2013 New York Safe Boating Textbook - (Page 55)

SEAMANSHIP Boat Handling and Maneuvering Steering Mechanically propelled boats are turned—or steered— by changing the direction of the thrust of the propeller. Outboards steer by turning the whole motor with a tiller or a wheel. When you turn the wheel on an I/O drive boat you are moving the out drive, which houses the propeller. On boats with an inboard motor, the motor and the propeller are stationary. You turn the rudder with a wheel and the rudder moves to direct the propeller thrust either to port or to starboard, rather than the propeller itself turning. 11 quicker. Always remember that a boat doesn’t have brakes— slow down before turning! Boat Response to Prop and Rudder In most boats, the propellers turn in a clockwise motion when the boat is moving forward. This is called right handed turning. When you are moving forward at a low speed, the stern of your boat will swing toward the starboard, and you will notice your bow swinging to port. When you are going astern (backwards) the opposite happens: the stern of a boat will back to port, and you will notice the bow tend to go to starboard. As you increase your speed you will notice this movement less. Docking Docking a boat smoothly and safely requires practice, so try it in open water first to become familiar with the procedures. As you approach a dock go slowly and have your fenders and lines ready. You may want to come to a complete stop, or nearly so, to read the wind and current. Try to take advantage of current and wind when docking or mooring. Try to approach against the wind and current; motoring into the wind or current is always easier than having it push you from behind. If you have a choice and the wind is greater than the current choose going into the wind. When you use a steering wheel, the boat’s bow will move in the same direction as the steering wheel turns. If you are in a sailboat or small outboard boat, the boat will have a “tiller” instead of a steering wheel. The tiller is a handle that the operator uses to turn the outboard or rudder. The movement of the tiller is the opposite of using a wheel. So if you move the tiller to port, the boat will move to starboard, and vice versa. A boat’s movement is similar to that of a car, but cars and boats pivot at the opposite ends. A car pivots on its rear wheels; a boat will pivot around a point near the bow. You may not notice in open water, but you will notice when you are near a dock. If you are traveling faster the turning response will be 55 Docking with no wind or current Approach the dock at an angle of 10 to 20 degrees. You should be headed for a spot slightly forward of the position where you intend to tie up. When you are within about one and one-half boat lengths from the dock, turn the steering wheel away from the dock to angle the boat away from the dock, bringing your boat parallel to the dock. Reverse engine just long enough to stop headway. When the bow is alongside the dock, secure the bow line to a cleat. 

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of 2013 New York Safe Boating Textbook

2013 New York Safe Boating Textbook
Contents
Introduction
Boats and Motors
Registration of Boats
Equipment
Fueling and Ventilation
Safe Loading and Powering
Preparation for Getting Underway
The Marine Environment
Rules of the Road
Boat Operations
Seamanship
Navigation
Personal Watercraft
Boating Related Activities
Accidents and Emergencies
Frequently Asked Questions
Chapter Review Questions Answers

2013 New York Safe Boating Textbook

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