Do most outboard/inboard engines have a reverse capability or pivot abilities (motor, ABS)

[NJ Brazen_3133]

Do most outboard and inboard engines have a reverse capability, and pivoting?

Or is it just small outboard motors that you fit on small individual row boats have reverse like in a car? Small outboard engines can be rotated enough to mimic the effects of pivoting correct?

What about inboard engines? Can inboard engines pivot the ship or make it turn tight enough to make it seem like pivoting on its center?

Do very large vessels like transoceanic cargo vessel have reverse and pivoting? What about large naval surface combatants, or even carriers? Do those have reverse and pivoting?

[M3 Mitch]

I can say that most US Naval ships do have reverse-thrust capability. I don't know about your other questions. Most outboards that I have seen do have reverse, and of course the smaller ones you can just pivot the motor 180 to pull the boat backwards.

Larger ships are typically not that easy to maneuver in close quarters, obviously. Thus the market for tugs.

[mikeyyc]

The super cruise ships are moving almost entirely to azipods and thrusters. They can dance pretty much any way you want.


You're not making a VLCC or Panamax cargo ship spin anywhere. They're meant for long straight, slow, point to point.

[marlinfshr]

What do you mean? Do they have reverse? Is that the basic question? Yes, they do. I work on sportfishing boats and you better believe they have reverse.

Now, single screw inboards are harder to maneuver and sometimes you have to go forward before going into reverse because most singles (with the rotation of their propellers) are going to want to go to port (left) when going forward so one may need enough room to get enough speed to give steerage in reverse. A lot nowdays are getting bow thrusters installed to help in maneuverability. It's not that the boat isn't able to maneuver tightly, it's just that your fighting the one prop that wants to turn the boat that one direction. Go to a marina, such as Oregon Inlet in NC, or any Chesapeake Bay marina with the local single screw deadrises used for crabbing and watch those guys dock those boats. It's incredible what one can do with a single screw with a lot of experience. Me, I would not take a job running a single screw inboard as it would not be pretty at all. Give me a twinscrew!

Twin screw inboards are quite capable of pivoting in reverse. A typical twin diesel sportfish can pivot in its own length by having one engine in forward and one in reverse. And most larger, and many smaller boats now are getting bow thrusters as well. A lot of the large yachts have bow and stern thrusters which can make the yacht maneuver side ways. If you have 2 motors, you can pivot the boat on center

Look at any marina that has sportfish yachts and regular motor yachts. They are all backed into the slip. Yes the motors (both outboards and inboards) absolutely do have reverse.

Twin outboards can also pivot, though not as tightly, believe it or not, as larger inboards. Not only is the prop farther back but the motors are mounted fairly close together whereas an inboard has enough space between motors (props) and the props are a bit further forward that they can pivot quite tightly.

[Newfangle9]

It's not just large yachts that have bow thrusters these days. I cleaned and did light mechanical work underwater on boats for many years, and i started seeing thrusters on smaller boats. A few years ago I didn't see them much on boats under about 50' but I started seeing them on 36' boats, maybe even a bit smaller. Stern thrusters are still pretty much a 50' and up item from what I remember. Been out of that line of work for about a year now.

[NJ Brazen_3133]

Finally people answered. Thanks for responses.

[SVTLightning]

Originally Posted by NJ Brazen_3133

Finally people answered. Thanks for responses.

Carriers have 4 screws. They can maneuver much better than people realize. They can reverse the 2 on 1 side and forward on the other to make turns also.

[Cape Cod Todd]

All boat engines have reverse and as others have said any boat that has 2 engines can put one in reverse and the other in forward to help in turning.

I knew a guy that had a 50' sport fisher and it was amazing how he could back that boat into a dock against the wind and current and he did it by using the 2 props. This was a number of years ago before bow thrusters that make things even easier for an experienced captain.

I have a 20' pleasure boat with a single I/O and it takes a bit of experience to operate it.