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View Full Version : Why are most low freeboard boats Left hand drive and the rest RHD?



TahitiSteve
02-19-2003, 07:47 PM
Anyone know?

1Bahnerjet
02-19-2003, 07:52 PM
Don't you mean O/B- I/O versa inboards- jet Boats? you drive those from different sides :confused:
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Drive what you own and like what you drive

sandblasted
02-19-2003, 07:58 PM
TahitiSteve:
Anyone know? This could be the best boating question ever asked...I have no idea...I do know that most jets have the driver seat on the left...but I saw a v-drive Schiada at the boat show yesterday with the drivers seat on the left....

mike37
02-19-2003, 08:00 PM
low freeboard boats have a gas peddle on right away from the side
so you sit on the left drive like a car
hi board boats have controls on the right side so you can use you right hand for control so you sit on right
but not always

superdave013
02-19-2003, 08:00 PM
I say it's the way they all should be.
But I think the real reason is there is no room for the gas pedal on a RHD low freeboard small boat.
And if you have a hand throttle they are RHD most of the time. Why, we like to use our right hand for the throttle and where would you mount it on a LHD boat? I have seen them mounted to the floor in some but that really sucked.

superdave013
02-19-2003, 08:01 PM
mike37:
low freeboard boats have a gas peddle on right away from the side
so you sit on the left drive like a car
hi board boats have controls on the right side so you can use you right hand for control so you sit on right
but not always Damm you, you beat me to it! :D

TahitiSteve
02-19-2003, 08:04 PM
Mine's LHD, throttle mounted to the side of the seat, no foot throttle. Only problem I see is it could easily be kicked. Foot throttle theory sounds feasible, anyone know that that is the reason, or just guessing? I was beginning to think it might have something to do with California boats.

sandblasted
02-19-2003, 08:09 PM
mike37:
low freeboard boats have a gas peddle on right away from the side
so you sit on the left drive like a car
hi board boats have controls on the right side so you can use you right hand for control so you sit on right
but not always Ok, so then why are some v-drives on the right hand side with a foot throttle? This could get confusing..

1Bahnerjet
02-19-2003, 08:11 PM
Most people are right handed so in I/O O/b put the hand throttle on right side of boat and in inboard boat and jet position foot throttle so you can use right foot, wait does this even make any sense :confused: :rolleyes: :confused:
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Drive what you own and like what you Drive

Mohavekid
02-19-2003, 08:11 PM
This could go on for a while, where's the popcorn.

mike37
02-19-2003, 08:11 PM
TahitiSteve:
Mine's LHD, throttle mounted to the side of the seat, no foot throttle. Only problem I see is it could easily be kicked. Foot throttle theory sounds feasible, anyone know that that is the reason, or just guessing? I was beginning to think it might have something to do with California boats. just look at most boats gas padal sit on left
hand throttle sit on right but you can set things up what ever works best for you
[ February 19, 2003, 08:12 PM: Message edited by: mike37 ]

mike37
02-19-2003, 08:15 PM
superdave013:
mike37:
low freeboard boats have a gas peddle on right away from the side
so you sit on the left drive like a car
hi board boats have controls on the right side so you can use you right hand for control so you sit on right
but not always Damm you, you beat me to it! :D dave the gas filer and vents you maid are nice you do some good work

1Bahnerjet
02-19-2003, 08:17 PM
TahitiSteve:
Mine's LHD, throttle mounted to the side of the seat, no foot throttle. Only problem I see is it could easily be kicked. Foot throttle theory sounds feasible, anyone know that that is the reason, or just guessing? I was beginning to think it might have something to do with California boats. Is your boat Jet, I/O or O/B, could be the answer
wink ----------------
Drive what you own and like what you Drive

Mandelon
02-19-2003, 08:20 PM
Left, right???? No, No, No, its Port and Starboard. And you call yourselves boaters!!!!! :D :D
[ February 19, 2003, 08:20 PM: Message edited by: Mandelon ]

1Bahnerjet
02-19-2003, 08:21 PM
What was the QUESTION :confused: :confused:
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Drive what you own and like what you Drive

TahitiSteve
02-19-2003, 08:25 PM
Mines an I/O, though I don't think I've ever seen another Tahiti hull like mine as an I/O. I think most were either jets or outboards. Also the hand throttle on the right side of the seat in the aisle may have been custom, seems a foot throttle would be more proper.
I kinda like it though, but I am thinking about installing a dual action hand/foot throttle setup.

superdave013
02-19-2003, 08:31 PM
TahitiSteve:
Mines an I/O, though I don't think I've ever seen another Tahiti hull like mine as an I/O. I think most were either jets or outboards. Also the hand throttle on the right side of the seat in the aisle may have been custom, seems a foot throttle would be more proper.
I kinda like it though, but I am thinking about installing a dual action hand/foot throttle setup. My friend has one too. And that was the one I was talking about. I guess his could be mounted to the seat also. I know it's really low and close to the floor.
His has the old iorn duke 4 banger in it. Good old 120 mercuiser. Runs all weekend on a tank of gas.

superdave013
02-19-2003, 08:31 PM
mike37:
superdave013:
mike37:
low freeboard boats have a gas peddle on right away from the side
so you sit on the left drive like a car
hi board boats have controls on the right side so you can use you right hand for control so you sit on right
but not always Damm you, you beat me to it! :D dave the gas filer and vents you maid are nice you do some good work Thanks Mike! :)

bordsmnj
02-19-2003, 09:02 PM
my new i/o is LHD with a foot throdle just cuase i like to feel the rpms on my bare foot! to used to my jet.still arguind with the ol' lady though.

