"Exturn" external bow thruster.

[Mrnotming]

This looks interesting for those of us unwilling to sacrifice the bow water tank!

http://www.marinno.com/e/application.html


Anybody fitted one yet?

 

[SailBobSquarePants]

No, but there was a write up..

One of the boating mags had a review of bowthrusters about 5 months ago, which is what convinced me to buy mine. They did discuss the external units, and rated them fairly well as an option.

When I thought about it for my boat, it does seem to have the major advantage of requiring smaller holes and less interior volume sacrifice. Which is cool.

BUT - you have the really major issue of having this large appendage hanging off your bow connected by a fairly fragile, through-hull connecting fitting - not fragile in normal use, but if you GROUND you may be surprised how fragile that fitting is. And if that fitting fails you then have a nice below-waterline hole in the bow of your boat - as well as losing the unit.

Looked at THAT way...I'm just not sure it's worth the advantages. I got a Vetus instead...rather than make my boat more vulnerable, the installer used a thicker specced tube and actually strengthened my bow section so it flexes less.