Bow Thrusters on small yachts

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Albert Ross

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Has anyone any experience of installing a bow thruster in a Jeanneau SO34.2, or other small yacht? Is it possible? Can it be done? It's pretty tight in our marina and in when it's windy, difficult to manoeuvre.

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Your problem on a small yacht is the width available. This is similar to the problem of fitting one in a cat, and that has been done ina 29ft catamaran! From my research, the make that has least width requirment is the Sidepower. I have lots of data if you need more.

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Once saw a water jet bow thruster fitted to a Grand Banks motor yacht in Majorca where there were space limitations, and a prop' type one couldn't be fitted in. It worked pretty well too, could turn the boat in almost its own length, but I don't know much about them. Others will know more I'm sure.
Martin

<hr width=100% size=1>Born Free!
Now I'm expensive
 
Someone makes a tiny bowthruster that you lower over the bow on a pole. Pretty cheap too. Cant rem the name, maybe google for it. American. There was a thread on mobochat about it, perhaps 12-18mths ago

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Out of fear of making a fool of myself, I warped off a lee jetty on a proficiency test unlike my co-candidates who powered off (not without trauma).

Fear won the day and I passed. The others failed.

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Thank you.
The main problem is the tunnel diameter. It needs to be not much above 4 inches. Sidepower do one of 5 inches (125 cm) but I dont have quite enough depth for that if I am to install it sufficiently far forward. Perhaps warps are the answer.


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To be honest with you, I would learn how to handle my boat, with warps etc and use them to "spring" me into position, and get a couple of extra big fenders, rather than go the expensive bowthruster route with such a small boat. IMHO

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Obviously the further forward that you mount them the more effective they are, but the small sidepower is only 4.9" tube, (which is very close to your 4+") and thus installing slightly further aft and/or paerhaps not quite at the minimum depth, would provide the answer.

BTW, dont get put off by purists who insist that you dont need a thruster. I bet they all have winches, GPS, water pumps reefing genoas etc, and these were all considered to be unnecessary at one point. IMHO anything that allows you to use the boat, when without it you would have second thoughts, is a requirement. If other people dont like it, tough. My boat is very nearly impossible to berth without some form of active crew or a bowthruster when the wind is blowing off. the berth,

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"Don't get put off by purists..."
Agreed - I was one of these til new boat arrived that had a thruster fitted - super bit of kit.
Would pay to learn the "warping" method obviously, in case of electrical failure or whatever.

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Thank you.
Yes, anything that makes sailing (even) more enjoyable is usually money well spent. I havent met anyone with a bow thruster who regrets fitting it or who doesnt use it a lot .. but then I havent met anyone who has put one in a 34 footer.
Berthing is easy with a 3 or more on deck. With only 2 it can be a challenge .. and alone .. I wouldnt want to try it yet.

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Re: Bow Thrusters on small yachts re flat 1

I have a bow thruster in my 9m Catalac. Money well spent. 50% of the work/time was installing the extra battery, wiring, etc. What ever make you go for Vetus give some very good tips etc. that are well worth reading

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I had a 4hp Sleipner ("Sidepower") fitted to our Bav 36 (actual length 37.4"), because we too have not much room to manoeuvre out of our berth, with a £350K, brand new Southerly 135 directly behind us that I don't really want to hit! It was a fairly tight fit, but went in fine, with plenty of depth above it's aperture.

It has made life much easier, not only in our marina, but in others too when there is considerable current/wind. OK, we too can spring the thing off, but I'm not a purist, and at my age I'm all for the easy option. Don't worry too much about those on here that will "huff and puff" about such fitment - if it makes your life easier (and it will), do it.

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