How Slow Can You Go?

[BandB]

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.

 

[Cold-smoked]

Around 3 knots at idle (~450 rpm), even less when engaging the twin disc slip lever. Old FV

 

[Shrew]

Around 3.5kts, maintaining course is possible but requires a bit of work.

 

[Larry M]

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?

 

[BandB]

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.

 

[High Wire]

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.

 

[dhays]

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.

 

[AusCan]

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.

 

[O C Diver]

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.

Ted

 

[markpierce]

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.

 

[tiltrider1]

I can do 0 kts. One engine forward and one engine in reverse.

 

[Insequent]

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.

 

[markpierce]

I can do 0 kts. One engine forward and one engine in reverse.

Does the spinning make you dizzy?

 

[Ski in NC]

About 4.7kts at 525rpm, dead idle.

 

[LaBomba]

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.

 

[Simi 60]

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.

 

[MYTraveler]

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.

 

[BandB]

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.

 

[MurrayM]

In some places in BC I could be in full throttle forward and be going 10 knots backwards.

 

[Art]

I can do 0 kts. One engine forward and one engine in reverse.

Sounds like making yourself 360 degree nuts; not knots!! Dizzy yet?

 

[healhustler]

About 3.5 knots. Unless there's a pretty stiff wind, no issue with control or crabbing in fairways and such. With a full keel, a side current can keep you busy at the wheel.

 

[GFC]

If I can get the idle to drop down to ~550rpm's I'm doing 6-7kts. That's about as low as she gets. From that point on up to about 1000rpm's each 100 rpm's adds about 1kt. 1000 rpm's equals about 11kts.


WOT at 2150rpms yields about 31.3kts. But she's plenty thirsty at that speed.

 

[BandB]

If I can get the idle to drop down to ~550rpm's I'm doing 6-7kts. That's about as low as she gets. From that point on up to about 1000rpm's each 100 rpm's adds about 1kt. 1000 rpm's equals about 11kts.


WOT at 2150rpms yields about 31.3kts. But she's plenty thirsty at that speed.

Wifey B: Can you keep it idling with no problems at 550 RPM? I would have thought your slow idle would have been more like 700?

 

[South of Heaven]

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.

So what kind of boat DO you have then? I've always wondered....

 

[BandB]

So what kind of boat DO you have then? I've always wondered....

Wifey B: Faster, but no sportfishing boats. We have a friend with a Viking with trolling gears though and we've been on Bertrams and Hatteras' with them. My fave boat is my Baby Riva and it's built for speed, not trolling.

 

[LarryM]

Idle in gear is ~700 rpm which produces 6.5-7 kt in calm conditions. Too fast for true no wake zones. I'm in and out of gear as required.

 

[dhays]

My lowest idle is 600 rpm. I really haven’t tracked what my speed is at that but it is probably around 4 knots. I know I have to throttle up to about 800 rpm to move at about 5 knots.

 

[FF]

As most of the boats are used inshore or along shore few have their GPS in knots.


The inshore charts are in statute miles , as are most GPS.


Statute miles make better bragging rights , "8" as a cruising speed sounds better than "7" ,, "7" sounds better than "6".

 

[Crusty Chief]

With no current, wind, tide and such to deal with we idle at about 4.3 knots....just cant remember the last time we actually had dead water!

 

[JDCAVE]

The Columbia is at or near maximum freshet right now. I’m surprised they are going that fast! I went up the Fraser on May 9 and crept up at 3.5-4 kts.