Bow thruster on a 42 footer?

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peterbotto

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I am just concluding a deal on a 42ft yacht with saildrive.
I will be keeping the yacht at Chichester-Northney.
My previous yacht was shaft drive and had a bowthruster.
This yacht does not and fitting one costs between 4 and 5k.
Should I fit one and blow the expense or take a chance?
Your views would be appreciated.
 
Why not play with it for a while and see how you get on without a bowthruster? Sounds infinitely preferable to blowing £5K.
 
Pvb has a point.

But consider this. A 44 footer can cause quite a lot of damage while you are getting used to the different dynamics. Especially as you are already used to a bow thruster.

So having one fitted ASAP could be considered as a very sensible economy.
 
[ QUOTE ]
I am just concluding a deal on a 42ft yacht with saildrive.
I will be keeping the yacht at Chichester-Northney.
My previous yacht was shaft drive and had a bowthruster.
This yacht does not and fitting one costs between 4 and 5k.
Should I fit one and blow the expense or take a chance?
Your views would be appreciated.

[/ QUOTE ]

Your call, Northney has fairly narrow channels, but sail drive is very manoeuvrable. You wont have as much prop kick, which can work for you or against you, depending on how you used it on your previous boat.

I think I would give it a go first.


How did you resolve the brokerage dilemma ?
 
4.76% inflation in less than 40 minutes!!!!! /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

Don't tell Gordon B. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
What boat is it? My limited experience of modern short keel, unskegged rudder boats is that they are easy to park, unless in strong x-winds, and my recollection of Northney is that it's pretty sheltered.

Think of it another way - £5K would buy a very nice suit of sails
 
Make sure that you have a good prop on the shaft before spending any money on a bow thruster. A Max prop or similar is a revelation for stopping the boat when maneouvering compared to a folding one. A fixed one is also great but has a surprising amount of drag.
You've received good advice so far, i.e try to use the boat without a bow thruster. 99% of 40 ish foot boats don't have thrusters and there is a certain satisfaction about developing the skill
 
I had a 42 Bav42 cc at Northney and managed without. It is tight but not impossible and your reversing skills will become finely tuned... Save the money for something else...
 
[ QUOTE ]
I am just concluding a deal on a 42ft yacht with saildrive.
I will be keeping the yacht at Chichester-Northney.
My previous yacht was shaft drive and had a bowthruster.
This yacht does not and fitting one costs between 4 and 5k.
Should I fit one and blow the expense or take a chance?
Your views would be appreciated.

[/ QUOTE ]

After 30 years plus of sailing, I spent a bit of money on a days marina handling training for Janet and myself.

from using the bowthruster all the time, I now use it very little, and sometimes forget it's there.

I'm glad that I've got one, but would now try without before buying.
 
The comment about the prop is spot on. A feathering prop rather than a folder gives you tremendous brakes and is much cheaper than a thruster. I used to drive a 53 footer regularly and the max prop was much more use than a truster. Add on a couple of bigger fenders for that one time a year when the thruster might have been used and you can save the cost. Also thrusters are not infallable, they clog up with barnacles, weed etc and can let you down as per sods law, ie. when you need it most. A bit of practice and you will never miss one.
 
Keep on practicing.
I berth our 43' boat (13.5 t, fin keel & 7' draft) in Aberystwyth. Usually a good flow of water coming down the harbour with any ebb and a slight x current on the flood. After 3 years worked out on sunday, that coming into the berth stern first was a lot easier than the UK norm of bows to.

Use your springs for getting on and off. they can work a treat if you get used to using them to your adavantage.

Good luck
 
I decided that 38 ft was enough without a bow thruster.

If you have significant X winds you must keep up your speed through the water if you want to avoid going too far sideways. If you are berthing at speed make sure you have a feathering prop as only feathering give equal thrust astern as the blades reverse direction. I have a 4 blade Variprop on mine and it will stop the boat in its own length at 6 kts!

If you are happy berthing at speed in Xwinds OK but I think the extra security of a bow thruster a bonus. I always try to avoid using mine except to test it prior to berthing but I don't hesitate if it prevent me touching other adjacent boats or misjuging the pontoon.

Mine is also a charter boat and I can never be certain of others competence.

I can recommend Osmatec at Hamble Point to do a quality job at about £4k for a 42'.

Good luck
 
You don't say if it is a new or a used boat. If it is new, one tip is to have the cables run in during the build even if you don't have the thruster itself fitted.

Then if you choose to fit it at a later date, it doesnt require half the cabin to be dislodged for the cabling. This not only saves cost but also avoids the risk of the interior not being the same ever again.
 
blimey another northney eyte long and distingusihed list on here now tome, galadriel, richard (power) etc....
'bout time we all met up??
Ian
 
Which pontoon?

If you're on E, I'd say it's a jolly good idea to fit one so you don't bash me on your way past

Otherwise see how you get on
 
I'll have you know that Ian and I were invited to the inaugral gathering of the Northney Cruising Association, but our applications were eventually declined as they didn't feel we had the stamina
 
Must be getting quite crowded on E whilst they dregde... even I am slumming it down there /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Rick
 
yes sadly tome is right - our applications were rejected - we aked too many questions about the safety of the trip to yarmouth.. bit far in one hop we thought.
 
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