ST840
Well-Known Member
Ok, who makes the best bow thrusters ??
Bow thrusters !!
- Thread starter ST840
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Whitelighter
Well-Known Member
It's a motor with a prop on the end.
It's more to do with HP and positioning in the hull than the maker.
Id go with whatever Manufacturer jeanneau fit as standard, but perhaps the model up for more HP if you have the option.
That assuming you REALLY need one
jfm
Well-Known Member
I n this size category, sleipner/side-power. But jeanneau fit maxpower I think
rubberduck
Well-Known Member
We have had Maxpower on our absolute for the last 6 years with no problems, but has been making some different noises & has always been loud anyway, so are replacing with a quieter side power this winter.
As far as do you need one, I have air con in the car, don't need it but it is nice to have, makes life more comfortable.
As far as do you need one, I have air con in the car, don't need it but it is nice to have, makes life more comfortable.
ST840
Well-Known Member
Thanks for that, and yes I think I do need one! Especially when it will be just myself and a toddler on board. Makes for easier stress free mooring, especially when on the hamble river and the tide is running .
sprocker
Well-Known Member
I think you're making a good choice in adding bowthrusters. Having had our MF for a 'windy' season now, I have found that they are much more prone to wind than I expected, and single handed docking has been quite 'interesting' at times without one, and that is in a Marina with no tide to worry about. (Even had some interesting docking with SWMBO handling the docklines!).
I suppose I will get used to it given time, experience, and lots of fenders!
I suppose I will get used to it given time, experience, and lots of fenders!
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Whitelighter
Well-Known Member
When on the hamble the tide is your friend.
Instead of trying to fight it learn the way to use it at your marina.
When the tide is running ferry gliding into and out of the fairway/berth becomes very easy, very slow and completely stress free.
MapisM
Well-Known Member
Just choose a powerful one, AND with progressive control.
Much better than just on/off switch.
Much better than just on/off switch.
Talulah
Well-Known Member
Just don't use the thruster to pull you closer to the pick up buoy. It cost me a new blade when someone did that plus the pick up buoy line was cut through.
CLB
Well-Known Member
The OP has a smallish sports fisher. Don't think any of the suitable bow thrusters offer that function.
MapisM
Well-Known Member
I didn't know/remember that.
Still, how small is small? 'fiuaskme, in anything worth fitting a b/t, I'd rather fit one with progressive control...
Nick_H
Well-Known Member
I'm fairly sure mine doesn't have progressive control, and I don't feel like I've ever missed it. What's the big advantage of progressive control vs. short bursts at full power?
jfm
Well-Known Member
I must say I thought progressive was a good idea and I have it with a 25hp b/thruster and 20hp s/thruster, but in practice I find I hardly ever use it. I tend do decide how much kick I need to give the bow and given a choice of full power for 0.5 seconds and 25% power for 2 seconds to get the same kick I choose the former because normally I have plenty of other things to be getting on with when berthing the boat and don't want to waste 1.5 seconds
Occasionally it is nice, eg at night to keep noise down, but I honestly wouldn't miss it loads if I had to give it away.
It also comes with a "hold function" where you can have say 10% power pressing the boat onto the dock and walk away from the control panel, so you can step off and tie up. That feels a nice idea too, but in 5 years of having it on 2 boats I've never once used it.
Occasionally it is nice, eg at night to keep noise down, but I honestly wouldn't miss it loads if I had to give it away.
It also comes with a "hold function" where you can have say 10% power pressing the boat onto the dock and walk away from the control panel, so you can step off and tie up. That feels a nice idea too, but in 5 years of having it on 2 boats I've never once used it.
D
Deleted User YDKXO
Guest
I've had Vetus thrusters on my last 3 boats without any problem. If you are specifying one from new make sure it is oversized rather than undersized because, when you really need it (ie its blowing hard) an undersized bow thruster is about as much use as a one legged man in an arse kicking competition
Whitelighter
Well-Known Member
That's the only disappointing thing about the Ferretti - standard fit thruster is woefully underpowered.
KevB
Well-Known Member
I have a bow thruster which was underpowered until I install a dedicated battery next to it. Now it's much whizzier.
Whitelighter
Well-Known Member
buy underpowered I mean the spec of the thruster. 3Kw isnt enough for that boat and regardless of how many batteries you place next to it (it already has a dedicated one) it will never be more powerful than that
MapisM
Well-Known Member
LOL, I was tempted to reply that I don't have a b/t at all, and never missed it...
Well, almost never. Surely MUCH less than most folks would think, anyway.
Anyway, of course I agree that progressive control is not a must have - all I was saying is that if I should fit or spec a b/t, hence I had a choice, I'd rather have it than not.
The reason being similar to why I like maneuvering with heavy D/SD boats much better than with P boats, where you have to engage/disengage the gear very often.
Why maneuver with a jerky, sawtooth-like (so to speak) motion, when you can move your boat just as much as necessary and smoothly?
Besides, coming to think of it, jfm has a point also re.noise: in my experience, whenever you hear a b/t screaming every other second, it's better to grab a fender PDQ, because the approaching boat is often dangerous, sort of.
Otoh, I've seen 50m boats reversing in their berth in strong crosswind, where you could barely see a constant water flow downwind of their bow (showing that they were using the thruster continuously, but just as much as necessary to keep the boat straight), with almost zero noise - and not just because hydraulic thrusters are more quiet.
All that said, nope, there isn't a BIG advantage.
KINGFISHER 9
Well-Known Member
Wanna play with my joystick?
wipe_out
Well-Known Member
Have the standard fit one on our MF 695 and so glad we opted to get it.. After a 26ft single engine boat with no thruster to the MF 695 with a thruster it's like night and day.. No progressive control but honestly a couple of bursts and it gets the front moving where you want it pretty well.. So the previous boat gave me lots of practice with no thruster, now I enjoy the easy life being able to put the bow where I want it..
