Suicide Knob
Make docking easy!
Docking is a controlled collision. The suicide knob helps alot in being able to get from hard port to hard starboard and back again. Making docking easier.
The outboard provides exceptional control in docking.
For starboard side docking:
Turn the wheel hard to starboard and then put the engine in reverse. The stern will move nearly laterally to the dock, while slowing the boat's momentum.
Turn the wheel hard to port and put the engine in fwd. The stern will move nearly laterally to the dock.
In both above instances, tap the bow thruster to starboard (dock side) to keep the bow from going the opposite direction of the stern.
There is no "center" to the wheel. I installed my suicide knob between two of the spokes. It doesn't matter which spokes. Whenever you engage the autopilot, it drives, and will move the "center". So place the knob wherever. I do recommend it be on the inside, so you can still run your hands around the outside of the wheel. Most of time I find the knob by feel.
The wheel is slightly oblong while the knob is round. It's likely that if I took mine off, the wheel would be marred. The rubber protector the knob comes with wouldn't fit so I had to put it on without it. I don't care. It's not coming off. We ran the boat for a month when we first got it without the knob. The boat docks so much easier with it, I couldn't imagine docking without it at this point.
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Last updated: 9/3/2023
