Considering installation of externally mounted bow thruster for 2003 Hunter 46. I welcome suggestions and comments. Thank you.
Christopher Bayer
Mamaroneck, NY
Christopher Bayer
Mamaroneck, NY
External Bow Thruster
- Thread starter cabayer
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The reports seem to make it worthwhile. I have a 2003 466 with the tunnel thruster. It allows me to undock or dock with confidence. It makes maneuvering in tight quarters and or counter currents and winds much less of a stressful evolution. Good luck.
It's a recipe for disaster,too many things can go wrong when a skipper has mechanical safty nets in critical situations. These safty nets always seem to fail at the worst possibly times. Don't get me wrong, they are nice to have, but a skipper should not need to rely on this type of equiptment to do basic manouevres.
I guess we shouldn't have roller furling, GPS, Chart plot, radios, radar, or auxiliary engines either. Wood, canvas, and hemp instead of fiberglass, dacron, and nylon. Get rid of the winches too. Too much to go wrong. Having a bow thruster and relying on it are two different things. I enjoy the challenge of tight maneuvering without it. It certainly does help when trying depart a dock with a 25 kt crosswind or avoiding other boats in a lock with swirling water.
Enjoy the bow thruster. It is like having hot and cold pressure water on the boat.
Enjoy the bow thruster. It is like having hot and cold pressure water on the boat.
That may be all well and good but when you get over 40' a thurster can keep you from disaster. Trying to turn into a slip slowly with the wind on the nose can prevent you from turning in at all, then disaster. I don't have one but have been in a few circumstances when it would have been nice. I say go for it. I wish I had one.
I so far am drawn to yachtthruster.com I have been in touch with a salesman ->Alex. And currently will be purchasing and doing the install myself next spring. Have to save up a bit more money first. But it seems the best from what I have gathered.
So with all that time putting together a web site and all those demonstration video's You think they could at least give some sort of cost breakdowns.:troll:
Looks good to me. Just closed on an '08 36 w/o a thruster. We'll see how she does docking compared to the H260 I traded which had a rudder-outboard steering link.
that what my bank manager says to me every bloody day....................I cant afford it.........
From one of the sites. Gives you an idea of the price.
While the price of the Yacht Thruster ($4,000 to $6,000 depending on the installation and size) might seem steep, you may save considerably in labor because there’s no fiberglass laminating required. Installation is fairly simple. For a bow-thruster application, one hole is cut with a holesaw for the through-hull as far forward as possible and then two more are cut for mounting studs that attach the unit to the hull bottom. Stern-mounted units are fixed low and as close to the boat’s transom as possible. It’s important for both to use the proper sealant between the running surface and the thruster and to properly tighten the bolts on the studs. The install kit comes complete with a backing plate and vibration dampeners.
While the price of the Yacht Thruster ($4,000 to $6,000 depending on the installation and size) might seem steep, you may save considerably in labor because there’s no fiberglass laminating required. Installation is fairly simple. For a bow-thruster application, one hole is cut with a holesaw for the through-hull as far forward as possible and then two more are cut for mounting studs that attach the unit to the hull bottom. Stern-mounted units are fixed low and as close to the boat’s transom as possible. It’s important for both to use the proper sealant between the running surface and the thruster and to properly tighten the bolts on the studs. The install kit comes complete with a backing plate and vibration dampeners.
For $4000 I would modify a trolling motor to the same location. Shaft looks similar, shouldnt be rocket science to make it work. Get the kind with the foot control, you could extend the steering control pedal back to the helm as well as have directional indication.
Need a thruster? Safety net? Remember, all the old Navy amd whaling sailing ships had large crews of men, sweeps (oars) onboard, as well as a couple small boats. It was common to have the crew row the ship around, as well as tug it around with a couple small boats armed with a crew of oarsmen. So you could say, theyve had thrusters since the beginning of time. These modern type just replace a bunch of guys you would have to feed.
Need a thruster? Safety net? Remember, all the old Navy amd whaling sailing ships had large crews of men, sweeps (oars) onboard, as well as a couple small boats. It was common to have the crew row the ship around, as well as tug it around with a couple small boats armed with a crew of oarsmen. So you could say, theyve had thrusters since the beginning of time. These modern type just replace a bunch of guys you would have to feed.
Imagine sailing at night when in 'crab and lobster pot' infested waters with a BIG bulb under the bow of one's boat !!!! ... or when there is full tidal flow and most of 'floats' are 'just' underwater ... or when sailing in log infested water after a storm. You probably couldnt do better as when dragging a large grappling hook.
Another benefit to the bow thruster is final line handling while docking. Since by mutual consent I do all the docking my wife handles the dock lines. The thruster, when required, aids in moving the bow to the dock, which my wife having had shoulder surgery, greatly appreciates.
Mikem, understood, but if your docks have standard horn cleats, do you use a midships spring line? If so, the boat does all the work and no bow thruster is required, although the bigger the boat, the more it would help.
Stu, the cleats vary all over Puget Sound and yes we do use the midship line. Typically, if the thruster is used at all it is a momentary bump. We had four bow thtusters at one time but they all grew up and went their own ways. Two now share a Catalina 25. You can view our restoration progress on the C-25 forum under sailboat.
Thanks, Mike
Thanks, Mike
Good one, Mike. I have one bow thruster, and, imagine this, I actually used to call him a "foredeck ape!" 
Learn somethin' new every day. Thanks.
Learn somethin' new every day. Thanks.- Status