Did the Cobra steering but around the docks not so good... (my fault)

[TommyMcK]

What FSH said. Short puffs of power rather than continuous thrust and upwind / upcurrent when practical. If you're still getting the feel for things, I'd not worry so much about differential thrust and setting up no-wake modes (I'd even go so far as to put it in single throttle mode). Just go out and have some fun on your own and play with it for a few hours. The Cobra thingy may even make it better when adjusted properly, but in any case these boats are very controllable once you get the feel for them.

 

[Bottom Bracket]

Just go ahead and bang into the dock or the trailer, the first noogie is the most painful.

 

[Thermobrett]

Just go ahead and bang into the dock or the trailer, the first noogie is the most painful.

Haha, onetime I had my top up, coming into the ramp with the trailer in the water, the wind grabbed the top, and flipped me around sideways and I went on the trailer sideways. Key word in this statement was “OneTime”

 

[FSH 210 Sport]

Haha, onetime I had my top up, coming into the ramp with the trailer in the water, the wind grabbed the top, and flipped me around sideways and I went on the trailer sideways. Key word in this statement was “OneTime”

Everybody gets a turn…..

 

[Thermobrett]

Everybody gets a turn…..

Been there, done that, and Big Jim and the Twins can confirm that docking hurt ?

 

[FSH 210 Sport]

This was the video I was looking for….this guy is using the throttles together and the steering wheel as near as I can tell. This is how maneuverable our jet boats are, it just takes practice.

Like a boss…

 

[Thermobrett]

This was the video I was looking for….this guy is using the throttles together and the steering wheel as near as I can tell. This is how maneuverable our jet boats are, it just takes practice.

Like a boss…

I have seen this video prior to me buying my 195 and yes, this guy can spin a jetboat with precision. If this isn’t the same video, another guy did a similar video on Caesars Creek in southern Ohio. My dad lives about 20 min from there. Take a deep breath and play with the controls and you will be just fine. I grew up on a 28’ Bertram with twin 350s. Props are way different than jets, get a feel for it and be the boss at the ramp/dock.

 

[Cobra Jet Steering LLC]

He really needs to drive the boat a few times with the outside fins adjusted to the settings in the instructions for that boat and learn to bump the throttles when going slow. When going fast the boat won't have any bow wander problems as long as the nozzles and wheel were set as instructed when he installed the steering, Also he needs to get accustom to the turning radius on plane and remember the boat won't loose speed in turns like the stock boat, it carves. And if you are rapidly decelerating in a turn it won't loose steering control either like the stock boats do. So you won't run something or some one over if you are maneuvering and slowing down at the same time. I addressed a lot of the issues that people complain about with the stock versions.

 

[TommyMcK]

When going fast the boat won't have any bow wander problems as long as the nozzles and wheel were set as instructed when he installed the steering

Is "bow wander" a thing on these boats? I've not experienced that on either my 222XD or my old AR230.

And cool video FSH. Beacon Light is a great dealer for anybody in the middle Chesapeake area. I recognized their dock first-thing in the video.

 

[Neutron]

This was the video I was looking for….this guy is using the throttles together and the steering wheel as near as I can tell. This is how maneuverable our jet boats are, it just takes practice.

Like a boss…

The only thing i will say about that video is while it is very impressive, there is absolutely no wind or current.
Put a tide running , 15mph or greater wind, or both and that wouldn't be that precise

 

[FSH 210 Sport]

The only thing i will say about that video is while it is very impressive, there is absolutely no wind or current.
Put a tide running , 15mph or greater wind, or both and that wouldn't be that precise

I was practicing docking today after making a few laps around the lake and doing some ”sport boating”. There was about a 10mph breeze blowing perpendicular to the docks / slips which are not being used right now since the season is over(?). I love practicing at these docks as they have big rubber baby bumpers in the slips and on the ends, looks like old rubber conveyor belt, there are two boats to a slip.

I tried doing what that guy in the vid was doing and it was not possible as the wind was pushing me into the dock as I tried to move around. What I was able to do was split the throttles and spin around inside a slip and maneuver around the docks. Tried using the no wake method as well and that was not enough thrust, I had to use a fair amount of power to make the boat do what I wanted without drifting too badly. Usually the wind doesn’t blow that way, it usually blows in line with the slips. Still it was a lot of fun making the boat move all around the docks with only a foot or two to spare. I did bump the dock one time and it slightly bent the outer end of my ladder bracket which I straighten with a crescent wrench when I got home…

 

[Neutron]

I was practicing docking today after making a few laps around the lake and doing some ”sport boating”. There was about a 10mph breeze blowing perpendicular to the docks / slips which are not being used right now since the season is over(?). I love practicing at these docks as they have big rubber baby bumpers in the slips and on the ends, looks like old rubber conveyor belt, there are two boats to a slip.

