Using reverse gear to reduce speed

[Taggart123]

I would be interested in reading any other Nautique drivers experience in slowing down,
or stopping their boat using reverse gear.
I requested an answer from Nautique last summer but nobody replied.
I have always used reverse gear to slow my boats down whilst returning to a fallen boarder,
coming into dock, trailering or for any other reason; however,
last summer a friend told me that doing this will damage the engine and gearbox.
I only do this at idle speed obviously, i do not whack my gearbox into reverse whilst at speed.
Any feedback gratefully received.
Cheers
Dave

[srock]

I see no issue with it but efficient boat driving would not require reverse when picking up a fallen boarder.

[beamons]

Obviously you would want to be prudent when you use it but I could only imagine that it is better than running someone over, hitting something or potentially damaging the boat somehow.

[Helmsmn]

Shifting from neutral to clutch-ahead or reverse at idle and “no wake” speed is not only normal but required for any close quarters maneuvering. All docking, skier pick-up, launching, etc is done at the speed you described. You sound as though you are on the right path to good small boat handling.
Slow is Pro!


Sent from my iPhone using PLT Nautique

[charlesml3]

last summer a friend told me that doing this will damage the engine and gearbox.

Nonsense.

[swatguy]

The only time you risk damaging anything is going direct from forward to reverse or visa versa . Anytime you go from forward to reverse you must pause in neutral. Other than that no risk at all.

[Infinity]

I have several friends that use reverse to help spin the boat when turning back for rider. Rider falls and they go to neutral, then a couple seconds later, hit reverse for a few seconds to start the boat swing....then back to neutral and then then click back into forward.
While I have never heard them "clunk" the gears and its a smooth process that is not causing damage (obviously they are not slamming the gears back n forth), I do it a little different just to help keep wear down and have less shifts and to me, my process happens just as quickly and smoothly without the extra shifts.
When rider falls, I start turning boat toward non surf side as I pull back the throttle...(cause you do not want to power turn). Personally, I leave boat in gear and pull throttle back to just before neutral so its in the "slow idle" position, but it also works to do this and just go straight to neutral when you throttle back. That is how I taught my wife to do it since its a little slower/easier to learn)....the boat is already turning slowing from turning the wheel just before/as throttling back and as the surf wave is washing past you, it helps the boat to finish the turn and since you are still partially sideways to the wave as its washing past you and you turned toward the non surf side so you are not going over the bigger part of the wave, there is virtually no chance of chili dipping bow and taking on water or getting a bunch of rocking on the boat from your own wave. If you went to neutral, you are clicking boat back into forward idle to go back to rider since you are now already facing them....if you left boat in idle gear (like I do) there is nothing to do except keep steering toward rider.

This process keeps the residual wave going one direction and you can stay in one area and surf back and forth without hitting your own wake, or throwing your surf wave a bunch of different directions and pissing everyone else off.
Obviously if the lake is busy you pay more attention when doing it since sometimes you either have to wait a few seconds to throttle back, or speed up a bit t raise bow of boat after completing the turn if waves from other boats are colliding with your wave and creating turbulence since you can still dip bow at slow speed if wave is large enough or hits the boat wrong. Anyway, this is my experience.

[charlesml3]

The only time you risk damaging anything is going direct from forward to reverse or visa versa . Anytime you go from forward to reverse you must pause in neutral. Other than that no risk at all.

Again, nonsense.

[GMLIII]

Shifting from neutral to clutch-ahead or reverse at idle and “no wake” speed is not only normal but required for any close quarters maneuvering. All docking, skier pick-up, launching, etc is done at the speed you described. You sound as though you are on the right path to good small boat handling.
Slow is Pro!


Sent from my iPhone using PLT Nautique

I would agree and only add this is standard operating procedurer for any boat not just tow boats.

[swatguy]

Again, nonsense.

Obviously you’’ve never gone direct from forward to reverse whether on accident or on purpose due to an emergency. You’’ll hear the loud clunk from your tranny and your boat will stall out depending on the speed.

[charlesml3]

Obviously you’’ve never gone direct from forward to reverse whether on accident or on purpose due to an emergency.

Plenty of times. Over the past 20 years I've been in a situation where I had to reverse suddenly on dozens of occasions. I've had jetskis suddenly turn into me. I've had bass boats fly out of a cove on plane right in front of me. It happens. At any rate, I've never, ever heard a "clunk" nor stalled out an engine. Whoever told you it would damage the engine or transmission was feeding you a line.

This is yet another item of FUD that pervades this forum....

[swatguy]

Next you’ll tell us that going from neutral to full throttle with all the ballast full to pull a rider up won’t harm your tranny either.

[Tom_H]

Nautique's owner's manuals all say to pause in neutral before shifting forward to reverse and vice-versa, as well as any other brand's manual I've read. Also, and more importantly, you also should be at idle RPM before going in or out of gear either forward or reverse. I'd contend that the most potential for tranny damage would be a high rpm drop from forward straight into reverse, so would reserve that move for absolute emergencies. I've been in the boat in that situation, and heard the massive clunk from the transmission, and it's not a pretty sound. It still worked, but have to imagine it took some life off of it. That being said, most of these transmissions are pretty dang robust and can handle a lot of abuse.

To the OP, there's nothing wrong with your mode of operation, especially around docks/riders.

[ScooterMcgavin]

Again, nonsense.

This is not nonsense, definitely not good for transmission at higher rpm’s. Lower rpm’s it’s fine for maneuvering.