Fitting of bow thrusters to wooden hulls

[ashley]

So can it be done.
Can you reliably glass a grp thruster tube into the hull.

No quips about real seaman need no assitance etc as I've got too much windage and half the amount of engines I should have (1).

 

[Kristal]

No quips about real seaman, but doesn't that take away half the fun?

I've had a whale of a time close-quarters manouvering (sinc) Crystal today in the Thames, including a bit of ferry gliding (I love this just a bit too much) with an 8hp motor, and for me it's one of the joys of old boat sailing...

/<

 

[tillergirl]

Well I have some very durable epoxy beads adhering to iroko but I would always worry about the effect of the vibration of the thruster on what wouldn't seem to me to be the naturally strongest of joints. You'd lose part of a frame and stress the hood end fasteners in a direction that would not be normal. There are two inherent issues for me - one a wooden hull flexs and 'works' A rigid joint is an unhappy partner to that; two if it fails it's under water.

I'm in the don't do it camp; but then I'm an amateur!

 

[Peterduck]

Like Tillergirl, I would have the gravest fears about the reliability of such an installation. There would have to be internal reinforcement of the planking all around the tube aperture to compensate for the inevitable loss of a frame or rib, and mechanical fastenings to hold the tube in place. All-in-all, a project that gives me the shudders. I'd look for another solution. Which manoeuvre is it that you are having difficulty with now? Is there another way to do it, given the lack of power which you have?
Peter.

 

[alanporter]

Last year I saw a bow thruster strapped to the forward edge of the stem of a wooden boat. I have no idea how they fastened it in place, or how the wiring was attached, but I saw it in operation and it worked just fine.

 

[tillergirl]

One of the advantages of not having a bow thruster is that (one safety tied up) you can shake your head knowledgably and wisely and sadly at owneres of large AWB's who disturb the peace and harmony of the marina with their thrusting - ever try to sleep while one of them thrusting near you? And not wishing to be smug or complacent because we've all ended up cods up at one time or another, but these long keeled beauties are predictable, they just won't do what they won't do and most of my troubles have occurred when I've annoyed that and not found another solution.

 

[howardclark]

I've got a wooden boat (though a different construction than yours) and had a bow thruster fitted no problem. My boat is 14tonnes and I fitted a Vetus bow thruster with an 80kg thrust. Its strongly glassed in and works beautifully. Whatever the naysayers comment, parking a long keeled boat with plenty of windage is made much easier when there is little room to play with.
The thrust is spread over a considerable area on the hull. Note I apply 80kg of thrust when I walk on the deck!

 

[ashley]

I have no real mooring issues in the waterways of France, I am actually quite good.
It would help to reduce the velocity at which i am tossed into the lock walls by selfish 130 foot barge owners using their engines as mooring aids!

I am concerned about getting to the coast and having issues with the side effects of the high windage my vessel has and only being blessed with one engine.
As i said earlier, i am really more concerned for others wellbeing as side swiping another vessel would incur more stress than i currently get from the ruthless attacks from those pesky lock walls!

 

[ashley]

I am glad there is one voice of approval from among you.

I have a canoe shaped vessel and the bow is quite sharp and square so i don't think the installation of a tube would reduce the rigidity much.

May pay more attention to the installation of another waterproof bulkhead though.

 

[milltech]

Sorry about your sleep, but I love my bow thruster and it makes single handed operation a reality, without it I wouldn't dare.