Notice:
The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ.
The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.
<font size="1"><i>"Perhaps there is no easy solution to my problem, short of a different mount for my motor."</i></font id="size1">
No, I beg to differ and reiterate my suggestion that you simply try shifting to forward gear sooner!
Dlucier explained the same thing with his diagram and text: <font size="1"><i>"While still moving backwards, I turn the outboard hardover directing the thrust to help kick the stern over quicker, slow rearward momentum, then transition to forward movement."</i></font id="size1">
In his diagram boat image #2 illustrates 60 degrees as the angle at which Don shifts to forward:
Likewise, Dave5041 confirms this: <font size="1"><i>I back out of my slip and start my forward quick burst of throttle at about 60 degrees.</i></font id="size1">
In other words, don't wait until the boat is parallel to the fairway before shifting to forward. Do it at about 60 degrees away from pararllel or after turning only 30 degrees. It is literally a simple solution to your problem.
Except he doesn't have a reasonable way to turn the outboard. That's the problem. His P.O.'s setup is inappropriate for a an outboard boat (power or sail) that needs to maneuver in tight quarters. It needs to be changed. An inboard boat can use the thrust against the rudder to do some wonderful things. This essentially is a boat that can't do what an inboard <i><b>or</b></i> an outboard can do.
Thanks for posting the manual for my motor, Kim. It shows there is a steering damper. I loosened it but the engine did not budge. I'll have to go back with more tools and see if I can free it up.
Frank, I think you are right. My boat does not steer starboard because motor is on the right side. The problem is that the engine is perpendicular to the transom, but the transom itself is at a slight angle.It's this angle that is likely causing by boat to turn. I figure if I get it set straight my boat will be less prone to steer starboard at low speed.
All outboards will steer/rotate. There are no fixed outboards. Yours is a tiller-less motor meant to be turned by a wheel and cables. The PO was an idiot for buying this type of set up without installing a wheel and cables as in a power boat. That said look for the friction lock, Loosen it and physically turn the motor. The PO probably has it fully tightened so the motor won't turn. This may take a good bear hug and some good muscle power because the motor probably hasn't been turned since it was installed but it will turn. Next go to a Yamy dealer and see if the motor can be converted to a tiller. If it can't then get rid of it. This is really your only fix to this problem.
There are a lot of outboards out there with no tiller handles on them and we don't all have a problem with turning them. The only time I have to unlock mine and turn it(3 times in 5 years) is when in Key West. It probably isn't really required but is easier to back into their style slips. Admittedly a handle would give more leverage to turn it but have not had it since I bought the motor. I wouldn't like to give up my cockpit controls either.
<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by WesAllen</i> <br />...The only time I have to unlock mine and turn it(3 times in 5 years) is when in Key West...<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></font id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"> Different situation.
BTW, on my Honda, I set the friction adjuster so I could easily turn the motor or leave it in a cruising position, and make small adjustments to neutralize the helm when under way. No locking, unlocking, or friction changes were needed. But I don't think I could do that without a tiller handle.
You might try a spring line on the strbrd aft cleat to pull in the stern and get the boat to swing around to port as you come out. Run the line from the aft cleat on the boat, through a cleat or around a piling on the dock and back to the boat, and release when you power up.
Of course grab the line up as it releases to keep it out of the prop.
Not sure if its the same but there's a tiller handle with the cables for a Yamaha 9.9 hp for sale on ebay. Might be worth a look into... 17 hrs left in the auction.
Notice: The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ. The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.