Forward/Reverse

[Voileur]

Hi. Recently I had a problem that stumped me. I have a Catalina 30 (23 HP inboard engine) for the last 2 years, my first boat. Yesterday, with 16-20 kts NE winds, (22 kts gusts) heading North, motoring back, I had problems steering ( as a check, I noticed I could move fast in reverse -in any direction- but could hardly advance N or E). This was in Biscayne Bay, within the last stage of the flood cycle (current speed estimated at 1.5-2.0 kts roughly N?). After a while motoring forward at slowly increasing speed (0.5-2.0 kts) past Port Miami towards Venetian causeway, protected from the wind, I was able to move at almost 3 kts SOG. Is it a problem with the forward gears, or is it a combination of wind and current?
Thanks for any help.

[JPA Cate]

I'm pretty sure it is only the wind strength. The force of the wind against the boat increases with the square of the strength. There would have been wind-against-the-tide chop against you as well, which tends to get the boat hobby horsing a bit, which also will slow you. What we have done is to motorsail, tacking just enough to fill the sail to help the engine power, shallower tacks by far, that you would need simply under sail. In this way, with a 35 hp motor, and the use of the storm jib, we were able to move our 36 footer into 55 kn. (Had to leave a bay after a small, fast moving cyclone passed over us.) When possible, try to move with the tide with you or at slack water. If you save your GPS tracks, you can see how much adverse current, just by itself will affect your tacking angles made good, with favorable wind. Into 20 kn., you could also use the double reefed mainsail to help you motorsail.

Ann

[Voileur]

Hello Ann.

Thanks for the explanation. You are probably right because I had no problem motoring with the mainsail up until almost inside the port of Miami. I had to drop it at this point for fear of traffic and not having space later. That's when the problem started. I did try the genoa half furled but that didn't help much.
I would never have survived in your situation.
Thanks again.
Nadir