Bow thrusters - how important are they, and at what length are they a must?

[ice breaker]

With 4000 fixed and rotary wing flight hours (naval aviator) I had four forced open ocean ditchings (two day two night) in an aircraft that I thought was airworthy when I took off. Dual engine helos by the way. No pilot in his right mind would take off if he thought the aircraft was not airworthy.

Mikem: Those are frightening statistics. One ditch/crash for every 1000 hours? With those odds we should be losing several airliners every day.

My gut is that it is more related to your military mission and leading edge/bleeding edge technology...............and likely really bad weather. Were these Coast guard missions? saving other peoples' butts when things are really upside down?

 

[ice breaker]

ice breaker, I am not sure I understand your comments. My remarks have nothing to do with maintenance, but ONLY what was said in a previous post about "hair raising experience" when a bow thruster fails. What exactly do you mean by not being part of the "dirty, cheap" sail boater community?

I apologize for being tactless. I may have misinterpreted your response. I have towed many sail boaters back into the harbor( with my sail boat), because the went out knowing that their vessel was not quite right, but did it anyway assuming that someone will come to their aid when they start waving a coat. It really frustrates me.

I do not have a thruster, but have looked into it seriously, and have all of the hunter drawings ready to go. I think your home port dictates if one is needed or not. I changed marinas 5 years ago, and found that the new place really did not require the thruster so I packed up the files and moved on. I still may install one at some time.

 

[DellBoy]

Bow Thrusters are like most other things on a boat...a tool to use...so if you maintain it correctly...it should be there for you when you need it....I move boats frequently as an employee for a yacht charter company and we occupy many slips in a tight waterway....bow thrusters cut down on time, anxiety and concern about damage, when you are moving from point to point....boats below 30 feet are usually quite manouverable without a thruster...above that...they can be judged as necessary depending on your locality, day to day needs and abilities.....I am a strong proponent of "using the technology" that makes boating fun and enjoyable....concern about speed.....what???? I move boats around....both power and sail...with and without thrusters...I have docked boats with thrusters without using them...and vice versa....but believe me...when you have one and you need it....its great to have.....

 

[ice breaker]

Bow Thrusters are like most other things on a boat...a tool to use...so if you maintain it correctly...it should be there for you when you need it....I move boats frequently as an employee for a yacht charter company and we occupy many slips in a tight waterway....bow thrusters cut down on time, anxiety and concern about damage, when you are moving from point to point....boats below 30 feet are usually quite manouverable without a thruster...above that...they can be judged as necessary depending on your locality, day to day needs and abilities.....I am a strong proponent of "using the technology" that makes boating fun and enjoyable....concern about speed.....what???? I move boats around....both power and sail...with and without thrusters...I have docked boats with thrusters without using them...and vice versa....but believe me...when you have one and you need it....its great to have.....

great comment!

 

[uncledom]

...and vice versa.........

So that would mean you've docked boats without a thruster and still use the non-existent item?

 

[DellBoy]

exactly, its sometimes difficult, as you cannot always determine where the thrust might have been

 

[viper]

I want one for my H380. Light flat bow and lots of rigging all catching the breeze.

While a Lewmar 8HP kit can be had for under 2K, installation can run another 7K, including separate bats. Takes 3 days. Hull is stronger afterwards. That's been my obstacle. My boat is on the Hard getting 60 k in repairs after another boat fell over on top of it. I will do it the next time the boat is pulled. Anything that reduces docking damage and arguments with the wife is worth the price.

Hull speed is not affected to any degree per studies when done right.

For my H380, the bow area is tight for the installation, but Carolina Bow thruster has done them. Does not appear to be a lot pf experts how do the bow thruster installs.

 

[All U Get]

I like hearing the thrusters when I'm down below. It lets me know that the evening entertainment has begun. I use ours less as we get more miles under the keel.

All U Get

 

[Richard Bayle]

I have a thruster on my 41DS and wouldn't be without it. yes I can park with out too much of an issue but in my very tight marina and a wicked kick to port when I need the boat to go to starboard, a couple of tweaks on the thruster just corrects this and then I can maneuver the boat into it's very narrow slot between my neighbours. I take the view if it helps and it's there why not use it. It's a bit like ABS brakes on a car, you shouldn't need them if you drive correctly and match your speed and distance to the car in front according to conditions etc. But they are handy when you need them

 

[SEMPERAVANTI41]

Viper, if Hunter offered a Bow Thruster for the 380 see if you can get a copy of the SOP for the installation. On my 41 and 50 the bow thruster does not use dedicated batteries and both work well.

 

[seadaddler]

I would just say have it done by a PRO and when anything under water like making a hole should be done
by some who knows all about what is the right way

 

[All U Get]

I just saw a catamaran with bow thrusters. So I'm thinking unnecessary. Then an eighteen foot center console fishing boat pulled into the dock using a bow thruster.

All U Get

 

[Navicula]

If I had a boat with a thruster, it would be great.....but I dont and I would not spend the money on it and the work....like someone already said, when you want it to work the most, it may fail....take the money you would spend on a decent thruster and take 4 months off and go sailing

 

[viper]

I contacted Hunter and they responded that no H380 had from the factory an installed bow thruster, so they doubted any had been installed.

Carolina/New England Bow Thruster has installed them, but again the install fee I calculated at $7K, for 2.5 days labor on their part and that included a dedicated battery. I have added as second bank of house Bats with as many AMPs as possible, and I agree I don't need another Batt to maintain and deal with, in a tight place.... and you still need to run Wires back to cockpit where second bank is installed. My batts are maintained by an inverter/charger and 360 watts of solar... The isolated dedicated batt would need to also be connected into that system.

I did email Hunter back and tell them that a Thruster could be added, it was tight.

I would not mind spending the 7K so much( but 2K per labor per day = 200/hr?)... but I'm 30K into upgrades since I bought the boat this past summer, and the hull is yet to get wet, as another sailboat fell over on it and did 60K in damage.

Regards

 

[SEMPERAVANTI41]

Viper, I have posted pictures of the install I did myself. You may want to search for them. I think I also posted the SOP for the install on the 41. The installation is not an impossible task. On Long Island where the boat was I could not find anyone to do the installation for anything close to 7K. On another subject I see that now Marlow Hunter is using Side Power thrusters in new production.

 

[viper]

The total price was $9K plus, but part of that was the thruster, which I can get for under $2K, 8HP kit from Lewmar...

So about $7K was just the labor or almost $2K per day in Labor.

If my wife saw me drill a six inch hole thru the boat, she would never go on it again... lol!

Also pls note at a boat yard in Charleston I would also have added to that, an 8% sales tax plus a 5% Marine environment tax.... so about another 1500 or closer to $11K.

Regards,

 

[DayDreamer41]

Wow, thats $1400 per HP, that is some real negative thrust.......

 

[sailme88]

I have found when maneuvering is difficult that backing is best. Once you get steerage way you can back around the world. Then, leaving the dock is motoring ahead.

 

[rfrye1]

This same discussion could be made for Chartplotters vs paper charts. No I don't have a thruster, never used one. But I use my GPS/chart plotter/autopilot all the time. But still use paper charts too as backups.
Just saying. Bob

 

[scottdube]

This thread is exhausting and way off topic...