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I know it's a drag but I sail with the OB leg still in the water .... Now days that's mainly because I'm too lazy to lock-and-lift it.

But I'm currently working on the AutoPilot setup and I was wondering what it would be like if I centered and fix the OB, then under low power, just steered with the rudders .... Has anyone had experience of this?

I don't think you will have good steering control. I believe you need some sort of board down amidship as a point to pivot on when turning.

Please excuse the lack of engineering nomenclature.


Ray

Thanks Ray,

I should clarify that I don't want to do U-turns in a channel or dock like this ... I just want the rudders to keep me on course ... especially while lowering and flaking the mainsail.

I still question it.

Having never done that, this is pure speculation on my part.

Ray

I have done this with my last boat. Have not tried on with the X. I found good stable control when close maneuvering was not needed, and steering control was easier.
I was able to dock this way as well, but not near as well as with the motor and rudders linked.

There you go.


Ray

bobflshmn wrote:I have done this with my last boat. Have not tried on with the X. I found good stable control when close maneuvering was not needed, and steering control was easier.
I was able to dock this way as well, but not near as well as with the motor and rudders linked.

Thanks Bob.... That's just what I needed to know. So now I can knock an OB steering lock and see how I go with this on my .

Uhhh. Yea you can on the M model at least. Does fine. Not for tight turning obviously. And heed the manuals speed limit of 6mph

Ix

I often don't bother to reconnect the OB for docking, but I do drop the swing centerboard a little (sort of a skiff keel at that point), and it certainly doesn't turn as tight as with it connected. More like a keel boat; gotta have some flow over the rudders to get them to bite, though a keel boat usually has some flow over the rudder from the prop. The Mac doesn't, of course. But it handles fine otherwise, at less than 6 kts of course.

Thanks Guys,

Is it 6mph or 6 kts??

Page 19 of the owners manual.

“When powering at 6 mph or less, you can steer with the rudders down. With the engine and rudders linked and the rudders down, control at low speed is as good or better than any other boat. At low speed, you will have even better steering control if the cen- terboard is about 1/4 down. Remember to pull it all the way up when you are powering faster than 6 mph.”

I think it tracks better with a little center board down. I pull it all the way up, and then let it down a little bit.
Bill at BOATS 4 SAIL

The other week I forgot to put some centerboard down before backing out into the channel, with both rudders locked down shall we say the directional control was iffy at best and I had to use a very large handful of throttle to get her around, I was thinking wow she isnt responding well today.

In short, if there is anything hard or dry to hit in the near vicinity I want the centerboard down at least a bit

I do this quite a bit when I am solo and don't have time to muck around reconnecting the motor link. You need about 2 knots of through water speed to get any meaningful steering happening, not ground speed as if you are moving at the same speed with the current you have no flow over the rudders so no real steerage way.

I use rudders when docking or slow moving around. Even when solo. I found the quick release / connect steering arm works great. I do plan ahead and get things set up a good bit before I get to our slip. Center board use depends on wind direction and speed in relation to slip but usually have it down 12/18 inches.