Bow thruster remote

[Paul_S123]

Have a small pilothouse 7m boat, which I mostly single hand.

In the process of fitting a sidepower bow thruster to help docking in the wind.

It's going in next month, just wondered what you guys thought of the remote control. It's an extra £400, which is ok if it is useful. Worth It?

 

[zt260]

I once bought a remote off e bay for a12v vehicle winch cost about 15quid came with wiring diagram and took about 30min to fit worked okay and cheaper than 400 quid

Regds ash

 

[nigelmercier]

I fitted a push-button wireless remote in a box with a rotary switch. It worked well, but not nearly as well as my latest modification: I bought a new throttle with a trim-tab switch and wired the thruster to that.

 

[jimmy_the_builder]

Have a small pilothouse 7m boat, which I mostly single hand.

In the process of fitting a sidepower bow thruster to help docking in the wind.

It's going in next month, just wondered what you guys thought of the remote control. It's an extra £400, which is ok if it is useful. Worth It?

I've got the sidepower remote, it's very handy when you're singlehanding, particularly with along-side berths.

 

[Tranona]

Another vote for the remote. I have the one that also doubles up as the windlass control.

 

[Paul_S123]

I was looking at the one that has the windlass control too, which would also be useful. I like the £15 option lol, but I can just imagine the marina mechanics drama if I hand him one of those.

 

[jimmy_the_builder]

I was looking at the one that has the windlass control too, which would also be useful. I like the £15 option lol, but I can just imagine the marina mechanics drama if I hand him one of those.

The sidepower remote, although expensive, is a doddle to connect. It is plug and play with the sidepower joystick, and then wiring it to the windlass is very easy - because typically you've already got a windlass switch somewhere at the helm. Thats said, although I connected this all up I very rarely use the remote for the windlass, the most useful tech aid for the anchor continues to be the ancam - but that's a different question!

 

[CLOUD9]

Worth It?

Agree that the remote is very useful if you are single handed.
Particularly useful when docking alongside with the wind doing its best to blow you back off before you have had a chance to secure both fore and aft..
Without the remote there would have been a couple of occasions last season when I might have needed the services of the marina launch to retrieve my boat!
Ive never bothered connecting it to the windlass though.

 

[Paul_S123]

Thanks for your comments. Based on the feedback given, I did splash out the 400 bones, so at some point today I should be the proud owner of one. Will update the installation thread as work starts on the thruster installation later this month.