I tried doing what that guy in the vid was doing and it was not possible as the wind was pushing me into the dock as I tried to move around. What I was able to do was split the throttles and spin around inside a slip and maneuver around the docks. Tried using the no wake method as well and that was not enough thrust, I had to use a fair amount of power to make the boat do what I wanted without drifting too badly. Usually the wind doesn’t blow that way, it usually blows in line with the slips. Still it was a lot of fun making the boat move all around the docks with only a foot or two to spare. I did bump the dock one time and it slightly bent the outer end of my ladder bracket which I straighten with a crescent wrench when I got home…

Depending on the direction, wind can be your best friend or worst enemy when docking.
My last boat was a tall 4winns vista cruiser and hated winds when docking even though it had a Volvo duoprop

 

[AZMark]

I did bump the dock one time and it slightly bent the outer end of my ladder bracket which I straighten with a crescent wrench when I got home…

You’re lucky. I smacked the dock at lake Powell when we were out there after my wife decided I needed to turn around and back in when I was already halfway into the slip so we’d have more shade. Took a big chunk out of my stern gelcoat/glass that I still need to repair.
I thought I had the skills of the guy in the video…nope!

I’ve definitely noticed that you sometimes have to be really aggressive with the throttles in reverse to get much reaction. The noise gets some strange looks from bystanders but when they see that you’re just easing in to a spot and haven’t lost your mind then they usually comment on how maneuverable the boat is or ask if it has thrusters.

@TommyMcK yes mine wandered all over the place at slow speeds before I installed cobra jets. Required constant corrections to the wheel.

 

[FSH 210 Sport]

You’re lucky. I smacked the dock at lake Powell when we were out there after my wife decided I needed to turn around and back in when I was already halfway into the slip so we’d have more shade. Took a big chunk out of my stern gelcoat/glass that I still need to repair.
I thought I had the skills of the guy in the video…nope!

I’ve definitely noticed that you sometimes have to be really aggressive with the throttles in reverse to get much reaction. The noise gets some strange looks from bystanders but when they see that you’re just easing in to a spot and haven’t lost your mind then they usually comment on how maneuverable the boat is or ask if it has thrusters.

@TommyMcK yes mine wandered all over the place at slow speeds before I installed cobra jets. Required constant corrections to the wheel.

Sorry to hear about your gel coat ding, I’ve got one in the stern I need to repair myself from an encounter with a dock when I was pulling away after a fish weigh in at fishing tournament…. The other day, I thought I had cleared the dock, as agent 86 would say, “missed it by that much”. I’ll be getting a hold of spectrum after the first of the year to get several patch kits to repair other superficial nicks a scrapes.

I’ve received a fair amount of compliments on how maneuverable the boat is, as well as how quickly I’m able to launch and retrieve my boat, and that’s all due to a lot of practice.

 

[YoDaddy292]

Everyone has a way of docking/loading. I personally need to spend a day of practicing (which I never seem to do ?). Typically I come in at a 45 at VERY slow speed and steer towards the dock and walk it in with short bursts of forward and reverse. The one issue I’ve had to correct the helpers on is to quit pulling my bow in tight to the dock so my ass end can come in with throttle. I usually have to tell them just to hold on to a slack rope so I or someone else can jump off the step and tie up as well. After two seasons I still come in feeling like an amateur but it must be getting better as I haven’t been smacking the dock or other boats ?

 

[Cobra Jet Steering LLC]

You’re lucky. I smacked the dock at lake Powell when we were out there after my wife decided I needed to turn around and back in when I was already halfway into the slip so we’d have more shade. Took a big chunk out of my stern gelcoat/glass that I still need to repair.
I thought I had the skills of the guy in the video…nope!

I’ve definitely noticed that you sometimes have to be really aggressive with the throttles in reverse to get much reaction. The noise gets some strange looks from bystanders but when they see that you’re just easing in to a spot and haven’t lost your mind then they usually comment on how maneuverable the boat is or ask if it has thrusters.

@TommyMcK yes mine wandered all over the place at slow speeds before I installed cobra jets. Required constant corrections to the wheel.

Yes but what people are forgetting is the nozzles changed in 2019 , prior to that I offer fangs to capture and direct the reverse thrust , From 2019 the factory changed the nozzles the new one is on the left the older one on the right. The fangs capture and direct the water exiting the nozzle in reverse so it stops better backs up off trailers and beaches better and turns a lot better as well as creating a mild power steering effect in forward.
once upon a time they used the same reverse bucket and nozzle on all the different models , now it's model specific .

