Considering a tiller on next boat but have zero experience with one. Can someone please explain how reverse typically works on the newer motors? Is there some kind of switch on the handle? Guess my main concern is docking in a tight spot or current/wind.
Tomahawk79
IMO, the gear shift/reverse deal is overrated. My typical launching procedure (whether or not there is a dock) is push it off the dry launch trailer, hop on the bow, drop the trolling motor in the water and either tie up to the dock or pull it up again and beach the nose, go park the truck.
If it’s open water, I’ll just shove the nose off, hop on, walk back to the motor, and start up/drive off in forward gear.
In a cove or river any wider than 25’, I’ll jump on and spin the boat around with the trolling motor, cruise out to open water, and again run off in forward.
If it’s a dead low tide 6’ wide mud ditch, or similar width hydrilla choked go-devil trail, I’ll use reverse. The key is to point your prop directly where you want to go and keep it idle speed or just above. My motor is mounted substantially higher than normal so you might get away with more RPM, but it just makes a bunch of prop wash. Handling isn’t that bad at slow speeds.
When actually stopping to fish, I just shut it off in gear, and I do the same while docking. Cruise in, slow WAY down at about 25 yards from the dock and you’ll get a feel for the heading you should be on to drift up to it regardless of what the wind or current is doing. I’ll usually just kill it at about 25’ away and run up to the bow to tie up. These aren’t 35’ center consoles, there’s no reason to mash it into reverse at full throttle when docking.
As far as loading it onto the trailer, if you dock on the outside or far enough out from the ramp, it’s easy once again to just start up, kick it into forward, and either make a 90 degree turn or do a small loop to line up with the trailer. Again, GO SLOW! and driving it between the guide bunks isn’t hard. The only time I’ve ever screwed up I was going way too fast and the waves were insane. The bow hit where I wanted it to and then skipped over to the side of the trailer and then the water pushed me sideways.
If it’s open water, I’ll just shove the nose off, hop on, walk back to the motor, and start up/drive off in forward gear.
In a cove or river any wider than 25’, I’ll jump on and spin the boat around with the trolling motor, cruise out to open water, and again run off in forward.
If it’s a dead low tide 6’ wide mud ditch, or similar width hydrilla choked go-devil trail, I’ll use reverse. The key is to point your prop directly where you want to go and keep it idle speed or just above. My motor is mounted substantially higher than normal so you might get away with more RPM, but it just makes a bunch of prop wash. Handling isn’t that bad at slow speeds.
When actually stopping to fish, I just shut it off in gear, and I do the same while docking. Cruise in, slow WAY down at about 25 yards from the dock and you’ll get a feel for the heading you should be on to drift up to it regardless of what the wind or current is doing. I’ll usually just kill it at about 25’ away and run up to the bow to tie up. These aren’t 35’ center consoles, there’s no reason to mash it into reverse at full throttle when docking.
As far as loading it onto the trailer, if you dock on the outside or far enough out from the ramp, it’s easy once again to just start up, kick it into forward, and either make a 90 degree turn or do a small loop to line up with the trailer. Again, GO SLOW! and driving it between the guide bunks isn’t hard. The only time I’ve ever screwed up I was going way too fast and the waves were insane. The bow hit where I wanted it to and then skipped over to the side of the trailer and then the water pushed me sideways.
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