CX54WEK
Well-Known Member
Agreed.
Bow thruster on a Sealine S23
- Thread starter blues-n-twos
- Start date
Agreed.
CX54WEK
Well-Known Member
We will have to agree to disagree on this one.
At no point have we needed a bow thruster on Naughty-cal.
CLB
Well-Known Member
Says the person without a bow thruster! I have never said anyone NEEDS one. To be honest, if you need one you clearly can't drive a boat properly. I don't NEED a remote control, for my TV, I don't NEED a washing machine or dishwasher, but they don't half make your life easier. Anyway, enough. I know from previous experience that the non BT owning boats will not let this drop, or even admit that a BT brings useful benefits, so I will bow out gracefully. Out.
boatone
Well-Known Member
Please lets not get into this old hoary chestnut. People either love them or hate them. I love mine and I hate other peoples when I see them being used badly!
I am now on my second boat with a single shaft and bow thruster and, although I use it very sparingly, there are times when I wouldn't be without it. Mooring my Broom 34 in a fairly restricted pontoon slot without it would be much harder than with - and I can turn within a boat length just using throttle and rudder - its just hard work esp. with any significant wind. Also great for steering when driving backwards !
I'll probably regret posting this in which case I won't bother to comment further.
I am now on my second boat with a single shaft and bow thruster and, although I use it very sparingly, there are times when I wouldn't be without it. Mooring my Broom 34 in a fairly restricted pontoon slot without it would be much harder than with - and I can turn within a boat length just using throttle and rudder - its just hard work esp. with any significant wind. Also great for steering when driving backwards !
I'll probably regret posting this in which case I won't bother to comment further.
CX54WEK
Well-Known Member
Do you not think that if we thought it was necessary to have a bow thruster that after 8 years of ownership, averaging 1600 miles a year, that we might have fitted one?
It isn't about loving them or hating them rather more about whether it is necessary. Which IMO they are not.
Lower Limit 1909
Well-Known Member
After bouyancy and a means of propulsion are taken care of prettty much nothing else on a river boat is really 'necessary'. An awful lot of 'accessories' like Bimini Tops, Wine Coolers, and Bow Thrusters make the experience better however while optional extras like an Auxiliary Outboard and Bow Thrusters add to safety margins.
I don't think it's a question of loving or hating them. I feel prettty neutral and pragmatic. 99.9% of the time I'm on the boat it's just an invisible unused feature. For the 5 - 20 seconds that I'm using it every few hours or so it allows me to do something more easily and safely than it could have been done without. For those occasional 5 - 20 seconds I'm really glad I have it.
Financial priorities and hull suitability are good arguments for not having a BT on an inboard engined 20ft plus craft, but any argument based on them serving no useful purpose is going to be pretty quickly rebutted by anybody who has ever used one when it made life easier or safer.
CX54WEK
Well-Known Member
So you are saying that using a bow thruster is more safe then not using one?
That's one of the weirdest comments I have yet to hear...........
It's also a load of bow locks.
Lower Limit 1909
Well-Known Member
In certain circumstances - yes. To quote my earlier post, here are a couple of recent real-life events where a bow thruster improved the safety margin.
- Dropping-off and picking-up passengers on a pontoon with no mooring attachments during an ebb tide.
Being able to hold steady against the pontoon made it safer for the passengers.
- Wanting/needing to make a 180 degree turn against the prop walk with kayakers and hire boats arriving rapidly on random sides of the river.
Being able to execute a quick 180 without lots of 'back and forth' improved the speed and hence safety of the manouvre.
- Going to the aid of a solo canoeist who had capsized and got stuck in shallow water.
Getting close to him without the bow thruster would have been riskier than it was with it - and taken longer. It also gave me a free hand.
- Mooring up single-handed in an ebb tide (on a pontoon that sits at a bit of an angle away from the current).
I can and have done this on similar craft without a BT but it requires some nifty footwork and rope work. Using a BT makes it very much simpler and simpler equals safer.
My personal view is that when helming there is a responsibility to use all available tools to minimise risk. In each of the above circumstances that's what I did. I accept that you would not have used a bow thruster had it been available to you in these circumstances. That's your decision. To describe my judgement call that use of the bow thruster would improve safety in each of those situations as 'weird' and 'bow locks' is rather unnecessary.
- Dropping-off and picking-up passengers on a pontoon with no mooring attachments during an ebb tide.
Being able to hold steady against the pontoon made it safer for the passengers.
- Wanting/needing to make a 180 degree turn against the prop walk with kayakers and hire boats arriving rapidly on random sides of the river.
Being able to execute a quick 180 without lots of 'back and forth' improved the speed and hence safety of the manouvre.
- Going to the aid of a solo canoeist who had capsized and got stuck in shallow water.
