RickMtz
Member
- Messages
- 6
- Reaction score
- 13
- Points
- 12
- Location
- Central FL & St. Pete Beach
- Boat Make
- Yamaha
- Year
- 2023
- Boat Model
- 252SE
- Boat Length
- 25
This weekend, I installed Cobra Fins on my 2023 252SE. I was in the camp of “don’t need it.” I felt very comfortable operating the boat “stock,” especially with two engines!
Typically, the case for steering assistance lies in making steering easier at slow speeds. The result is a less stressful docking, loading the boat at the ramp, and any other function that requires steering at slow speeds.
But, if you ever lose an engine and need to navigate back on a single engine, primarily through “no wake zones,” you will know this is close to impossible. At low RPMS and Forward, the boat will instantly spin in the direction of the powered-off engine. Even if you try to counter with the small rudder at slow speed, you will *not* be able to steer. To be able to navigate with one engine, you need to give *a lot* of power to the working engine, plus steer in the opposite direction. This will give you slow, awkward progress… and you can forget about “no wake”… and the looks… and the hand gestures from fellow boaters that don’t understand your emergency
.
This is the reason I installed extra fins/steering assistance. If I ever lose an engine, I can safely navigate back to my destination. Plus, all the additional benefits that, while “I don’t need it,” I now get to enjoy. Especially the extra confidence it gives less skilled/still learning members of my family.
P.S.
recommend!
Typically, the case for steering assistance lies in making steering easier at slow speeds. The result is a less stressful docking, loading the boat at the ramp, and any other function that requires steering at slow speeds.
But, if you ever lose an engine and need to navigate back on a single engine, primarily through “no wake zones,” you will know this is close to impossible. At low RPMS and Forward, the boat will instantly spin in the direction of the powered-off engine. Even if you try to counter with the small rudder at slow speed, you will *not* be able to steer. To be able to navigate with one engine, you need to give *a lot* of power to the working engine, plus steer in the opposite direction. This will give you slow, awkward progress… and you can forget about “no wake”… and the looks… and the hand gestures from fellow boaters that don’t understand your emergency
.This is the reason I installed extra fins/steering assistance. If I ever lose an engine, I can safely navigate back to my destination. Plus, all the additional benefits that, while “I don’t need it,” I now get to enjoy. Especially the extra confidence it gives less skilled/still learning members of my family.
P.S.
recommend!
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