Tidnock
Well-Known Member
I have just seen a boat on flee-bay, it has a Bow thruster externally mounted to the bow, it is manufactured by "Side Shifter", has anyone ever seen one and do they work
Bow Thruster, Side Shifter
- Thread starter Tidnock
- Start date
Firefly625
Well-Known Member
...never seen one... and can't quite understand how it would work..and how it wouldn't disrupt the flow of water round the hull when underway!! (unless i am being dense, which is quite possible!). what boat is it fitted to on fleebay... save me searching all the listings so I can have a look.
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Oh my life! Just seen one... that looks rubbish... sorry to say! or is it just me~?
http://www.sideshift.com/products/productslinks.htm
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Tidnock
Well-Known Member
on flee-bay it is fitted just below the waterline so one assumes as it gets on the plane the thruster clears the water
Tidnock
Well-Known Member
230362032168 that is the flee-bay number
Firefly625
Well-Known Member
Yep, had a look. I think I would prefer to knock into things than have one of those appendages... I bet they are not that cheap...
Labhaoise
Member
I imported and fitted one of these side shifts for my 1st boat a bayliner 285 as i felt at the time it was an aid to helm singlehanded especially as i was learning the ropes of boat handling. I fancied the idea of being able to fit it myself over the winter while the boat was trailered. Very simple to fit and i preferred this option as apposed to cutting into the hull and fitting a bow thruster tunnel. Got the job done in less than a day and worked a treat when i still had the boat.(Boat gone now and replace with a sealine F43) It was always up out of the water while on the . Reasonably priced if i can remember corrrectly about €1800 and €600 for ups overnight shipping about 3 years ago. Import duties costing about €100 as it was coming from Canada.
nicho
RIP
It's one way of fitting a stern thruster on an outdrive boat I suppose, but not aesthetically pleasing on the bows.
Firefly625
Well-Known Member
I did think the stern thruster did look ok....especially under a swim platform you wouldn't even see it.... it is just the look of the bow thruster... not something I would personally chose.
Tidnock
Well-Known Member
I suppose the other and perhaps more important questions is how affective would it be on a boat that size, I may be wrong, I have fallen foul of the misnomer myself, some people think that fitting a bow thruster is the end of their poor boating skills, I had a 34' twin outdrive boat and fitted a bow thruster, was it a cure all?, no. I would say if you are thinking of fitting a bow thruster to a small boat 1. reconsider the conditions you intend to use it, 2. before you spend any money on a bow thruster have some lessons and practice, practice, practice, there is a three but it's a bit negative