Book Review Dag Pike and 50 ways to improve your powerboat driving

[two stroke mick]

I purchased this books as some light toilet reading over the Christmas and have to say it is one of the best books on this topic that I have read. It is a no BS book, No flowerly use of prose. It makes some very interesting points, the principle one for me was the effect of using the steering on a boat with respect to hull slamming. to paraphase he said in effect was the use of the steering to correct for waves causes the hull to list thus exposing a flat surface for the waves to slam against. Thus he advocated letting the weather take the boat (to a limited effect so long as it was safe) and minimise the corrective imputs into the boat via the steering and this should improve the ride on the boat.

TSM

[BogMonster]

Interesting. In my limited experience I have always found that NOT using any steering input coming off a wave when you're at the point of nearly flying makes the boat land on the flat on the port side and slam horribly - the whole point of a tweak on the steering being to make it land on the V not on the side. Suppose I had better go and read the book and I might learn something

[two stroke mick]

BM

I dont think he was refering to that suitation, he was refering to keepingthe boat in the water and the tendence for Coxn to over correct when using the steering and as a result the boat lists/heels thus exposing a nice flat surface to the wave which increases the shock loading on the boat.

TSM

[Pikey Dave]

We did our PB2 over Christmas with David Leutchford at 5Star Marine in the The Hamble. The conditions in Southampton Water were "lively" with a full gale 8 gusting 10 blowing. We got chance to do some rough water handling & definitely learned a few things, even after 25+ years of boating (I've never had any "formal" practical training, just picked it up as I went along. I did the BSAC boat handling course 20 odd years ago but that was in a Squidgy or SIB as they are now known) One of the most useful things David taught us, was to put the power ON when coming of a wave in a head sea, my natural reaction has always been to come off the power. Coming off the power allows the boat to flop/slam into the trough; keeping the power on, keeps the boat "taught" & drives it up the face of the next wave. It took a bit of "re-learning" but once you get the hang of it, it makes for a much comfier & faster ride.
You can teach an old dog new tricks
PS David/5Star marine is highly recommended if anyone is considering any PB training.

[JamesF]

I bought a copy having seen your post last week (£2.81 second hand, but it looked like it had never been opened).

Much of what's in there is more applicable to bigger boats than my usual SR4 with no power trim or trim tabs, but it is interesting nonetheless. It's good to see that the handling techniques are generally similar to what I think I already do: it'll be interesting to re-read the book more closely and see if there's anything I'm missing when the sailing season starts again.

[two stroke mick]

I like the way the book is written in plain terms that area easy to follow. I would agree some ofthe book relates to larger type boats.

[JamesF]

Yes, I thought it was very well written, and well illustrated too, for the most part.