Yamaha 2019+ and reverse maneuverability

[SunnyD]

I'm a brand new boat owner so it's certainly possible I just need more (much more) practice, but I thought I'd throw this out there just in case.

I have a 2020 242 SE with TV XLs. I've read every maneuvering thread and watched every YouTube I could find. My slow forward turns are tight, but not quite turn in place tight (as expected). Throwing the throttles in opposite directions is not having the desired result. I've seen videos on what in place turns should look like and I'm not doing that. I also can't walk the boat sideways by alternating forward and reverse thrust when hard over.

My two suspicions are pilot error or the TV XLs in combination with the new 2019+ design of the reverse thrust directs the water in a v outwards instead of straight back.

Am I too new to judge or has anyone else had a similar experience?

In case anyone is not familiar with how the 2019+ reverse design is different... (still not clear on how opposing directional thrusts would replace what lateral thrusters do)

 

[RobbieO]

I have the latest version of the TV’s on my 2021 212SE, and while the slow speed steering reacts better, I am no way near condident in manipulating the throttles yet. We should be able to manuever our boats into the dock pretty precisely, but at this point its been difficult. Dealing with narrow approaches to the docks, unpadded docks, wind/current, and other boaters is unsettling when you are learning to manuever our boats. We have floating bathroom docks on some of our CA lakes, and I use them for practice. I am overly concerned about damaging my boat even with the fenders is place. I’ll get it figured out eventually. So will you.

 

[VitaminSea]

Throwing the throttles in opposite directions is not having the desired result.

Just wonder what is your desired result?

Can’t speak to your model/nozzle but due to the way reverse thrust works on the jet drive, you need to give 2-3 times more throttle in reverse than what you are applying in fwd.

Try taking you boat out into the middle of the lake/cove, keep your steering centered, engage port in fwd (first dedent), and the starboard in reverse. Manipulate only the reverse throttle and see how your vessel reacts. Should spin clockwise, with your reverse throttle dictating the speed of the rotation. If you find yourself moving forward or reverse more than you care to, adjust one of the throttles to offset.

Congrats on the new boat!

 

[212s]

Can’t speak to your model/nozzle but due to the way reverse thrust works on the jet drive, you need to give 2-3 times more throttle in reverse than what you are applying in fwd.

THIS - the buckets re-direct jet thrust down/foreward and sideways, so reverse needs a fair bit more to get the same velocity change compared to straight out forward thrust. One of the reasons I let the engines warm up while parking the truck and trailer is for when I depart the dock I can hit the reverse throttles a bit harder to get her moving back and out without fear of touching the dock or another boat.

 

[AboveTheBest]

Jet boat slow speed steering is very different from a stern drive or IO, reverse steering is even more bizarre.

Cobra jets and TV’s help, but there’s still a learning curve. Keep practicing and you’ll be a pro by the end of the season.

The peculiarities of our steering lends itself to some impressive maneuvers once you master it. I can come into a fuel dock at 90 degrees and parallel park the boat right between two others if needed (in moderate chop), and 180/360’s in the length of the boat are no problem.

 

[David Martin]

Just moved from I/O to jet about 6 months ago. Maybe this will help a little........I found the big difference was 2/3 less thrust in reverse than forward as others have said. With that said I keep the cruse usually 2 clicks up around 2000rpm, I now control my forward speed by going into neutral and forward many many many times only staying in forward for a fraction of time I stay in neutral this slows my approach to the dock to a crawl. YOU always want to keep your bow under control with forward thrust and always keep the bow aimed at the pre determined spot you choose ahead of time. When I hit my timing marks and pre determined dock/bow spot I turn hard into dock drop her into reverse and the stern walk/rotates into the dock. My crew/wife is great at bow dock line capture making docking a lot easer.

Hope this helps a little

 

[1WetBoat]

...When I hit my timing marks and pre determined dock/bow spot I turn hard into dock drop her into reverse and the stern walk/rotates into the dock...

This is what im learning and getting used to. What complicates things is that the waverunner has it opposite of this so its like trying to relearn it each time i get on either. I split my time between both so eventually I will have it down packed.

 

[RobbieO]

Just moved from I/O to jet about 6 months ago. Maybe this will help a little........I found the big difference was 2/3 less thrust in reverse than forward as others have said. With that said I keep the cruse usually 2 clicks up around 2000rpm, I now control my forward speed by going into neutral and forward many many many times only staying in forward for a fraction of time I stay in neutral this slows my approach to the dock to a crawl. YOU always want to keep your bow under control with forward thrust and always keep the bow aimed at the pre determined spot you choose ahead of time. When I hit my timing marks and pre determined dock/bow spot I turn hard into dock drop her into reverse and the stern walk/rotates into the dock. My crew/wife is great at bow dock line capture making docking a lot easer.

