Describe driving a 24SSV

[garyholl]

It's very slow to react at slow speed. I should say it's like blowing a feather along on a desk. You don't point it at a spot and drive there, you work your way there through a series of nudges. Dancing it around the gas dock on a busy day may require my wife to manage the rear corners to make sure I don't bump someone else! Has anyone ever instilled an oversized rudder?

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[CJD]

I equate it to driving a jet ski. No steering unless you are moving forward. To get it turning you have to goose it at slow speeds.

You learn to use torque steering in reverse...and plan ahead at the docks!

[Zim]

Oh the life of an inboard owner haha. Trust me when I say, it's not just the 24! ;)

[jasun]

I can maneuver the salt (23' without the swim deck) like it's my job. You do learn the bump method. Just bump it in gear with the wheel pointed in the direction you want to go for a split sec. Also with reverse, I've learned how to spin on a dime. I love the handling.


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[Zim]

Yeah, it's not really a problem these days, but getting used to it took some time. The throttle bump is key. I actually prefer an inboard now, the only problem is trying to tie up to someone on my port side haha. Can't ever suck the stern into another boat or dock on that end, so ropes and people helpers are key.

[jzelt]

Reverse sucks the stern toward the drivers side.
To dock, I found it best to do a "power slide" slowly into where you want to go, don't just go parallel or slight angle to the dock.
Angle it or even straight toward the bow, then turn and "slide" it in, slow reverse to stop forward progress, no need for massive power changes.

[garyholl]

Lately my glitch has been pulling up perfectly parallel to the dock, but 3 feet away.

[Zim]

yeah can't pull up parrallel. 90-45* depending what direction you're attacking from.

[KG's Supra24]

Agreed, approach the dock perpendicular, then swing the back in around as you approach. As mentioned, the boat will pull to the driver's side.

With a little practice you will have it in no time. My best attempts are when the person on the dock is about to reach out to stop the front from hitting the dock when I slowly stop it and pull the back end around.

[haugy]

It's not that tricky..........until you get good at port side reverse (My comp and Mariah), and then go to starboard side reverse (my Saltare). Then it get's fun. :D

[inair]

Yup and then just when you think you've got it all figured out a little breeze will come up and make you look like a moron!

[Jetlink]

Yup and then just when you think you've got it all figured out a little breeze will come up and make you look like a moron!

That's about par for the course though.

[gogger]

My best luck has been coming in and doing a 180 and wind up docked going the other direction. Seems trying to do a 180 it will slide right into place. Of course has to be at just the right dock. Can't wait to play with the 24.

[garyholl]

Gogger, are you getting a 24?

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[gogger]

Yes, supposed to pick up a 2006 24ssv Gravity Games Edition on Monday.

[garyholl]

Awesome gogger! What city are you in?

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[garyholl]

Coming from a 22' Tige, I'm here to tell you it's very different. I would swear the rudder could be bigger. If course, at any sort of speed its fine but in the marina it's a whole nother story!

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[CJD]

I think it's a matter of the center of mass of the boat. A direct drive moves the mass of the motor and tranny forward, so the rudder has a longer "arm" to turn it. With a V drive, the mass is moved way aft, almost over the rudder, so the rudder just doesn't have a very long arm to move it with. It's not so much the size of the rudder, but rather that it is located so close to the center of mass on the boat.

Then we have the hydrodynamic center too. It's farther aft at slow speed, and moves over the skegs as the speed increases. It has the same affect on maneuverability...

The summary is, if you want the floorplan of the V-drive, it's going to be a pig at slow speeds.

[Zim]

I think it's a matter of the center of mass of the boat. A direct drive moves the mass of the motor and tranny forward, so the rudder has a longer "arm" to turn it. With a V drive, the mass is moved way aft, almost over the rudder, so the rudder just doesn't have a very long arm to move it with. It's not so much the size of the rudder, but rather that it is located so close to the center of mass on the boat.

Then we have the hydrodynamic center too. It's farther aft at slow speed, and moves over the skegs as the speed increases. It has the same affect on maneuverability...

The summary is, if you want the floorplan of the V-drive, it's going to be a pig at slow speeds.

Huh? That makes zero sense. A rudder is a rudder regardless of where the weight in your boat resides. The rudder does little to nothing without your prop pushing water by it which is the reason these things take some getting used to. My V-drive handles just fine... I can maneuver that thing like it's my job now as long as there's water passing over the rudder.

[Jetlink]

Huh? That makes zero sense. A rudder is a rudder regardless of where the weight in your boat resides. The rudder does little to nothing without your prop pushing water by it which is the reason these things take some getting used to. My V-drive handles just fine... I can maneuver that thing like it's my job now as long as there's water passing over the rudder.

It's all physics really... weight*arm=moment. The greater the weight or the shorter the arm, the greater the force required to move it. You can either decrease the weight or make the arm longer such as getting a bigger crow bar when trying to pry something to make life easier.

[Zim]

Well the reason a rudder on a boat is so much smaller is because the prop pushes water past the rudder which improves its effectiveness. Sailboats need massive rudders because they move super slow. The water the prop pushes over the rudder acts as fast moving water and decreases the size you need for control. I just don't feel that these boats handle like pigs at all, and I couldnt tell a lick of difference between my tiny direct drive mastercraft and larger V-drive supra when it comes to slow speed steering. You actually have a lot of control so long as you have the throttle in forward idle or above. If you expect to just coast in and turn you wheel without giving the prop any power, you're not going to have any control... unless you have a giant sailboat rudder off the back of the thing. Just the nature of the beast.

[Jetlink]

No argument there Zim. But you take it way to the extreme in your example above between a sailboat rudder and our power boats. For the record, the sailboat requires a larger rudder not from slower speeds it operates at but the amount of turning force exerted on the boat by the gigantic "wing" or sail sitting above it. The rudder has to overcome the force and desire of the boat to always wanting to weathervane into the wind.

[garyholl]

Well, I have only found control on my 24 by nudging the throttle repeatedly in both forward and reverse (I use a lot of docks.) The worry I have is for the transmission. I'm always careful to let it stop forward propeller spin (before I put it in reverse) or vice versa. It can't be good for the transmission going back and forth from forward to reverse, especially quickly. I'm already getting better at it though. I guess it just takes some practice.

[Zim]

You won't hurt the tranny by nudging it in and out of gear. Just make sure your fluid is good. This is what these transmissions are made for.

[garyholl]

That's good to hear!

[MDVols]

I love it! I freak people on the boat out when I'm pulling up to a boat or dock then bump it in reverse and parallel park it like I own the place.

[CJD]

Back to the OP...

This week I did find the weak side of the 24SSV. If you have any chop,you're gonna get wet. Like, real wet! The low bow looks good and is great for visibility, but even mild chop sprays over the top. Not a big deal, but something to be ready for.

[garyholl]

Sometimes getting the bow up can help but not always. My inboard outboard was better at getting on top of the stuff for sure.

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[CJD]

Huh? That makes zero sense. A rudder is a rudder regardless of where the weight in your boat resides. The rudder does little to nothing without your prop pushing water by it which is the reason these things take some getting used to. My V-drive handles just fine... I can maneuver that thing like it's my job now as long as there's water passing over the rudder.

Really. Wonder why they don't build boats with the rudder in the middle, by the steering wheel? It would be easier to rig that way.

Answer...the boat would not turn if the rudder was at the center of mass, regardless of where the prop was located.

[gogger]

Well one nice thing compared to my Pirata, then open box is convinent to jump on to the dock from. I just brought her in real slow and then grapped a dockline and stepped onto the dock and pulled her up to it. Couldn't do that with the Pirata.