Today was the last day of training. Swapped out the boats. I practiced with her some at all 3 docks...she's got the CPPrpos and sure does respond diferently than a fixed pictch prop. When reversing the pulling end the pitch goes flat and creates drag which is good but gives you no wash across the ruddder ahead for steering..need to spool it up more than a bit to get a response...took a little gettting used to....but she does walk nicely...that is when both rudders are turned with there ends in the same directions (think about this some) then applied engine revs to cause wash across the rudders (in other words both props are pushing toward the middle which then sends her sideways...AND if you do that while you have way on she slides to the side and gets in line with the ramp and wing walls.
Now there is another thing...I am already playing the game of seeing if I can touch the wing walls at the same instant and not bounce back...if you do bounce it counts as two landings
The very important thing to remember with these boats...they are HEAVY alone and then when fully loaded with folks and 54 cars, trucks, motorehomes,full dump trucks and logging trailers it gets really heavy and wants to keep going! Then you add current from the tides and wind...it is very demanding...
I had a situation yesterday that I call "washing the beach"...The tricky current took over as I didn't counter it fast enuf (we had a slow rudder for all the runs on one end for 3 days) so no slide could be done well...so I shot past the outer dolphin on the outside heading to the beach, this called for full push with the pulling end and full pull with the pusing end with a 3 to 5 second delay for the shaft brake between so when it finally spooled up the white water could rival most rapids and you could almost hear the stones on the beach being rolled over...nice recovery and into the dock with out any fuss...the engineer was on deck and called up after we were against the wingwalls "that was a little scary"...just another day on the ferry! (Not to be taken lightly, it can be very seriuos!)
I tell you...the forehead had some sweat on it and my eyes were wide! The traing captain smiled and said as we were leaving...don't worry we all have done it!
I consider a safe day of boating as a GOOD day of boating and I didn't kill anyone, brake stuff, sink the boat or go to jail! One of our captains says...it is a good landing if you didn't put any wood on the deck from the wing walls...but today that would be hard to do as the wing walls are faced with HDPE...same stuff I have on the sides of my little boat.
Tuesady I am on my own! FOR REAL!!!
It is fun and interesting...anyone who would like to come for a ride in the future, let's make arrangements...glad to have you aboard.
Signing off! Capt. PJ (I have to say I do feel like one...nice feeling!)
![pride :skipper:](./images/smilies/shipcaptain.gif)
2009 Raider 185 Pro Fisherman, 2005 90Yamaha, 2012 Yamaha9.9HT, 2008 EzLoader roller, 2004 Dodge TCD dually, 2005/2015 Lance1161