Bow thruster - is it a plus or minus?

[Scott B]

georgian bay is my favorite place to sail on the globe. have sailed over there many summers. while there, the challenges to sail a vessel from A to B are a delight. i will say that most sailboats i saw over there were motoring so much of the time. you know, using their boats like a motorsailor. rarely if ever would they tack upwind through a channel. rarely if ever would they fly a spinnaker or staysails through those beautiful islands. it's not just a racing thing really, it's a sailing thing. it's just choices. do you want to sail 95% of the time, or like most vessels with a mast sticking up in a maze of wonderment actually motor more than sail.
choices, none are better that the other. BUT, if you use a boat for sailing , performance counts allot. if you use a boat to motor sail, well, 'turn on the iron jib'

It is certainly a place like no other. Sailing can be a challenge and typically motor inside the islands and sail once out on the "Bay", but that's up to an hour to get clear. But this is also major thread drift...... just don't notify the Moderator or I'll have to delete or suspend myself......

 

[dlochner]

It is certainly a place like no other. Sailing can be a challenge and typically motor inside the islands and sail once out on the "Bay", but that's up to an hour to get clear. But this is also major thread drift...... just don't notify the Moderator or I'll have to delete or suspend myself......

While I have never been there (but my boat has) I understand the North Channel and Georgian Bay have many poorly charted rocks. I imagine a bow thruster might be handy if one suddenly comes upon one of said uncharted rocks.

 

[TomY]

The way I see it, its like buying a house that already has a pool in the back yard. Its really cool to have but there is no way you would ever actually install one yourself.

Though there are those that do install pools, and I'm thankful for that!

 

[NotCook]

In fact, IMO they are pretty dangerous as the owners come to rely on them and forget how to handle their boat without it. Then, when you really need it, it stops working and you have a problem. Not having a bow thruster keeps your boat handling skills in tippy top condition.
I was told by a marine electronics tech I really respect that the average lifespan of one of those small bow thrusters is only around 100 hours. Start using it for anchoring and when it is not really needed and you'd be surprised how fast 100 hours comes along.

A few points, Scott:

Capta makes a very good point about the potential for relying on the thruster. My advice there is don’t rely on it, and assume it will fail. We have one, and it is useful, but it does not push our 40 ton boat against a strong wind. You do have to maintain your skills and plan your approaches as if you don’t have one, just as you would assume the engine would die just as you are entering a slip. Still, it sure does make life easier in certain circumstances.

I don’t know if that boat is a full keel, or not, or how it backs up. Our boat does not steer in reverse, other than by prop walk and bumping it in forward. But using the the thruster to nudge the bow around sure does make backing into a slip in a tight fairway a lot easier, especially in a breeze.

I don’t know about a 100 hour life. Our boat has had one for at least 20 years, 17 of which we have owned it, and all we have done is change the batteries twice. You typically use it less than 30 seconds, usually about 5-10 seconds. I have no reason to believe ours will fail, but always assume it will.

I can’t comment about its impact on sailing performance. A 40 ton sailboat isn’t a fast boat, but it isn’t uncommon for us to sail all day between St. Thomas and St. Croix and average 8kts, so...

With respect to drag and disruption of flow, zincs do that, too, but we still use them. Our boat has 8 teardrop zincs. They are, of course, essential, as is the keel itself.

My advice is to take it for a sea trial and judge for yourself. I personally don’t see ours as a negative, and I’m glad the PO had it added after the fact.

Keep us posted!

 

[sesmith]

I like the analogy to a pool. As much as I like to swim, I wouldn't buy a house with one, but that's just me.

Last year was our first season with our Catalina 350 (all of our sailing had been on our Seaward 25 and Hunter 23.5, before it). The difference, of course, is that you can often muscle a 25' boat when things get dicey at the slip, but that's not possible with a 35' boat. The marina we were in was basically set up for power boats. Large marina, tight lanes, a starboard tie (this boat will not back to starboard), and worse, a large unforgiving steel pole between adjacent slips at the stern, but not far enough back to clear the boat.

Getting the boat in was dicey, with that pole. If you tried to reverse it, you would hit the pole when it walked to port. We usually would spring the bow in and stop it with a docking stick at the center cleat, however sometimes this went wrong and the stern would kick out before I could get the the stern line in place. Again, the post! Backing the boat out was only possible by springing it out from the corner of the dock...had to back to starboard to head down the fairway forward (in a pinch we have backed it all the way down the fairway...embarrassing but who cares).

We never had enough time to develop a foolproof set of tricks as we spent much of the summer cruising up in the Great Lakes away from the marina we had learned to hate. After more than 1000 miles of cruising without incident, and quite a few nights in other marinas also without incident, we made it back to our home marina only to ding the port stern corner of the boat on that friggin post.

Enough was enough...we changed marinas late in the summer. No more post and a roomier slip. Problem solved.

We would have died for a bow thruster in the first marina, but kinda like a pool, I wouldn't have paid extra for one when we bought the boat. I sure would consider it a nice extra though if the boat came with one and we wouldn't hesitate to add it to our bag of tricks.

 

[MitchM]

our nauticat 33 came w a bow thruster. i turned it on every week just to keep it tuned up. it saved our =r @#$% in several hairy docking situations (40 kts, wind on beam, last day possible for haulout, other boats uncomfortably close etc. ) it came with the boat and i loved having it but did not use it under normal circumstances. it's about a 10K retrofit install. for steering a full keel like a cape dory which backs like a drowning pig it would be a big help.

