Stopping - Regal LS4 Owner's Manual

starboard, and will direct the propeller thrust to port,
tracking the stern to starboard.
Wind and current will affect how a vessel backs.
Stern drive boats tend to be light displacements
and when backing down in a strong crosswind, the
bow will tend to fall toward the windward. This may
cause steering problems.

Stopping

Remember that your boat does not have any brakes.
It uses reverse thrust from the propellers to stop. If
the vessel has headway, with the helm and propeller
in reverse the propeller thrust is directed backwards,
past the lower gear case. Depending on how far
the throttle is advanced, the discharged thrust may
not be strong enough to reverse the water fl owing
by the gear case. As the power is increased, the
propeller thrust becomes strong enough to stop the
fl ow of water past the lower unit, and, as the throttle
is advanced it reverses its fl ow more completely.
When water is fl owing past the gear case, steering
torque is increased, but when the thrust stops the
water fl ow, the boat will not respond to the helm.
This is a short lived event and is overcome quickly
when the water again fl ows past the gear case.
Furthermore, added to the energy of the water
hitting the lower gear case, the propeller thrust is
directed by turning the stern drive unit which can
add to the steering torque.
When the vessel begins
to gather speed to stern,
the water passing by the
lower gear case housing
will continue to increase
steering torque. If the
helm wheel is turned to
The prop tends to throw the stern to port. This is why
experienced skippers undertake a port side landing
when wind and current conditions permit. They allow
the prop to move the stern to port toward the dock.
With a forward motion when the helm wheel is
turned hard to one side, the vessel pivots around a
point about 1/3 its length abaft to stern.
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