Hard Reverse - Transom damage?

[Revenger715]

Hi folks,

I've recently acquired a 'floating dock' and after a bit of fettling it is pretty easy to drive onto however getting off is requiring a good deal of power in reverse and my motor (Evinrude 150) tends to be thrashing around a lot before the boat un-sticks and slides off the dock.

I am concerned that over the longer term this is not ideal..! I don't want to cause undue stress to the transom or potentially catastrophically damage something.

I would appreciate your views!

[Maximus]

I'm not sure you've much too worry about whithout seeing the operation ....but something to enablele less friction reversing and or raising the angle of the Dock slightly sounds like it would be a good idea.

[Pikey Dave]

As Matt says, difficult to advise without seeing the setup. I used to have a very heavy inboard rib that was a bugger to get off the trailer if we were launching in shallow water. I rigged a snatch block at the back of the trailer, ran the winch rope down the trailer, through the snatch block & back to the bow eye. This enabled me to winch the boat OFF the trailer. Maybe you could rig something similar on your dock.

[simonl]

You really can't overload a transom by going hard astern. The forces are insignificant compared to normal use & trailering on a bumpy road.

[Searider]

Your floating dock supplier should be able to provide a winching kit to allow you to winch the boat off is required.

[Poly]

Is the problem that the prop isn’t in clear water because the dock is in the way? Ie it’s a bit like putting a short shaft engine on an extra long shaft transom?

I saw a dock recently which had one block missing at the aft keel - I assume to mitigate that issue.

[Fender]

Originally Posted by Searider

Your floating dock supplier should be able to provide a winching kit to allow you to winch the boat off is required.

+1

This is normal practice, what I hate to see ( there's floaty docks in the marina near me ) is a boat owner start up their pride and joy, engine stone cold and then they rev the cr*p out of it to leave the dock . Can't be good for the lump

[Revenger715]

actually that does make sense - although mine is a 'long-shaft' motor there is certainly not much clear water between the prop and the start of the deck - less than a foot. I'm also currently driving it on a bit too far each time.

Thinking of a hand winch option to winch the boat back a bit first - anyone seen a neat solution?

[Revenger715]

And I warm my motor up for a good 10 minutes while I prep the boat, then 20 or 30 seconds on a light reverse throttle which is meant to wash some water up onto the dock before I then give it the beans to actually move the boat. Hopefully enough mechancial sympathy..!

It is a MarineFloor dock - very common in Europe but not so in UK.

[Fender]

Originally Posted by Revenger715

And I warm my motor up for a good 10 minutes while I prep the boat, then 20 or 30 seconds on a light reverse throttle which is meant to wash some water up onto the dock before I then give it the beans to actually move the boat. Hopefully enough mechancial sympathy..!

It is a MarineFloor dock - very common in Europe but not so in UK.

Some systems use adjustable buoyancy at the rear of the dock to change the angle of the ramp, allowing easy entry and exit, then raising the stern of the craft to keep the boats transom completely out of the water while on the dock

[Revenger715]

Just an update on this - new technique is to have the boat in reverse (low rpm) for a minute or two which washes water up on to the dock, and then few more revs and boat slips off easy peasy when you know how ...!!

[plymjack]

Originally Posted by Revenger715

Just an update on this - new technique is to have the boat in reverse (low rpm) for a minute or two which washes water up on to the dock, and then few more revs and boat slips off easy peasy when you know how ...!!

indeed water is a good lubricant...