Getting close to him without the bow thruster would have been riskier than it was with it - and taken longer. It also gave me a free hand.
- Mooring up single-handed in an ebb tide (on a pontoon that sits at a bit of an angle away from the current).
I can and have done this on similar craft without a BT but it requires some nifty footwork and rope work. Using a BT makes it very much simpler and simpler equals safer.
My personal view is that when helming there is a responsibility to use all available tools to minimise risk. In each of the above circumstances that's what I did. I accept that you would not have used a bow thruster had it been available to you in these circumstances. That's your decision. To describe my judgement call that use of the bow thruster would improve safety in each of those situations as 'weird' and 'bow locks' is rather unnecessary.
CX54WEK
Well-Known Member
All of which can be achieved without the aid of a bow thruster.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4z5uS9YFnR0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4z5uS9YFnR0
AuntyRinum
Well-Known Member
Is this some sort of joke? Bow thrusters certainly have their place on long vessels, but anyone who needs one on a 25 foot boat should either give up boating or get somebody competent to do the helming.
apollo
...
Amen!
blues-n-twos
Active Member
Well I'm back from Ipswich and deposit paid :encouragement:
Subject to survey I am the proud new owner of a very tidy Sealine S23!!
A few minor things to sort that I noticed including the fridge liner being split but Burton Waters will either repair or replace the fridge.
Beautifully presented with a superb polish on the GRP. I haggled almost 10% off the asking price Inc new fenders etc.
It will fit my needs perfectly and enable me to get more experience in boat handling (non bow thruster)
There was a 2" thick file of history and it has all the original manuals from when it was new.
I'm a very happy man right now
Jon
Chill
Well-Known Member
Well done Jon, fingers crossed the survey is ok.
Try a season without one but in a years time I would think you will want to have a bow and stern thruster installed when its lifted out
Chill
Try a season without one but in a years time I would think you will want to have a bow and stern thruster installed when its lifted out
Chill
CX54WEK
Well-Known Member
Well I'm back from Ipswich and deposit paid :encouragement:
Subject to survey I am the proud new owner of a very tidy Sealine S23!!
A few minor things to sort that I noticed including the fridge liner being split but Burton Waters will either repair or replace the fridge.
Beautifully presented with a superb polish on the GRP. I haggled almost 10% off the asking price Inc new fenders etc.
It will fit my needs perfectly and enable me to get more experience in boat handling (non bow thruster)
There was a 2" thick file of history and it has all the original manuals from when it was new.
I'm a very happy man right now
Jon
Congratulations.
She is a lovely boat.
CX54WEK
Well-Known Member
Murv
Well-Known Member
Well I'm back from Ipswich and deposit paid :encouragement:
Subject to survey I am the proud new owner of a very tidy Sealine S23!!
A few minor things to sort that I noticed including the fridge liner being split but Burton Waters will either repair or replace the fridge.
Beautifully presented with a superb polish on the GRP. I haggled almost 10% off the asking price Inc new fenders etc.
It will fit my needs perfectly and enable me to get more experience in boat handling (non bow thruster)
There was a 2" thick file of history and it has all the original manuals from when it was new.
I'm a very happy man right now
Jon
Congratulations!
:encouragement:
Chris_d
Well-Known Member
Well I'm back from Ipswich and deposit paid :encouragement:
Subject to survey I am the proud new owner of a very tidy Sealine S23!!
A few minor things to sort that I noticed including the fridge liner being split but Burton Waters will either repair or replace the fridge.
Beautifully presented with a superb polish on the GRP. I haggled almost 10% off the asking price Inc new fenders etc.
It will fit my needs perfectly and enable me to get more experience in boat handling (non bow thruster)
There was a 2" thick file of history and it has all the original manuals from when it was new.
I'm a very happy man right now
Jon
Congrat's a great little all round boat :encouragement:
But please, don't mention bow thrusters round here again
blues-n-twos
Active Member
Congrat's a great little all round boat :encouragement:
But please, don't mention bow thrusters round here again
Lesson learned there
I've made the right choice on boat as the overall package was a good deal and it has 2 years remaining on the BSC.
Jon
AuntyRinum
Well-Known Member
Well I'm back from Ipswich and deposit paid :encouragement:
Subject to survey I am the proud new owner of a very tidy Sealine S23!!
A few minor things to sort that I noticed including the fridge liner being split but Burton Waters will either repair or replace the fridge.
Beautifully presented with a superb polish on the GRP. I haggled almost 10% off the asking price Inc new fenders etc.
It will fit my needs perfectly and enable me to get more experience in boat handling (non bow thruster)
There was a 2" thick file of history and it has all the original manuals from when it was new.
I'm a very happy man right now
Jon
Well done. Congratulations. ��
Newbroom
Well-Known Member
Enjoy
Good luck
Good luck