H460 Bow Thruster

[Brigadoon460]

Hello, first off my apologies for throwing this post up as i'm guessing there have been posts on this very topic in the past but I didn't want to filter through all of them.

I own a 2001 Hunter 460 and my slip is VERY tight as it is technically a 44foot slip with 36foot slips behind me. In Puget Sound we encounter ever changing wind and current conditions that can make docking a larger boat very difficult. The H460 is easier to board via the stern and therefore I prefer to back in when possible. Pair these challenges with fairly inexperienced crew and it can be problematic.

I'm looking to install a bow thruster to make things easier and wanted to see if anyone had any recommendations on brand and size. I have been looking at the Lewmar 185TT6.0 and the Side-Power SE100/185T. Both have very different approaches, the Lewmar uses a single prop whereas the Side-Power uses dual props. Is the single prop going to be quieter? Reliable?

Please let me know your thoughts. Oh, and if you are simply going to comment about getting lessons and using that money elsewhere please refrain. That is the same as a backseat driver. I do have the experience and have received lessons.

I thank you in advance for your comments.

 

[Mikem]

Hello Brigadoon,

I have a 2003 H466 and I think it is equipped with the Side Power 55, single prop. I know for a fact it is single prop. I read of a H44 that also had a Side power 55. That particular unit may be discontinued but it has always been sufficient for me. That SE 100, dual prop may be overkill. Next time I am at the boat I will double check the nomenclature on my unit. You have a great boat. In her former life as "Illusions" she was berthed on the same dock a few slips down from me.

 

[mitiempo]

There is no such thing as a quiet bow thruster - regardless of how many props it has.
But since it is only used for a few seconds at a time who cares?

 

[Rick486]

Hello, first off my apologies for throwing this post up as i'm guessing there have been posts on this very topic in the past but I didn't want to filter through all of them.

I own a 2001 Hunter 460 and my slip is VERY tight as it is technically a 44foot slip with 36foot slips behind me. In Puget Sound we encounter ever changing wind and current conditions that can make docking a larger boat very difficult. The H460 is easier to board via the stern and therefore I prefer to back in when possible. Pair these challenges with fairly inexperienced crew and it can be problematic.

I'm looking to install a bow thruster to make things easier and wanted to see if anyone had any recommendations on brand and size. I have been looking at the Lewmar 185TT6.0 and the Side-Power SE100/185T. Both have very different approaches, the Lewmar uses a single prop whereas the Side-Power uses dual props. Is the single prop going to be quieter? Reliable?

Please let me know your thoughts. Oh, and if you are simply going to comment about getting lessons and using that money elsewhere please refrain. That is the same as a backseat driver. I do have the experience and have received lessons.

I thank you in advance for your comments.

I have the Side Power on my H44 and it works just fine. Only thing is that it has a thermal overload circuit that kicks in and shuts the thing down until the temp drops, sometimes at a very inconvenient moment. Not a big problem generally but you need to be aware of it and judiciously apply thruster so you have some left when you need it most. Maybe they all have this function but it's worth checking out.

 

[Chris Patterson]

There is no such thing as a quiet bow thruster - regardless of how many props it has. But since it is only used for a few seconds at a time who cares?

That's the sound of money..

 

[Brigadoon460]

I have the Side Power on my H44 and it works just fine. Only thing is that it has a thermal overload circuit that kicks in and shuts the thing down until the temp drops, sometimes at a very inconvenient moment. Not a big problem generally but you need to be aware of it and judiciously apply thruster so you have some left when you need it most. Maybe they all have this function but it's worth checking out.

How long can you continuously run the thruster before the thermal reset occurs? Some research I've done suggests that you can run them for 3min before any thermal issues arise. Of course other factors contribute to this such as space and ventilation but I'm curious what kind of run time you get from the thruster.

 

[Scotty C-M]

I have a Vetus unit and am very happy with it. I don't know if it has thermal protection, but you could find out. Anyway, I have used it in spurts for at least 5 minutes. I think that using it as a pulse could avoid thermal overload. Mine is a single blade, and seems to give quite a bit of torque - although as you can imagine, it takes a few seconds to start moving the bow. In heavy current/wind it is not really efficient as a stand alone turning tool. When used with normal boat momentum and steering, it is a useful tool. Hope this helps.

Scotty

 

[sailaway78]

I have a friend

I have a friend who has a Hunter 45 CC. If yours is anything like his, you will fall in love with the thruster the first time you use it.

 

[capta]

A bow thruster is a wonderful toy, but you really should just learn to handle your vessel without one. The more practice you get, the better you will become at boat handling and this knowledge will be transferable, which a bow thruster won't be.
Once you come to rely on a thruster, you may be unable to handle a boat without one, leaving you in a position of never renting a bareboat, or purchasing another boat without the expenditure of installing a thruster.
I see folks who use them anchoring, docking and even to turn a boat, underway in close quarters and it is quite apparent that if their thruster should fail, they would need a tow to dock their boat.
Save the money for something important, and become a good boat handler. It is a skill worth learning.

 

[Velero49]

Bowthuster envy.... They said the same thing about power windows!!!! LOL
Use power as needed. If you have a cross wind >12 kts you need to use the rudder, keep boat moving and turn the rudder to the direction you want to go before you shift to reverse or froward. Practice away from the slip. The best toy ever. No screaming!!!

 

[Velero49]

One more thing. Keep your batteries charged, low voltage will increase motor temp tripping the thermal switch sooner.

 

[mitiempo]

That's the sound of money..

I don't think money has much to do with it. I have heard many thrusters (I live in a marina with transient slips in the summer) and I have found them all to be noisy - whether on a 32' Bayliner or a multi million dollar trawler.

They are only run for a short time though - not like the continuous noise of an Espar heater running all night.

 

[Rick486]

How long can you continuously run the thruster before the thermal reset occurs? Some research I've done suggests that you can run them for 3min before any thermal issues arise. Of course other factors contribute to this such as space and ventilation but I'm curious what kind of run time you get from the thruster.

I don't really run it continuously so it's hard to say. To me 3 minutes seems like a very long time. Usually I am backing in and zap it to keep the bow fixed in direction with a cross wind. In 7 years I've maybe had it go out a couple of times getting in my slip. However, where I haul for the winter requires a long back up down an alley to the lift with cross winds and cross current. I've had it overload a couple times there. You just need to be aware and use the thruster judiciously. As another poster said, we should all be able to handle our boats without the thruster if need be. But it sure is a nice to have for many reasons. Picking up a mooring is another evolution where it is useful. Also anchoring to keep her bow into the wind.