View Poll Results: My slowest speed is
3 to 4 knots 39 49.37%
4 to 4.5 knots 15 18.99%
4.5 to 5 knots 10 12.66%
5 to 5.5 knots 5 6.33%
5.5 to 6 knots 0 0%
6 to 6.5 knots 1 1.27%
6.5 to 7 knots 7 8.86%
7 to 7.5 knots 0 0%
7.5 to 8 knots 1 1.27%
8 knots or more 1 1.27%
Voters: 79. You may not vote on this poll

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Old 05-23-2018, 04:21 PM   #1
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How Slow Can You Go?

Wifey B: Seriously, not doing limbo, but I just saw Crusty talk about 4.5 knots and ASD talk about 6 knots and I guess on full displacement and on others with small engines you can go pretty slow, but I was surprised at 4.5 on the Selene and 6 on a Yachtfisher. I don't have those speeds, not even at idle. In gear it's going to go faster. So, the question is, in gear, not going in and out, but left in gear, no current or wind with or against, what is your slowest speed. Also, must be a speed that allows you to maintain course.
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Old 05-23-2018, 04:43 PM   #2
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Around 3 knots at idle (~450 rpm), even less when engaging the twin disc slip lever. Old FV
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Old 05-23-2018, 04:46 PM   #3
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Around 3.5kts, maintaining course is possible but requires a bit of work.
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Old 05-23-2018, 04:54 PM   #4
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Don’t they both have ~2.5 knots of contrary river current so aren’t they are going ~7 and 8.5 knots through the water?
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Old 05-23-2018, 04:59 PM   #5
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Don’t they both have ~2.5 knots of contrary river current so aren’t they are going ~7 and 8.5 knots through the water?
Wifey B: Not sure....perhaps. Would make sense.
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Old 05-23-2018, 05:02 PM   #6
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My idle in neutral is about 800; 700 in gear. But that is too shaky for anything but docking. At 1000 I’m still slow but smooth as a gas engine.
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Old 05-23-2018, 05:05 PM   #7
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Quote:
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Don’t they both have ~2.5 knots of contrary river current so aren’t they are going ~7 and 8.5 knots through the water?

Yes, they are bucking a steady current, that will increase to maybe 4-5 knots as they approach Bonneville.



There is a reason why most of us slow boaters take note of tides and currents.
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Old 05-23-2018, 05:25 PM   #8
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At idle, I do just under 3 knots. The A/P will hold a steady course at this speed in calm weather/water.

In very rough water 3 knots is sometimes my top speed as well.
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Old 05-23-2018, 05:35 PM   #9
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I can do 4 knots or so, but it's certainly not good for the engine other than for short durations. For proper oil pressure and engine temperature 6 knots would be the slowest speed I would cruise at and feel the engine was operating at recommend oil pressure and engine temperature.

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Old 05-23-2018, 05:47 PM   #10
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We idle at 3 knots. Idling doesn't keep the engine lubricants warm enough, however. Thus, for extended periods, the minimum speed is 5.5 knots, about a half-knot less than cruising speed and 2 knots below maximum boat speed. Three-knot minimum speed is too fast while docking, so much of the time will be coasting in the fairway except when making a sharp turn.
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Old 05-23-2018, 05:53 PM   #11
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I can do 0 kts. One engine forward and one engine in reverse.
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Old 05-23-2018, 05:55 PM   #12
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At idle I'm in the 4-4.5 range. I usually spend a few minutes at the end of each trip at that speed, AP holding course fine, while rigging fenders and mooring lines. In the river that can mean 2.5 or 6 depending on current direction. When its about 4 I know I have slack tide for entering the fairway, across current, before turning into my slip. Otherwise 6 would be as low as I go.
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Old 05-23-2018, 05:59 PM   #13
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I can do 0 kts. One engine forward and one engine in reverse.
Does the spinning make you dizzy?
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Old 05-23-2018, 06:17 PM   #14
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About 4.7kts at 525rpm, dead idle.
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Old 05-23-2018, 07:07 PM   #15
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I can do 3 or less at idle, but as others have said, I need 6 to 6.5 to get to operating temperature and get the oil pressure up. No problem with control at idle unless in a following sea.
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Old 05-23-2018, 07:14 PM   #16
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Clicked in gear we do 5 with clean bum and no current.
Big fan so plenty of water over the rudder and no problem steering or on auto.
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Old 05-23-2018, 07:44 PM   #17
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In idle with both gears engaged in flat calm conditions, I go 6+ knots (enough to get in trouble occasionally in the 5 knot zones).

But, since mine is primarily a fishing boat, I have trolling gears, which allow me to go as slow as 1.2 - 1.4 knots. (And AP has always worked fine even at those speeds.)

Heading into even a little current I am going backwards over ground. So maybe the correct answer is even slower, if negative speeds count.
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Old 05-23-2018, 08:12 PM   #18
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MYTraveler View Post
In idle with both gears engaged in flat calm conditions, I go 6+ knots (enough to get in trouble occasionally in the 5 knot zones).

But, since mine is primarily a fishing boat, I have trolling gears, which allow me to go as slow as 1.2 - 1.4 knots. (And AP has always worked fine even at those speeds.)

Heading into even a little current I am going backwards over ground. So maybe the correct answer is even slower, if negative speeds count.
Wifey B: Trolling gears are cheating. I've been on a couple of boats with them and it's sort of freaky cool. We don't have such.

And we don't have idle below 7 to 8 knots either. Two factors-Planing hulls and big engines. Actually think our center console will go slower. Guess outboards are slower at idle or something. Not sure why, but looked up the chart and shows 6 knots at 1000 RPM and I don't know if it will go slower. I've only been on it a couple of times as it's not for our use.
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Old 05-23-2018, 08:24 PM   #19
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In some places in BC I could be in full throttle forward and be going 10 knots backwards.
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Old 05-23-2018, 08:58 PM   #20
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tiltrider1 View Post
I can do 0 kts. One engine forward and one engine in reverse.
Sounds like making yourself 360 degree nuts; not knots!! Dizzy yet?
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