Zuumer
02-19-2003, 09:13 PM
I think LHD was favored early on in light low freeboard boats to put the driver on the left to counteract the torque of the motor :) :)

buck183
02-19-2003, 09:30 PM
mike37:
low freeboard boats have a gas peddle on right away from the side
so you sit on the left drive like a car
hi board boats have controls on the right side so you can use you right hand for control so you sit on right
but not always Makes sense....but what about Fountain? Why does Reggie have to make things so complicated? I know, you said "not always".
Buck
#183

HavasuDreamin'
02-20-2003, 06:26 AM
Zuumer:
I think LHD was favored early on in light low freeboard boats to put the driver on the left to counteract the torque of the motor :) :) This is the way I understand it. It has to do with counteracting the torque of the motor. For example, most of the Mirage and STV Hi-Po O/B rockets have props that spin right. Thus, when you hammer it out of the hole, the right side of the boat wants to jump out of the water. If you put a 200 lb. driver over there, it helps minimize this effect.
Personally, unless it is a super hi-po lake rocket, I don't think it makes a difference.
And I will shoot those of you down who think you can't get a right foot gas pedal in a small boat with right hand steer. I drove a Mirage and a Rapid Craft both with right hand steer and the foot throttle positioned fine for your right leg.
:cool:

superdave013
02-20-2003, 06:42 AM
HavasuDreamin':
Zuumer:
I think LHD was favored early on in light low freeboard boats to put the driver on the left to counteract the torque of the motor :) :) This is the way I understand it. It has to do with counteracting the torque of the motor. For example, most of the Mirage and STV Hi-Po O/B rockets have props that spin right. Thus, when you hammer it out of the hole, the right side of the boat wants to jump out of the water. If you put a 200 lb. driver over there, it helps minimize this effect.
Personally, unless it is a super hi-po lake rocket, I don't think it makes a difference.
And I will shoot those of you down who think you can't get a right foot gas pedal in a small boat with right hand steer. I drove a Mirage and a Rapid Craft both with right hand steer and the foot throttle positioned fine for your right leg.
:cool: Start shooting, those boats are pretty square up front. Not like an old skool jet style boat.
I have 2 friends that had Tahitis with I/O's.
One was LHD with the hand throttle mounted down buy the floor in between the seats. The other guy's was RHD with the hand throttle mounted to the side panel. He put a foot throttle in it. I was never comfy driving it. (still drove it, it haulled ass!) Felt cramped all the time. He could not put it far enough over because the bow of the boat was in the way.

LeE ss13
02-20-2003, 06:43 AM
HavasuDreamin':
And I will shoot those of you down who think you can't get a right foot gas pedal in a small boat with right hand steer. I drove a Mirage and a Rapid Craft both with right hand steer and the foot throttle positioned fine for your right leg.
:cool: You are right !!! Once-upon-a-time, Hobbit the K Circle Boat was a '69 Hallett with the driver on the Right side of the boat. I don't know if that was to counter act the torque since the boat was driven off the front of the engine and used a Right Hand prop, or to give the driver a better view in a turn ????

HavasuDreamin'
02-20-2003, 06:59 AM
LeE ss13
You are right !!! Once-upon-a-time, Hobbit the K Circle Boat was a '69 Hallett with the driver on the Right side of the boat. I don't know if that was to counter act the torque since the boat was driven off the front of the engine and used a Right Hand prop, or to give the driver a better view in a turn ????:cool:

rrrr
02-20-2003, 08:53 AM
Mohavekid:
This could go on for a while, where's the popcorn. This is the only correct answer so far. :D :D

GBLASER
02-20-2003, 01:38 PM
WHO CARES???

AZKC
02-20-2003, 01:50 PM
Might as well throw in the "Why do some whackers use foot throttles?"
I prefer the carboat setup, kinda what keeps me in a roosterboat....
KC

Havasu_Dreamin
02-20-2003, 02:10 PM
TahitiSteve:
Also the hand throttle on the right side of the seat in the aisle may have been custom, seems a foot throttle would be more proper. Probably not a custom deal. The boat I first leanred to ski behind, 1967 16 ft Tahiti with a 100 Merc o/b, had the throttle mounted to the floor and the seat base on the right hand side.
I heard that one reason for stern drives having the steering on the right side was because that is where the steering mechanism is for the steering cable. The theory being you just run it from the helm to the engine down the right side gunnel. If the steering were on the left side you would need to run the cable under the engine and then curve it up to attach it. Don't knowif any of that is true, but that is what I heard.
The foot throttle reasoning mentioned before makes sense.

mike37
02-20-2003, 04:38 PM
which side can you hold your beer better right or left???????

sandblasted
02-20-2003, 09:19 PM
mike37:
which side can you hold your beer better right or left??????? I can drink with either hand so it doesn't matter to me... :D :D

lakesmodified
02-21-2003, 05:07 AM
Everyone missed the fact that on a jet boat, LHD side, the forward/reverse lever is on the left side! Doesn't that negate the right handed theory of why a in/ob is on the right?

HavasuDreamin'
02-21-2003, 05:46 AM
AZKC:
Might as well throw in the "Why do some whackers use foot throttles?"
I prefer the carboat setup, kinda what keeps me in a roosterboat....
KC At a 100mph, even 80mph or 90mph, you need both hands on the wheel. :cool:

Catmando
02-24-2003, 10:35 PM
Almost all of the big offshore boats, both Vs and cats, have a starboard helm. I have seen a dual-helm setup, where the wheel can be moved to the port station.