this./ Snicker

Maetta hull# 369

rdannap2 · **Joined:** 05 Jun 2012 22:14 **Posts:** 11

Don't love the prop walk (yet), but we're getting use it. When I back out of my slip on Back Creek I need to swing to starboard and have limited good water behind me. The first few times I backed out, Montego was on her way to kissing the 42 ft Beneteau to my port which definitely extends beyond my boat at the slip. I soon learned to compensate by slightly angling Montego bow to port and stern to starboard, giving a healthy goose in reverse and then putting her in neutral. The healthy momentum in neutral swings Montego to starboard. I realize this technique is less effective in higher winds.

Rick
Annapolis
S/V Montego

Velera · **Joined:** 29 Dec 2006 09:38 **Posts:** 656

I have a three blade adjustable Autostream on Velera and I it is possible to minimize, nearly eliminate, prop walk by reducing the reverse pitch. But I put the "walk" back in after taking it out. I find it more useful in docking than a problem--though obviously only when docking to port. Yes, I like prop walk especially when maneuvering in tight spots.

puffcard · **Posted:** 17 Jul 2012 12:02

I do wish my T-37 would track straight in reverse like those boats that start out at the fuel dock and back all the way back in. I've had three different props, std fixed 2-blade, Gori folding and current is a Flex-a-Fold (the worst of the bunch). The prop walk is nice when coming port side to and you throw it into reverse and she just pulls her butt in tight. The thing I hate when maneuvering is the huge turning radius, but love the way she tracks when sailing. It's like she's on a railroad track.

alpinista · **Posted:** 17 Jul 2012 17:25

One of the nice things about being on the lower Columbia River, and in a slip that faces straight upstream, is that I have an almost constant 2 knots of current flowing through my slip. I don't ever have to put Betty Lou in reverse when leaving the slip; I just cast off the lines and push her off the finger pier a bit. She drifts back into the fairway and away we go. Coming back into the slip is also a piece of cake... hover off the fairway, kick her 30 degrees to the current, ferry sideways until lined up with the slip, and ease her ahead.

All that said, and even though I tie off starboard side to in my slip, I still have come to appreciate the port prop walk. When i do need to turn the boat 180 I know I can back and fill her around in her own length, and I practice every chance I get going into a port side tie-up. As long as you understand how your vessel backs, do a bit of pre-docking visualization, and follow the wife's primary docking maxim ("If you're not bored, you're going too fast"), it usually works out alright.

Tartan37.com

Who loves the prop walk like I do?

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