Try selling a boat without rudders. Not going to be easy.
I appreciate the many thoughtful comments.
Some responses:
I am thinking about a power catamaran. The most I'll need is perhaps 125 hp per hull.
I started out looking at pods, but can't find any that small. I don't want a science project trying to cobble together something.
Steering will not involve shifting; just small amounts of differential will accomplish most turns. I don't really turn very much until I get where I'm going. Go straight for a while, maybe make a little correction, then straight again.
The AP will have nothing to do but adjust throttle; nowadays this is an electronic function. I appreciate that programming here might be a science project. Maybe no AP is needed.
I think getting rid of all the disadvantages adds up pretty big. There are lots of threads about steering issues and the occasional thread about rudder disasters. I can say that I am frequently being told, "That's where the rudder post has to go, that's where the AP mounts, that's the space for the cross bar, " etc.
And this way, I never have to sort out the spade rudder debate.
I started out looking at pods, but can't find any that small. I don't want a science project trying to cobble together something.
The AP will have nothing to do but adjust throttle; nowadays this is an electronic function. I appreciate that programming here might be a science project. Maybe no AP is needed.
Am I misunderstanding something in those two conflicting statements?
AS I have previously posted, with electronic shifters/throttles, the time it takes to engage/disengage the transmission is important. In my case it's 1.5 seconds which is an eternity when maneuvering close in. It all boils down to a "management" problem, like almost everything in boating." So we know how long to pause in neutral before shifting into into gear again."
So w a rudderless boat what would one do to make a right hand turn?
A. Increase the rpm of the port engine?
B. Decrease the rpm of the stbd engine?
C. Increase the rpm of the port engine and decrease the rpm of the stbd engine?
D. Increase the one engine more than one would decrease the other.
D of course would obviously give one much greater latitude in the range of turn radius and speed so for much or most of the turning both throttles would be involved. Then perhaps more rpm increase on one side and less on the other the difference of rpm would vary also. But this differential would probably not be linear. Would a good helmsman familar w the rudderless boat be able to keep up w all the variables?
Sounds like it would need to be computer controlled.
The Bismark battleship was sunk because they lost their steering. If you damaged a prop or the computer decided to mix up the program a bit you'd be sunk .... almost literally.
AS I have previously posted, with electronic shifters/throttles, the time it takes to engage/disengage the transmission is important. In my case it's 1.5 seconds which is an eternity when maneuvering close in. It all boils down to a "management" problem, like almost everything in boating.
Yes...Too much lack of privacy when going stern in.
What are you up to Walt ..... or down to?
With all those windows in the aft salon I wouldn't think you were too worried about that.
menzies,
Didn't even think about or addressing going in reverse. If you steered in reverse w no rudders you'd really need a bow thruster ... even w no wind. Inertia would rule the bow otherwise.
Of course he's going bow in ... didn't you see the pics? I have shoved the shift lever straight into reverse w my BW and know they can take quite a lot of that but I shift almost like Marin most of the time.
I wonder what happened to old Cottonhead, errr, I mean Cottontop. Maybe he didn't get the positive feedback he expected so he left.
I shift almost like Marin most of the time.
I hope you and I don't meet in a narrow curving channel some night with you needing to make a quick course change.
Bad idea.
Want to get rid of your rudders, get pods.
Didn't even think about or addressing going in reverse. If you steered in reverse w no rudders you'd really need a bow thruster ... even w no wind. Inertia would rule the bow otherwise. .