BCS Bow thruster

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sfh

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Does anyone have any experience of BCS bow thrusters. i am lead to believe that some boat builder's use them as standard, please give your thoughts.

I have looked at the calculations for thruster size! What! i think i need a 55 KFC, boat is a colvic sunquest 34, flybridge, what do you think.

again many thanks for your comments

SFH

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I Fink you dont need one.

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Haydn
 
A lot of people have told me that Haydn, perhaps you and them are correct, i tried to play the piano, golf, snooker, was not bad at rugby but i have to admit, when i am coming onto the pontoon i feel that anything i have learnt has completely gone from the grey matter.

Are bow thrusters the same as these golf enhansing equip, or can they actually make you get more use out of your boat.

if there is a stiff breeze i turn the boat into a static caravan.

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Well. If they made pianos with two keys. Think how much easier it would be to play. Now you all ready have two big sticks. And a wirrly round wheel thingy. Now I dont bother with the wirrly thing. To complicated. So why you want even more buttons??

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Haydn
 
i have outdrives, i find that sticks only does not turn the boat quickly enough, is this a problem with outdrives

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I would go for a bow thruster without any doubt at all.

Anything that makes marina work easier is welcome. There are times when wind and circumstances combine to make thrusters a very useful tool to have.

I can hold my boat (60 foot loa) against a pontoon whilst my one member of crew ties up - I have to sometimes pass through a lock that is just 64 feet long leaving me 2 foot room at each end - all things like this are easier with thrusters and I have both bow and stern.

I have elarnt to handlle a boat without any thrusters an I can testify that this put no more hairs on my chest! :)



<hr width=100% size=1>Paul
 
sfh,

I am new to boats and like you have outdrives, having a bow thruster has only helped, the worst thing that can happen to you with one is you never use it, however it is always there is you do need it....

Steve

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you echo my thoughts, as a newbie 2nd season 2nd boat i also get the sweats i seem to have trouble as i have now 4 leavers(2 throttle ,2 gear) and as in the past for entering fingers etc i have been trying to use them as i did with 2 but i have been told its completly differant ,would love to be shown firsthand others style but would like to hear from you guys

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I have no arguement to be made with longer boats. I admit that at times I tend to crab out of marinas. Yes I do . but it's only cos I'm lazy and cant be arsed to straigten it up a bit when there is another few ft spare. Once you get to fifty foot or more. Yes there is a good arguement for bow thrusters. Below that there probably more trouble than sence. Wot I am saying is. LEARN TO CONTROL THE BOAT. Thrusters or none. It wont make no difference if you dont know what your doing!!

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Haydn
 
Manuvering in tight spaces is one of the greatest joys of sailing. Especialy motor sailing with two engines. Must admit its much better with shafts than them silly Kenwood chef thingies. Hey Ive had both. The principle still works. Just that shafts do it that much better. The fun of hoocking a big boat into Polpero or Charles town. For fun. Playing with it there. Watching the wind and tide. Also the onlookers. Its like driving a tank. Perfect control. Turn on a sixpence. Even go sideways . Only thing you have to do is understand it is a boat. It is not a car. But is much more managable than a car if you treat it right.

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Haydn
 
the trouble is given the time i spend at the boat and that is most weekends in the summer, less bad weather, kids parties, weddings etc you might get to 15-20 weekends a year. Now take the time at sea from the time spent coming in and out of the marina and there is not a lot of time to practive, plenty of time to panic.

i have tried finding a piece of quiet slack water and practicing but its hard to reproduce a marina environment.

do not get me wrong, slight breeze, i have no problem, you have time and i slowly on tickover, put the boat on the pontoon, even reverse in.

Please also consider, from what i have seen Conwy is pretty, tight.

my point is in those 15-20 weekends, given our climate, would you not get more use out of the boat if you felt more in control.

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Nope. We go out in anything. Theres loads of pubs to sail to in Plymouth, even if weather is bad. Mind I do have shafts which is much better than kenwood chefs. But I used to have them and found no problem. Suppose there could be times when a bow thruster would help. I'm afraid I'd get mixed up with to many options and cock it up!

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Haydn
 
"Manuvering in tight spaces is one of the greatest joys of sailing. Especialy motor sailing with two engines. "

Surely there are times when the wind catches you that you cannot just go sideways without thrusters?

If you are using twin shafts, then how can you possibly just move sideways? You can crab in but that sticks one end or the other out as you turn using the engines.

Put another way - if you have a 60 footer with a 64 foot space to get into, how would you go sideways into that tight space without thrusters and be capable of resisting wind gusts etc whilst doing it?

In messing about outside a lock with lots of ther waiting boats I can get into a situation that forces me to turn and maybe damage my props in shallow water but with thrusters I can simply move the whole boat sideways and avoid the problem.

I am all for learning how to use the boat without thrusters and this I have done but I also accept that there are a number of occasions when thrusters make life much simpler and less stressful and do a job that is almost impossible to do just using twin shafts. Agreed?


<hr width=100% size=1>Paul
 
"would you not get more use out of the boat if you felt more in control. "

I agree, boating is meant to be a joy not a stress test! The fact I have two thrusters makes the task of my crew that much simpler allowing me to have just one crew member and yet manage a big boat.

This macho thing about not needing thrusters puzzles me.

You cannot just move the bow and stern of a boat sideways at the same time with twin shafts.



<hr width=100% size=1>Paul
 
Don`t know how I managed without a thruster before this boat.Great for checking the bow when reversing into tight finger pontoons. If i had a squadron (My next boat) would be a definate requirement.

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I've often said. That with bigger boats bow thrusters are very usefull. But the point is. I've never come across a need for them on 33 or 35Ft boats. Theres no problem getting in a space with just a few inches fore and aft. Even had to drop the anchor and dinghy on occasions to make it fit. Personaly I would not have a bow thruster if it came free. Dont know about your boat, or any one elses. It's just another thing to go wrong or as some one on here reported. Nearly sunk the boat.

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Haydn
 
Haydn
I understand your point of view.
My question is - on a 60 foot boat with only one member of crew available would you have bow/stern thrusters? Please answer the question without ducking it :)


<hr width=100% size=1>Paul
 
I dont know. I have not got a 60ft boat. But I certainly dont know the reason for stern thrusters. You already have two engines for that. No what we do is. Tutts holds a big loop of rope over the front. I drive nose of boat up to cleat So its easy for her to just hook over the cleat. Then she ties that off with a bit of slack and walks to the back. Mean while I bring arse end in with engines. Tutts walks off with rope. I cant see how it makes any difference if boat is 100Ft long. Except if QE2 you might need quite a long loop!! Leaving pontoon is of course much easier. Except clotts I see try to do it forwards.. Return bow rope to looped round position, take off springs. Go upstairs and if need be hold arse end against pontoon. Tutts jumps on with stern line. Goes to front. Either un loops or just pulls rope back. Push bow against the big round red fender with engines. Arse end comes out. Back up windward side of avenue. If tendancy for bow to blow off. Stick one engine ahead and go back on the other. Dont bother with wheel till out in sea/river. I nearly never bother with it. Engines then autopilot Next question??

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Haydn
 
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