first speed setting is paddling and turns the quickest especially if you still have some speed after coming down from a higher speed. The turning comes from the rear where the paddle is so it's actually more responsive when paddling in reverse.

Second speed will turn a bit slower and if you don't have any wind you won't turn at all since the sails are being used to move the boat.

Third speed turns the least quickest and as second speed if there is no wind you can't turn.

Originally posted by Sai D Gintoki:

I'm getting frustrated I wanted to completely drop this stupid ass game that I love. Cause it's just in no way built for one person without cheats it's impossible unless your extremely prepared, got time, or know what your doing. Which I do a lot of times, but the straight ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ of boat pisses me off like I don't understand how they turn one second they will turn extremely wide the next short tight turns? Can someone explain this. I just died cause my boat even though I had the proper space happen to hit a small island get trapped and left me with a 1 star soldier. ♥♥♥♥ that I'm recommending my ♥♥♥♥ back and probably killall to quench my anger and resentment towards the situation. Anyways sorry bout that rant I just want help understanding mechanics and all that....plus I don't ever have anyone to talk to when something makes me upset.

can u just not go to youtube?

The difference between a wide turn and a tight turn is speed. This is true in other setting as well. If you are playing a space game and engaging in dogfights, you need to slow down if you want to make a tight turn.

If you are going fast, your forward momentum will continue during the turn, causing more drift and making the turn wider. If you are going slower, there won't be as much drift, allowing you to turn more tightly.

In Valheim you must have some movement going on to turn at all. Turning the wheel at a dead stop doesn't do anything. For tight maneuvering you might want to pulse the forward, or backward, button on and off so you don't go too fast to make a turn.

It's very hard to make a speedy getaway from shore if something is attacking you. You need slow speed to make a tight turn to get pointed in the right direction, unless you managed to park facing out, and then it takes awhile for the momentum to build up and get moving. Alas, no motors here.

Originally posted by umop-apisdn:

What direction was the wind blowing when you were making sharp turns, and what direction was it blowing when your turns were wide?

It's more than the rudder that steers a boat.

It was going with me and the island was about 500 feet(I'm not good with measurements) I put It on full turn. Do I need to go more slowly with turning?

Originally posted by Zep Tepi:

The difference between a wide turn and a tight turn is speed. This is true in other setting as well. If you are playing a space game and engaging in dogfights, you need to slow down if you want to make a tight turn.

If you are going fast, your forward momentum will continue during the turn, causing more drift and making the turn wider. If you are going slower, there won't be as much drift, allowing you to turn more tightly.

In Valheim you must have some movement going on to turn at all. Turning the wheel at a dead stop doesn't do anything. For tight maneuvering you might want to pulse the forward, or backward, button on and off so you don't go too fast to make a turn.

It's very hard to make a speedy getaway from shore if something is attacking you. You need slow speed to make a tight turn to get pointed in the right direction, unless you managed to park facing out, and then it takes awhile for the momentum to build up and get moving. Alas, no motors here.

Yeah didn't help my boat being jammed either. So it's all in waiting for enough speed. I probably thought I built enough And didn't thus leading to my demise. Thank you. Appreciate your help. I will try that back and forward method next time to. I'm gonna try that out tomorrow right now the game has really sour puss'd my already sour puss mood.

When paddling its like driving a forklift. When you drive forward and turn steering right, the wheels turn left and the forklift rotates around the front axle turning right. If you put it in reverse, the steering "reverses" too.

Now for forklift the front axle is firmly connected to the ground and cant slip left/right, which is different to a ship. On a ship to have similar effect you need speed (so that the hull can push against incoming water).

In case when you are stationary, when paddling to the side it ends up rotating around its center of mass AND just floating lineraly in the direction you are paddling. Together it ends up looking like the boat turns around its bow.

When paddling you need to pick whether you want to turn in place, or speed up. The faster you go the more help you get from "incoming" water stream. So often its better to accelerate first then turn.


Also sails, the moment you drop sails you stop paddling. In simplest terms its like your forklift suddenly became front wheel drive. No speed = no turning. Trying to steer without enough speed is only gonna make things worse.


Lastly different boats have different hull shapes which can push against the water good or bad. Raft sucks and is slow because of its flat bottom and poor ability to push against the water sideways. It is pretty realistic system, althout IMHO Longship could be improved.

You might want to take your boat out away from land during a nice sunny day (not a stormy night), and just sail around a bit. Get the hang of tacking into the wind, turning while moving fast or slow, and just make a day of learning how a boat works; it's not a car, and doesn't "drive" that way.

It would absolutely make sense to tie speed to how many guys are there to row (up to sailing speed at least).

What direction was the wind blowing when you were making sharp turns, and what direction was it blowing when your turns were wide?

It's more than the rudder that steers a boat.