Differential steering?

[PuttingDoctor]

I’m searching for video for a student.... they are new to the Leopard 39 and she has a minor block to using the engines independently to dock in tight quarters.
Any links to YouTube appreciated.
Cheers,
Glen

[rslifkin]

I don't have a youtube video for it, but I've found for some people, it helps to think of it as having 2 single engine boats tied together. Work with one engine at a time at first and feel what effect each one has on the boat. Then work on combining that when needed.

I see a lot of people that feel like they have to have both in gear all the time (either both forward, both reverse, or 1 of each) and they lose out on a lot of maneuvering methods that rely on momentum and using 1 engine at a time to adjust that momentum, only using both when you need to spin or make other brief adjustments.

With any twin engine boat, I also tend to default to ignoring the rudders (just leave them centered) until I reach the point where I can't do what I want with engines alone, then it's time to use some rudder.

[PuttingDoctor]

Thanks for your reply. I have plenty of experience teaching but am looking for something to help her see and retain.
I learned differential steering on a crawler loader decades ago and have never had problems.
I keep looking for different ways to express what I know and understand for those who don’t.
Cheers,
Glen

[Manateeman]

Put out two fenders anchored straight down so they don’t get under the hull and practice as if it was a dock. Then add two more so it looks like a slip.
Doesn’t take long to set up. Away from other boats please.
Lock the wheel on center. Reverse often causes the rudder to flop hard over and this causes all sorts of learning problems.
You can set up the fenders for all sorts of wind and current direction.
Happy trails to you.
Captain Mark

[Dsanduril]

I’m with you, learned so long ago that it is mostly second nature. My wife found the thumb trick in this YouTube useful. The rest of the video is mildly useful, with a few drone shots to show what’s happening from outside the cockpit. At the end he says it’s just like driving a Bobcat

https://youtu.be/wagOy9IpjMY

[Tusitala]

Try this : https://youtu.be/I9qnwbdvUd4

[thinwater]

One more thing. In addition to locking the rudder and thinking of the boat as a buldozer, remember that the boat is skidding all the time. With shallow keels, windage, and tide, the boat will also be sliding sideways more than a monohull. Like propellor walk, you can use this to your advantage by turning turning and slowing the boat in one step (channel-side engine only in reverse as approaching, wheel over, then straight), and then letting the boat slide across the slip until aligned. Thank makes it easy to time the completion of the turn and backing (both engines-only); if you turned a little too early, just wait, the boat will slide across. Wind and tide are part of this, but a cat will also slide some on its own.


Two other things:

• Always be prepared to except that you blew the approach and come around again. Never force a bad apraoch.
• Blocked practice. Don't just dock after sailing. Spend and afternoon doing it over and over, hopefully with a few extra hands to fend if needed. But tell them NOT to give much advice (new pilots will saturate quickly); only one person should coach, and not much at that. Between attempts is the time for learning.

(My slip is only 12 inches wider than the boat--I get a a lot of backing practice, and it has paid off many times.)

[mark_morwood]

One suggestion I've heard for teaching is to imagine it is shopping trolley (cart). To turn left you push forward with the right hand and hold back with the left etc