Making turns in tight spaces

• Before doing anything else, stop the boat using reverse until there is no forward momentum. Then, allow the wind to push the bow away and• Now comes the tricky bit. This will involve a downwind turn, which presents the boat’s beam (side) to the wind – you will begin drifting sideways with the wind.• As you go forward attempting to push the bow through the wind, give yourself as much downwind sea room as possible. Failing to get the bow up into the wind with a single push forward is quite normal, due to limited operating space, so spinning the wheel onto opposite lock, followed by a burst of power in reverse, may be required. Follow this by immediately spinning the wheel hard over the opposite way before giving the boat a second push forward with the throttle.• Remember, steer before you hear [the engine noise] – don’t apply power before steering, or you will never achieve your turning goal.• You may need a tiny bit more power in reverse than you do when going forwards because propellers work far more efficiently going ahead than they do in reverse, but do not use excessive power. Bring the power in gently – don’t dump power on with big jabs of the throttle.• Stay calm! It’s far better to get it wrong at 600rpm than at 3,000rpm – don’t drive your boat faster than you are prepared to crash it!• If you get it wrong at any point, your escape is to reverse back into the wind until the boat is again lying stern-on to the breeze where it is stable and you can stop, breathe and recalibrate.