Hope this helps a little

That works great on a calm day, or when the wind and current is in your favor. I’m still working on it, mostly while solo. Hard to get a depth perception while you’re in the seat.

 

[David Martin]

I set on top of the seat bolster and grab the throttles with palm up facing toward front of boat. The throttles are at an angle set more for a seated person, so I fined the palm up feels better to me. I also use a yellow Velcro strip around my steering wheel in the up 12 o'clock up position to let me know the jet nozzles are straight. My ageing brain sometimes needs all the help I can get.

Good Luck

 

[drewkaree]

Jet boat slow speed steering is very different from a stern drive or IO, reverse steering is even more bizarre.

Cobra jets and TV’s help, but there’s still a learning curve. Keep practicing and you’ll be a pro by the end of the season.

The peculiarities of our steering lends itself to some impressive maneuvers once you master it. I can come into a fuel dock at 90 degrees and parallel park the boat right between two others if needed (in moderate chop), and 180/360’s in the length of the boat are no problem.

All of this.

I've had my boat for only 2 years, but all of what @AboveTheBest is saying will be possible for you. I can't do what he's saying in moderate chop, but I can do it in calmer conditions, and I'm learning each time out. You'll get there too. One thing I can tell you that helps me, is to go out either with just the wife, or alone, and practice. Get used to pulling up to a pier with a helper, and do it SLOW so you can at least pay slight attention, at first, to what or where you want to be careful of, so that when you're alone, you know what spots you'll need to deal with. For me, it's weird, I don't worry one bit about the front, I worry about the rear for the common piers around me, because it's so low that it's my problem area - it'll slide under a dock in a heartbeat if I'm not paying attention. For a higher pier, then it's the bow, just in front of the windshield, for the same reason as the rear on my typical pier.

It's also how you approach it - my neighbor has a pontoon that's smaller than my AR, and he's far more nervous in our creek than me, and he's been boating for far longer than I've been. My Yamaha looks to be far less work to jockey the throttleS, plural, than when I watch him nervously dealing with a single throttle, and he's already commented that he wishes he had the ability to spin in such a small area. That's a fair bit away from the first time I put my boat in the water and thought I was going to bash the transom on the same rocks I barely consider an issue anymore.

Time and practice make experience and skill.

 

[FSH 210 Sport]

I’m fortunate in that my good friend was a professional boat captain for many years on large boats with twin screws and has schooled me very well on slow speed maneuvering. He had a bit of a learning curve with the jet drive as the jets don‘t bite into the water like 24” props do. And I’m no expert!

Once I get near the dock I center the steering and don’t touch it. I use the engine thrust in small shots of thrust, click the throttle into forward or reverse for a second and then back to neutral and pause to see the effect. As the others have stated here go slow. No one wrecks their boat by going too slow.

Again, as the others have stated about using split throttles, reverse has less authority than forward. Just place one throttle in the forward TDE position and modulate the spin with the opposite throttle in reverse.

You are going to have a very difficult time trying to make your boat crab to one side or the other. However, by using both throttles in unison, for example turning full starboard and applying reverse thrust with both throttles you can pull the stern to starboard. Center the wheel, apply forward thrust on the port engine and reverse on the starboard, and now you will pull the bow towards starboard, effectively moving the whole boat to starboard. For a newbie like me this can get a little busy, but it does work.

One thing my friend has impressed on me is to fight your enemy, which would be wind, current, or both. If you are making an approach to your trailer, and the wind is blowing from right to left, don’t approach the trailer from the right and try to time it out to let the wind push you into alignment just as you reach the trailer. If something goes wrong you are now totally at the mercy of the wind. Instead make your approach from the left side, using power to slowly approach the trailer fighting your opponent with thrust, this helps you to stay in control and not be taken for a ride. In the situation mentioned above, I’ll leave my trailer shallower so the front of the bunks are just sticking out of the water, as I make my approach I may be at a 30° to the trailer, but as I ease onto the trailer the boat will center itself on the bunks, and then I can apply a bit of power to push it onto the bunks a bit more. Leaving the engines in idle ahead, I reach over the bow and attach the winch line and spin the slack out of the winch line, jump in my truck and ease the trailer lower in the water and the boat rides up onto the trailer. I then tighten the winch line and pull the hook up under the bow roller, jump in the boat and secure the engines, then ease the trailer out of the water and this lets the boat settle onto the bunks.

As the others have said, you will get it down with some practice!