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« on: October 06, 2011, 10:38:12 AM »
Hi. My 1980 323 won't back up worth a darn. I'm jealous of the other skippers on my pier that back their boats in like a car. Mine backs to starboard, but I need it to back to port! I solicited help from the greater Pearson web a couple of years ago. Got lots of ideas..... The best one that works wonders is what we call our "warping line." I have an @ 60 foot line of 3/8th inch. I put the end loop around my aft port cleat, take a half turn around the stern piling and hook that end loop to the cleat near the winch. As I back out, the line feeds itself out, keeping an eye on it so that it doesn't get anywhere near the prop. When it reaches it's end, the bow has already cleared the outer pile on the other side and the line tightens, swinging the stern and bow around so that I'm pointing in the right direction. I let the line slacken and my wife quickly pulls the line in to the cockpit. Works like a charm! People on the pier watch, some thinking I have a bow thruster.