 

[Cobra Jet Steering LLC]

What FSH said. Short puffs of power rather than continuous thrust and upwind / upcurrent when practical. If you're still getting the feel for things, I'd not worry so much about differential thrust and setting up no-wake modes (I'd even go so far as to put it in single throttle mode). Just go out and have some fun on your own and play with it for a few hours. The Cobra thingy may even make it better when adjusted properly, but in any case these boats are very controllable once you get the feel for them.

The main complaints I address on the 2019 and newer AK models is the bow wander at speed the total loss of steerage when rapidly decelerating in a turn & the loss of speed when making a turn especially for water sport activities . Plus I add the second tie rod for redundancy, improved longevity of the factory parts and a way to align the nozzles and keep them aligned without relying on the steering cables. Back when the AK twin engine boats came out we saw a big problem with the rudder hitting the ground and backlashing the steering cable of the right side nozzle , do a search, people were not even finding replacement cables and having to weld the cable back together. That is just some of the features and benefits I offer for these boats and I add in adjustments as well as plaining surfaces and I have fins that change their influence levels based on the position of the hull in the water you get more steering when you need it based on the hull resistance in the water.

 

[I_squared_r]

I felt like my AR192 was very maneuverable. I had over 200 hours experience with that boat in coastal boating. I would come in a little fast at a 45deg angle and then turn the wheel to the opposite direction, and give it throttle. Its aggressive enough that people think that I will crash into the dock. Now I have the 2019 242 and when I follow my 19ft strategy, the bow always pushes away from the dock. I got the cobra system so I will see how it goes in the spring. If that doesn't help then I'll buy a telescoping pole to grab the cleats, I'm thinking that it wouldn't hurt to have it accessible.

But like @Cobra Jet Steering LLC says, the 2019+ reverse is really good. And I'm excited to see how the cobra system fixes bow wander because both of my boats needed a ton of steering input. The stock boats do 180deg turns if you let go of the wheel for a second.

 

[Cobra Jet Steering LLC]

I felt like my AR192 was very maneuverable. I had over 200 hours experience with that boat in coastal boating. I would come in a little fast at a 45deg angle and then turn the wheel to the opposite direction, and give it throttle. Its aggressive enough that people think that I will crash into the dock. Now I have the 2019 242 and when I follow my 19ft strategy, the bow always pushes away from the dock. I got the cobra system so I will see how it goes in the spring. If that doesn't help then I'll buy a telescoping pole to grab the cleats, I'm thinking that it wouldn't hurt to have it accessible.

But like @Cobra Jet Steering LLC says, the 2019+ reverse is really good. And I'm excited to see how the cobra system fixes bow wander because both of my boats needed a ton of steering input. The stock boats do 180deg turns if you let go of the wheel for a second.

On twin engine setups I have you align your nozzles in a very specific way, I use the tie rods to keep it aligned correctly, I also suggest you make sure the reverse buckets are even with each other in neutral and both are above the nozzle openings evenly when in forward, all that to keep the hull straight but you also need to get out on flat water with no wind or current and see if the boat tracks straight at low speed if not you can use the 2 tie rods to make slight adjustments to the rudder to compensate for the drift. If there is a pull at speed it is usually caused by uneven thrust from the pumps or by drag on the hull like a huge sending unit for the depth finder or some other drag. On plane my plaining surfaces are hovering over the water the 2 tie rods are up out of the water and even 1/3rd of your rudder is out of the water so on plane these things don't come into play , below is a twin engine stock AK boat on plane for reference. And I just realized it's time for the class of 2024, every year we cover the info we covered the previous year.

 

[TommyMcK]

@TommyMcK yes mine wandered all over the place at slow speeds before I installed cobra jets. Required constant corrections to the wheel.

Ah... I was responding to Cobra's comment on "high speed bow wander". Never experienced that. I understand what you mean about tracking straight at slow speeds. In my experience, that's an issue of over-control that results from the lag time that occurs on jet boats between the time that you make a correction to the time that the correction takes effect. The natural reaction is to add more steering input while the boat is responding. By the time that the boat does start to respond, the control inputs are too much, which tends to make people apply a too-strong correction in the opposite direction. I can always entertain folks on my boat by letting someone not familiar with jet boats take the controls in a 6mph zone. Hilarity almost always ensues. The key is the same trick I use as a pilot to track straight while taxiing. Simply pick a spot to focus on far in the distance to track to, and be conscious not to over correct. People are astonished when I take back the controls and the boat tracks straight with nearly no control inputs. I don’t have an issue with slow speed “bow wander”, but I’m very used to these boats. If the aftermarket things make it easier, so much the better. I’ve definitely not experienced any control issues at high speed though.