LEAVE A BERTH IN A SINGLE-ENGINE BOAT

Single-engine craft are making a comeback, boosted by lower prices, reduced servicing costs and better fuel economy. However, manoeuvring a single-engine craft takes practice. On the plus side it does simplify the question of which engine to use!

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The Marex 310 Sun Cruiser we borrowed from Wessex Marine for this demonstration has a single Volvo D6 sterndrive. It also has a bow thruster, so whilst it’s perfectly possible to leave a berth without using it, it does make life easier.

There are three key points to remember when manoeuvring a single-engine boat:

1. Turn the wheel before engaging gear.

2. Use short bursts of ahead, astern and plenty of neutral so the boat never gains too much momentum – slow is pro!

3. Look and think 10 seconds ahead to ensure each movement is planned rather than a panicky reaction.

In these photos there is a fresh breeze from the stern blowing us towards the boats on the other side of the aisle, and limited turning room.

Task one is to single up the lines by removing the springs; the breeze from astern means that you should remove the bow line first, then the stern line so you can get to the helm before the wind blows you out of the berth.

With the helm straight, engage ahead nudging in and out of gear to pull clear of the berth without gaining too much momentum. Now, depending on the wind strength, either engage a brief dab of astern with the helm straight to bring it to a halt, then turn the wheel full to port before engaging astern again to pull you back towards the windward side of the aisle. Or, if you’ve already stopped drifting forward, go straight to step two.