Bow thruster Gripe.

  • Thread starter Thread starter hlb
  • Start date Start date
going sideways

Gludy, you can really go sideways with a bow thruster and shaftdrive. I mean real, proper sideways. Easier with a sternthruster I admit, but definitely possible with a bowthruster and shafts. Honest guv. :-)

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Ok Haydn,
Glad you had the character to come out and declare your thrusterism.
Coming out like that will make life easier - it will take a big load off your shoulders and will explain to everyone why you are sneaking around marinas looking for those tell tale holes in the bow and muttering curses.

If you wish I can point you to a good therapist who can help you comes to terms with your deep rooted problems with those who have thrusters.... it can only help :-)


<hr width=100% size=1>Paul
 
Re: going sideways

I would agree that you can very nearly go sideways with a bow thruster and shafts - not perfectly sideways as there is still an element of back/forward movement but near to it. Its easier with a stern thruster in place of the shafts and you get true sideways of course.

Even Haydn before he came out accepted that for big boats in busy marinas thrusters can make sense. I control a 60 footer with just one crew member and she no longer feels any stress in locking in/out and that includes a lock that has a straight section only 64 foot long (my boat loa with the rib protuding is now about 63 feet).

I now practice doing it all without the thrusters but I know when I am nilling around in shallow water waiting for a lock and someone is crowding me into the too shallow a part of the river I can move to dodge and miss the pitfalls with no hassle at all.

All unthered shaft movement in a boat has the bow or stern decscibing a shallow arc - there is always an element of arc or fore/aft movement.

Add a good wind to a busy marina and the need for easy movement in any direction becomes even more important.

Taking Haydn's own point about twits in charge of boats who cannot helm properly or leave a berth properly - my thrusters make it easy for me to avoid them - even without starting my engines my engines up!







<hr width=100% size=1>Paul
 
Re: going sideways

Well he's pissed anyway So pissed he named it twice!!

<hr width=100% size=1> <font color=blue>No one can force me to come here.<font color=red> I'm a volunteer!!.<font color=blue>

Haydn
 
Re: going sideways

JFM is correct. You can go sideways and do it without any fore/aft movement. Seen it done and done it myself. A lot will depend on the boat and shaft set up.

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captain.gif
 
Re: going sideways

Gludy. TCM told you. I told You. Every flipping body said. You can go sideways with a bow thruster. You can go nearly sideways without a blumin bow thruster. You can go forwards or a little bit backwards and sideways as well. No Stern thruster. It's just a waiste of buttons!!***??**

<hr width=100% size=1> <font color=blue>No one can force me to come here.<font color=red> I'm a volunteer!!.<font color=blue>

Haydn
 
Re: going sideways

Basically it goes, to move to port. Port engine ahead s'brd engine astern. This will induce a spin bow to s'brd. Counter this with the thruster thrusting to s'brd. The result is a sideways motion to port. Do it all the otherway and you move sidways to s'brd. The further apart the shafts are set the more powerful thruster that'll be needed. Looking at a lot of boats that have been retro fitted with thrusters, a lot of them seem to have been fitted with units borderline for the boats!

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Re: going sideways

Barry
What you have decribed is a spin countered by a thruster which I know about but that is describing a shallow arc- not a proper sideways movement. Its almsot sideways as I said but not truly sideways. Further the bow thruster may or may not be powerful enough.

Sometimes there is only a foot or so lateral movement allowed because that is how tight it can get - in that situation the proper sideways crawl is the best way to get out.

On leaving most berths I c an kick my stern out without a stern thruster and then execute a bit of a turn to bring the bow out and so leave without any thrusters - I am not saying that you alwys need them. I am saying that they are very useful and handy in croded marinas.



<hr width=100% size=1>Paul
 
Re: going sideways

You have agreed in this thread that you can not get sideways with a bow thruster but decribe an arc or have a little fore/aft movement. You have even agreed that thrusters are a good idea for large boats in crowded marinas - you are not consistant with your points and this makes for a confused discussion :-)

"You can go nearly sideways without a blumin bow thruster. "
That is exactly what I have said earlier in this discussion - its nearly sideways - it is even with a bow thruster to compensate the spin - nearly sideways.





<hr width=100% size=1>Paul
 
Re: going sideways

I dont know which of you is being the more difficult and pedantic here but you've certainly lost the original plot !

