We just got a 2005 V-Ride and it seems very slugglish when we put in reverse. Our old boats were all runabouts and we know that you can't control you direction with vdrive like you can with and inb/out. and we've driven friends tournament boats before, but our reverse seems very slow. (backing off the trailer or trying it from a stop possition) Any ideas as to why this is?

Give it some gas and you might be surprised. YOur boat should usually pull to the starboard side. Watch out for taking rollers over the transom!!!

I gave it a little gas, than I tried giving it alot and it was still very slow and didn't pick up much speed in reverse.

The bow is pointy and is easy to push through the water. <BR> <BR>The stern is broad and flat. It takes a LOT of push to get the boat moving stern first! <BR> <BR>In addition, in forward the thrust of the prop is angled down, away from the boat. Almost all the thrust you get off the prop results in a force to move you forward. In reverse, the flow of water is angled up where it hits the bottom of the boat. A fair portion of the thrust off the prop is countered by the force of the water pushing on the bottom of the boat. <BR> <BR>Bottom line: inboards suck at backing up. <BR> <BR>

If you gave it a lot of throttle and the boat didn't move, something is up. Is the current very strong where you are at? It can take a lot to overcome the current.

I like my v-drive reverse, because at least I KNOW which direction it's gonna go!

No current, we are in a lake. I have driven a tournament boat before so I know it doesn't reverse like our i/o did. But it seems so slow. Could be just first time out. We might have to go with friends who have a v-drive to compare <BR> <BR>Any hints for backing up when coming into the dock or off a busy boat launch?

could be as simple as the reverse throttle cable isn't properly attached along its route from the handle to the engine

I know that if I gas my V-Ride, it will lurch into reverse very hard. I only move the throttle a touch into reverse off of idle and that is usually all I need. I don't think it's normal for it to feel like it's going no where when you give it a lot of gas in reverse. The boat will often want to spin in circles instead of driving straight backwards, but you should feel it moving regardless. You might want to have the dealer give it a once over just to be sure. <BR> <BR>Now, as for driving slow, that is a good thing. You can't maneuver a v-drive like a jetski (as I discovered my first time out), so slow and steady is just how you get around the dock and the launch. Most folks around here just drift out or drift in, no one gets angry because you aren't power sliding right into your slip.

stop tryin to do anything in reverse i used to have a vride and tried the same thing and nearly drown its not maid to go in reverse. what happens is the back deck goes under the water and then that make the rest of the boat want to go down