How difficult is it to dock single-engine stern drives?

[jsc7]

I have read that stern drives are easier to maneuver than inboards.

On a 30-40 foot boat, how does a single engine stern drive compare to a twin inboard for docking convenience?

[valhalla360]

You heard wrong.

Twin inboard is the gold standard for docking maneuverability. (with the possible exception of a twin inboard with bow thruster)
Single inboard is the bottom of the barrel (assuming no bow thruster)

Stern drive is somewhere in between but you won't find many single stern dries above 26-28'. If you get into dual stern drives, you typically set the wheel straight ahead and treat them as dual inboards.

That said, most of it comes down to practice. We had a single 25hp outboard on our 34' catamaran and I would take that into places, I would never consider on our prior twin inboard engine power boat. The difference is the powerboat was a weekend boat that went out maybe a couple dozen times per year. The catamaran was what we got for doing the Great Loop and we were taking that into new and unusual marinas 2-3 times per week.

[pdx]

I've only been boating for three years and I just recently bought my second, an inboard 26' Nordic Tug. Notwithstanding my overall lack of skill and in this boat in particular, the difference in handling compared to my first 21' sterndrive is like night and day (my new boat being a nightmare when solo).

Before deciding on the Nordic, I had planned on buying a 27-30' sailboat and went through ASA's 101 and 103 courses. The rudders on these sailboats were on average three times the size of my current rudder. To overcome the prop walk, it seems you need to keep the power off to have any control in reverse.
Thankfully my bow thruster makes up for my lack of skill.

[a64pilot]

Single stern drive is quite easy, it's just like a single outboard.
A single screw inboard powerboat without a bow thruster, docking is in my opinion a slow, controlled crash

[Sailmonkey]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

Single stern drive is quite easy, it's just like a single outboard.
A single screw inboard powerboat without a bow thruster, docking is in my opinion a slow, controlled crash

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=cXWiMMSg4ZI

Slow!!!!

[wandering rober]

The only advantage to a stern drive is the same as an outboard , in reverse you can "drag the stern " just about any where ya want . That said ,practice , practice and time on the water will enable you to get the hang of anything .
In my past I operated " single screw " crew boats for many years and I still can not figger out what to do when operating a twin screw .
The more time that you spend on the water the more you will notice competent operators no matter the number of engines .
A single screw , diesel , big prop would be my choice !

[boatpoker]

Owned three single screw, inboard boats, somewhere around 22,000hrs. in my log. Would not consider anything else.

[flyingfin]

Dont buy a stern drive unless you have a lift, trailer or dry rack to put it in. You cannot leave an I/O in the water full time, regardless of what the salesman tells you!

And yes, a single engine I/O is very easy to dock, just like a single engine outboard.
The only good thing about twin engines is that once something breaks on the first engine, it will be easier for you to fix it on the second engine *(learning curve)

[Cadence]

Originally Posted by jsc7

I have read that stern drives are easier to maneuver than inboards.

On a 30-40 foot boat, how does a single engine stern drive compare to a twin inboard for docking convenience?

I would not have a stern drive on that size boat assuming Salt water at your Boston location. A stern drive is OK for a trailered boat. JMHO

[BandB]

Originally Posted by jsc7

I have read that stern drives are easier to maneuver than inboards.

On a 30-40 foot boat, how does a single engine stern drive compare to a twin inboard for docking convenience?

You learn to dock whatever you have. At a certainly size and design you need bow thrusters. A single engine anything is more difficult than twins so your comparison is definitely not apples and oranges. Still, hundreds of thousands of boaters do just fine with single sterndrives or inboard.

In your question though, I'm not aware of a lot of single engine stern drives in that range. Perhaps some at 30'. I know Sea Ray doesn't offer single stern drives in that range.

Most telling you stern drives are easier are probably talking either twins or stern drives on 24' bowriders. Give us a real world boat scenario to compare and it will make more sense.

[Sunsetrider]

I have a single inboard with a prop direction the reverse of most in North America. Reverse is still a no-go for me. Docking bow-in with a port tie is, as mentioned above, a slow-motion crash: if you pop into reverse to halt progress, your stern swings sharply into your slip-mates boat. However, docking bow-in starboard tie is easy as pie even solo. It's like magic. Again, that is with a Swedish prop rotation!

[a64pilot]

With a single inboard rudder size is very important, that video watching them I suspect they have a large rudder.
Boat we had was a smallish sportfisherman, and had a rudder about twice the size of your hand on about a 30' boat, worked well on plane, but not so much in the Marina.

[Capt Phil]

Several years ago, we bought a new to us, DeFever 54 and I took my new wife and a couple of good friends on a cruise up through some of the old commercial fishing grounds and spots I used to hang out at when I worked the water on the lower BC coast. One spot, of which I had become very fond, was Egmont around the corner from Pender Harbor and just before you hit the Skookumchuck Rapids. The tides run through Egmont Channel around 12-15 knots and the rapids have flipped many boats over 50 feet!
There is now a pub with a dock on your starboard as you come into the channel. We arrived on a full ebb and there are always a few locals hanging around to watch the action, particularly when they spot a vessel with a US flag on the stern.
Of course, no one will lift a finger to take a line or help you secure your vessel... they are all waiting for the skipper to screw up the landing!
There were twin CAT D330's in the DeFever so a lot of power and 44" wheels that gave a real bite as well as good size rudders on a Capilano system.
I just kept about 1400 RPM and walked the boat into the dock with no problem and laid out 4 lines to holder her tight against the dock. Truth be told, it was more luck than anything else other than I had come into this same dock 30 years ago many times with a single screw grey power plant so knew what to expect.
Local knowledge plus years of experience worked for me!
Phil

[BandB]

Originally Posted by Capt Phil

Local knowledge plus years of experience worked for me!
Phil

I have a lot of sea time, but the last time I handled a single engine boat (oh I have done a couple of rentals but only a few hours each) was 1999. Prior to that I had over 15 years handling single engines. I'm sure I'm not as good handling them today as I was then.

It's really a lot of what you're use to. We love jet tenders and jet boats although don't own a jet boat yet. We have no problems handling them. I know many captains who hate handling them.

It's also not just singles vs twins. No two boats will ever handle exactly the same.

[Olddan1943]

Get a spring line over and then.... Just takes time and practice.