So I've been wakeboarding behind and driving a boat with an I/O engine for the last six years or so and I finally stepped it up and now have a Malibu LSV. The driving is nothing like I've ever experienced. Backing up in a particular direction seems impossible, especially with a strong current and even turning is a pain (making a sharp turn - not gonna happen). Is this normal? Any tips?

Andy, you can't steer an inboard boat. Most will back up to the right. Once you get used to this you will find it to be an asset. You will be able to ease into a dock on the starboard side very gently without having to keep turning the wheel.

You get to the point where you can back it in a slip. Just takes some time. Learn to spin your boat in place using the directional pull in reverse. <BR> <BR>When backing up to a dock, you can leave the wheel turned slightly either way, and bump it into forward gear to give you more right and left control at the prop. then ease back into reverse to keep moving backwards.

"Learn to spin your boat in place" <BR> <BR>That's the first thing to practice - right on, nacho. <BR> <BR>No matter which way you crank the wheel, your boat will always back/slip to the right. So, crank your wheel to the left and practice popping the throttle between forward/reverse to spin your boat in a circle. This tight directional control is the advantage that other boats do not have. <BR> <BR>Like Mike said, if you ease up to a dock with it on your starboard side (so the boat is parallel to the dock), easing it into reverse will gently bring you to the dock like a pro. <BR> <BR>When you learn to use that backward slip to the right, you'll love maneuvering an inboard at low speeds much more so than an I/O or outboard.

what above said, <BR> <BR>also, let the wind be your friend. if you know that the wind is drifting right, align the boat more left, and just ease the wheel in whichever direction needed as the boat drift to your slip/trailer/whatever. If you try to steer into/away from the wind, you'll just throw yourself off and have to do it all over again...and with reverse, it wont just back up and go in the direction like your old I/O did, it will more so stop your boat, rather than just buck it back into reverse, you can use that too as if it is more windy, idle a bit faster toward the dock, and as you approach, slowly ease into reverse as your breaks..my .02