HAydn said: Every one knows my intence dislike of bow thrusters. Well it's not so much the thrusters I dislike, but the plonkers that use them.

So there you have it....he's not intransigently against the beasts themselves but accepts its the people that cause the problems.

As for going sideways, upside, downside, inside, outside or whatever, the laws of physics apply and I'm quite sure anyone with a paper and pencil could analyse the behavioural tendencies of a floating vessel with one or more mechanical propulsion devices fitted at various places within its underwater (or above water come to that) structure. The absolute effect of a bow and or stern thruster coupled with paddle wheel effect will rarely be available without other outside influences also playing their part......and the most significant outside influence is........ the body at the controls
QED, done, finito, all friends again.........some bloody hope/forums/images/icons/laugh.gif

<hr width=100% size=1><A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.boatsontheweb.com/> Website, Photo Gallery, Chat Room, Burgees</A>
 
Re: going sideways

The voice of reason..........are you feeling ok today. Searching the web for pictures of rallies that might interest you. Found this one and to be honest I was mighty impressed with the mooring skills and not a bow thruster in sight!

Tin_bath_start.jpg


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captain.gif
 
Re: going sideways

Who you fallen out with again Tony.../forums/images/icons/laugh.gif Bet you would not stand a chance with the finer etequete at the boat dancing class, with Gludy......./forums/images/icons/wink.gif

<hr width=100% size=1> <font color=blue>No one can force me to come here.<font color=red> I'm a volunteer!!.<font color=blue>

Haydn
 
Re: going sideways

Haydn also said the exact opposite of your quote ;_)

Joking aside can we all agree on the following:-

1. Bad boat handling by those folks with thrusters is 100% the fault of the boat handler - the thruster has zero blame.

2. Thrusters, whilst not essential can be very handy with bi boats in crowded marina situations and in particular in windy conditions.

3. Anything that makes it easier to handle a boat in tight marina situations has to be welcomed - the anything includes boaters learning to handle their boat better.

4. Thrusters are often overused by boaters - I know one who turns corners with one when the engines would do a better job.

5. Thrusters do not encourage people towards bad boat handling - the plonker is a plonker is a plonker with or without the thrusters.

If Haydn can agree with all five points above then we see eye to eye :-)






<hr width=100% size=1>Paul
 
Re: going sideways

both my props are left handed not contra rotating, full rudder, stbd fwds, port reverse boat walks dead sideways to the right, cant do it left though, have to nudge it across.

Dont need a thruster on a 28 footer, mebe on a big f*cker.

<hr width=100% size=1>Sod the Healey - I think I'll buy an E-Type.
 
Re: going sideways

Ah see, but your using common sense and realising that every boat is different and has its own quirks. Tell that to these two!

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captain.gif
 
Re: going sideways

Wot you want me to agree for. Some folk believe in god, others dont. It's an option. I may like a nice new red carpet, you might like one of them wooden floor thingies, that you slip and fall on your arse all the time and your bum aches when you sit on it...;/forums/images/icons/laugh.gif
I've made an observation. It's not a fact. Just what I have seen. As far as I'm concerned, the world is flat. Well it is on my chart plotter. Otherwise they would have made a round one. Wouldn't they!!

<hr width=100% size=1> <font color=blue>No one can force me to come here.<font color=red> I'm a volunteer!!.<font color=blue>

Haydn
 
It\'s down to training - imho

I agree, had to fend a nearby neighbour T34 away from my stern recently, wind blowing side him on, bow thruster going like mad but inneffective, 10 peeps on board all sat gormless doing nothing to help. Fact is he can't drive properly. Whereas T29 opposite has all family trained and both sons, mum and dad drive perfectly in all weathers.

6 weeks ago, guy buys a Princess 42, parked on hammerhead. 1st day out ends implaled on the anchor of a F38 and marina staff have to drive the boat back for him. Saw him two weeks later getting driving lessons, now no problem.

Tis worth a plug for the RYA seaschool chaps at Peelyweely on 'Intuition' who do a grand job of teaching peeps how to drive.

The alternative is to get a nice long keel:-))

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Re: going sideways

aaaaahhhhh..
" As far as I'm concerned, the world is flat"

That explains it - if you see the world as flat then you see an arc as a straight line hence the perfectly sideways boat!!!!!

All the difference between us is now explaied :-)

<hr width=100% size=1>Paul
 
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