 

[dlochner]

our nauticat 33 came w a bow thruster. i turned it on every week just to keep it tuned up. it saved our =r @#$% in several hairy docking situations (40 kts, wind on beam, last day possible for haulout, other boats uncomfortably close etc. ) it came with the boat and i loved having it but did not use it under normal circumstances. it's about a 10K retrofit install. for steering a full keel like a cape dory which backs like a drowning pig it would be a big help.

If I had a Nauticat with a full keel and pilot house, a bow thruster might be a welcome addition.

 

[NYSail]

Have one on our B423. We use it when we have to and find it a wonderful attribute. However we try not to use it so we can have a feel of the boat.
Very low maintenance item.....

 

[MikeHoncho]

They do not require any maintenance other than inspecting the zinc during bottom cleaning and inspection when out of the water for bottom cleaning. Surprisingly, it also does not take up much space as shown in the attached photo.

Have a picture of it from the inside..

 

[sail sfbay]

Have a picture of it from the inside..

MikeHincho, feel free to stop by and I will be happy to.

 

[Captain Larry-DH]

r. If they get crusted up with barnacles, doesn't that cause problems?

Only affects thrust performance, not drag, because the fouling is within the tunnel. Yes, you need to dive on them periodically just as with props. a small 1” scraper with short handle is all you need if there’s anything hard growing on the blades. My thruster blades are anti-fouling painted so there’s little growing.

 

[sail sfbay]

MikeHincho, feel free to stop by and I will be happy to.

I forgot to add I will treat you for dinner and drinks at Traders Vics in Emeryville.

 

[Scott T-Bird]

Well, it's funny. After all this discussion, I still can't make up my mind about bow thruster, plus or minus. I was mostly convinced that I should just accept it as a plus. I spoke with a friend of mine, whom happens to be a very serious racer, and he basically said I wouldn't notice it until the sailboat next to me is walking away. He went on to say ... bow thruster, in-mast furling, fixed prop, you won't be racing that boat. I had to admit to yup on all three accounts. It's only the fixed prop I can do something about. I'm not a racer, but I have to admit that if the boat was really calling to me, I wouldn't have so much hesitation. This boat on paper is mostly what I want but I'm 0 for 3 so far and still shopping!

Here's how the bow thruster looks to me and I have to admit that it is more than a little disconcerting, just for the appearance of drag. Otherwise, a beautiful sailboat!

 

[Scott B]

Well, it's funny. After all this discussion, I still can't make up my mind about bow thruster, plus or minus. I was mostly convinced that I should just accept it as a plus. I spoke with a friend of mine, whom happens to be a very serious racer, and he basically said I wouldn't notice it until the sailboat next to me is walking away. He went on to say ... bow thruster, in-mast furling, fixed prop, you won't be racing that boat. I had to admit to yup on all three accounts. It's only the fixed prop I can do something about. I'm not a racer, but I have to admit that if the boat was really calling to me, I wouldn't have so much hesitation. This boat on paper is mostly what I want but I'm 0 for 3 so far and still shopping! View attachment 178915


Here's how the bow thruster looks to me and I have to admit that it is more than a little disconcerting, just for the appearance of drag. Otherwise, a beautiful sailboat!

I guess you also have to decide what you're going to use the boat for. If it's racing then absolutely regular battened main, full keel, not shoal draft, folding prop, hank on head sails, etc. etc. Strip the boat of coolers, extra batteries, minimal water, minimal fuel etc.

If it's for cruising, in-mast, shoal keel, furling jib, feathering prop, and you'll probaly ( like me) load it with 500 lbs. water, 500 lbs. batteries, drag a 250 lbs dinghy behind, 200 lbs. food, ice, beer 200 lbs. clothing and comfort necessities and not worry about trying to gain a nano-knot of speed. I can still get 6.5 knots with all of the above, so why not be comfortable at the same time.

 

[Captain Larry-DH]

Well, it's funny. After all this discussion, I still can't make up my mind about bow thruster, plus or minus. I was mostly convinced that I should just accept it as a plus. I spoke with a friend of mine, whom happens to be a very serious racer, and he basically said I wouldn't notice it until the sailboat next to me is walking away. He went on to say ... bow thruster, in-mast furling, fixed prop, you won't be racing that boat. I had to admit to yup on all three accounts. It's only the fixed prop I can do something about. I'm not a racer, but I have to admit that if the boat was really calling to me, I wouldn't have so much hesitation. This boat on paper is mostly what I want but I'm 0 for 3 so far and still shopping! View attachment 178915


Here's how the bow thruster looks to me and I have to admit that it is more than a little disconcerting, just for the appearance of drag. Otherwise, a beautiful sailboat!

I think you should leave it for someone else who will appreciate it.
My boat sails 15+ knots in flat water (even with the slightly uneven bottom paint) and it has one of those holes in the bow, too. 19 years old and no problems with the thruster so far.

 

[Ward H]

@Scott T-Bird Where do you envision needing/using the thruster? I think when you race with the local club the competitor in you will wish you don't have those big ugly holes in your bow.

 

[Captain Larry-DH]

@Scott T-Bird Where do you envision needing/using the thruster? I think when you race with the local club the competitor in you will wish you don't have those big ugly holes in your bow.

@Ward H Just curious. Are you a have, or a have-not?

 

[Ward H]

Spring lines are my friend.

Of course my C30 is the biggest boat I have owned. Maybe when I move up to the next boat, 40' or >, I'll change my mind.

 

[DayDreamer41]

@Scott T-Bird that thruster tunnel looks over sized (8" or 10"???) which is way over sized for that boat to begin with we have a 6" tunnel in our 41 and it doesn't appear to be as intrusive to laminar flow over the hull.

 

[JRT]

Flex seal tape and you should be fine for racing