Nice Article about Docking Multihulls

[boom23]

Saildrive catamarans usually have the saildrive after the rudder (like Lagoon cats). So, rudders see prop wash only when backing up with the engines.

[Palarran]

Originally Posted by Blue Stocking

If you are port side, for instance, to the dock, helm can go hard to port. port engine astern, stbd ahead. port stops forward movement, stbd pushes stern away from dock. No wind, boat will crab out.

I would think it is the opposite. Your port engine should be in forward and starboard in reverse. Your port engine wants to push the nose towards starboard and the prop wash pushes the stern out. The starboard engine stops forward movement.

I've got a lot to learn about crabbing (the boat movement type, personality wise I've got it down). But, I typically use the outside engines of the direction I want to go. I've never been able to do it without some forward and backward movement, windless day or not.

[SVNeko]

Originally Posted by boom23

Saildrive catamarans usually have the saildrive after the rudder (like Lagoon cats). So, rudders see prop wash only when backing up with the engines.

Not mine. Nor do Catanas, I believe.

[REsCat]

Originally Posted by SVNeko

Not mine. Nor do Catanas, I believe.

(+1)

[Wanderlust]

Originally Posted by boom23

Saildrive catamarans usually have the saildrive after the rudder (like Lagoon cats).

My Lagoon 410 with saildrives has the rudders aft of the props.

[boom23]

The Lagoon 450 has the rudder before the saildrive.

[Lagoon4us]

Originally Posted by Palarran

Another use of the rudders is when you are leaving a dock with the wind or current blowing against you. If you are rotating out from your stern, turn the wheel towards the dock until you actually gain forward movement. The prop wash will help push the stern off the dock.

Lagoon 440's have cable/wire rope steering not hydraulic. A full thrust of reverse on those rudders can cause the wheel to spin and risk severe injury to a unaware helms person.

Far safer to lock the 'non-hydraulic- steerers in a central position and drive like a tank.

Cheers

[belizesailor]

I occassionally captain a Lagoon 50 which has no wheel lock...what a pain...you have to get in the habit of securing the wheel with your hip before reversing.

[Lagoon4us]

I'm hearing you! Was backing into Quayside at Trogir last year and the locking nut wasn't quite tight, the wheel spun when the wash hit the rudder and caught my kneecap moving it from it's normal place (in front) for some time Fricken hurt.

I see many backing their Lagoons in desperately holding the wheel centrally due to the friction lock ceasing to work OR some dill had sprayed either silicone or WD 40 on it when doing maintenance......

[Palarran]

Originally Posted by Lagoon4us

Lagoon 440's have cable/wire rope steering not hydraulic. A full thrust of reverse on those rudders can cause the wheel to spin and risk severe injury to a unaware helms person.

Far safer to lock the 'non-hydraulic- steerers in a central position and drive like a tank.

Cheers

So your sail drives are behind your rudders? I guess that is only a disadvantage if you were going to use the rudders for prop wash anyway.

One advantage of rudders in front of sail drives would be the ability to turn when under high power. It is darn hard to turn the wheel when both props are pushing water over the rudders.

I don't have a wheel lock.

[Lagoon4us]

I guess at the end of the day whether the rudders are forward or aft of the drives ya gonna cop huge wash reaction in ahead or astern depending on the configuration UNLESS you have hydraulic steering then theres no need to lock to prevent wash effect.

The only problem then is you loose the feedback that cable steering gives when under sailing, i'd rather the feedback and simply lock and manoeuvre under throttle/gearshifting oh but hang on i have a bowthruster as well, love it!

[Wanderlust]

Originally Posted by monte

I like this one
The Catamaran Maneuvering Game

Warning for your email address. I registered with a little used email address and within a few hours started receiving junk mail ..... the sort that has links to unsafe sites, etc.