In praise of the Bow Thruster

[Nostrodamus]

I used to hate them, underwater washing machines that could wake the dead from the horizon.
Who needs a bow thruster besides MOBO’s who cannot turn without them?
A proper sailor doesn’t need one; you can ferry glide, use the wind on the bow and if all else fails use numerous methods getting in and out of confined spaces with lines.
Then I got a boat with one. How I managed before I will never know. A press of a button and I can stop panicking as the bow blows off. I can even turn when going astern. Every boat should have one.

 

[sailorman]

I used to hate them, underwater washing machines that could wake the dead from the horizon.
Who needs a bow thruster besides MOBO’s who cannot turn without them?
A proper sailor doesn’t need one; you can ferry glide, use the wind on the bow and if all else fails use numerous methods getting in and out of confined spaces with lines.
Then I got a boat with one. How I managed before I will never know. A press of a button and I can stop panicking as the bow blows off. I can even turn when going astern. Every boat should have one.

may as well sell yer rudder then

 

[Nostrodamus]

may as well sell yer rudder then

Bow thruster and rudder together. A match made in Heaven. I can go sideways now without the tide!

 

[mixmaster]

No thanks. Weight in the bow, extra expense, another thing to break/maintain and we seem to manage without one.
Also, they're too noisy when trying to sleep and some boat nearby decides to use one!

 

[Dockhead]

Bow thruster and rudder together. A match made in Heaven. I can go sideways now without the tide!

+1!

 

[Victoria Sponge]

I used to hate them, underwater washing machines that could wake the dead from the horizon.
Who needs a bow thruster besides MOBO’s who cannot turn without them?
A proper sailor doesn’t need one; you can ferry glide, use the wind on the bow and if all else fails use numerous methods getting in and out of confined spaces with lines.
Then I got a boat with one. How I managed before I will never know. A press of a button and I can stop panicking as the bow blows off. I can even turn when going astern. Every boat should have one.

We've got one and I totally agree with you.

 

[Barry Jones]

Bow thrusters are one of the best subjects for boating dischord.

Like Marmite, people tend to love 'em or hate 'em.

Some even call them "girlie" buttons.

Personally, I'd have one tomorrow.

 

[Pinnacle]

+1!

Ah, well, yes........but you do have a mahoooosive boat!!

 

[capnsensible]

Anything that improves seamanship and boat handling must be good!

When I've driven boats with them, I always practice a bit without them though, just in case. Be prepared.

 

[sailorman]

Anything that improves seamanship and boat handling must be good!

When I've driven boats with them, I always practice a bit without them though, just in case. Be prepared.

most folk who have them tend to forget that they actually have a rudder behind them Bsssssssssst Bsssssst Bssst

 

[capnsensible]

Not sure about marmite analogy though, you have to try it first before you can decide!

 

[Twister_Ken]

Not exactly a great idea for boat speed - all that extra turbulence.

 

[capnsensible]

most folk who have them tend to forget that they actually have a rudder behind them Bsssssssssst Bsssssst Bssst

When the boat is stopped, yer rudder doesnt work anyway!

Not exactly Concord with an e taking off is it??

 

[SimbaDog]

Chap not far from me has one & he still struggles to get into his berth
God knows what would happen if he didn't have it

 

[Resolution]

Have any forumites tried these new rotating saildrives that the Beneteau group are promoting?
Or the combined bowthruster/saildrive drive by wire stuff?

 

[Elessar]

Bow thrusters are one of the best subjects for boating dischord.

Like Marmite, people tend to love 'em or hate 'em.

Some even call them "girlie" buttons.

Personally, I'd have one tomorrow.

Yep. But few who've got them hate them........
Of those that haven't, you're one of the enlightened.

It's called the cheat stick on my boat. Rarely used as I have 2 engines so I don't need it to rotate the boat, but is the only thing that can make me go sideways in any sort of breeze.

On a single shaft mobo which has a rudder about the size of a piece of A4 and huge prop wash, they are virtually impossible to drive in close quarters without one. Neither can they go astern for any distance without one.

You do see a lot of people - and they tend to be mobos - using them to steer. This is plain poor handling skills. But using a bowthruster properly is in itself s skill.

 

[Elessar]

Not exactly a great idea for boat speed - all that extra turbulence.

Not a problem at all - go fast enough that it's out of the water

Actually, properly installed with ears at the front or a recess at the back they drag very little even at displacement speeds.

 

[Barry Jones]

Yes but I have conned single screw boats with one and used it.
As has already been said, it helps in close quarters situations e.g. in marinas so that the boat can be steered in astern and crabbed into a berth.

If they are so terrible and only used by people with bad boat handling skills, why does nearly every modern ship have one (answer - so they don't need to pay for tugs).

A lot of modern ships which run regularly into UK ports have masters with pilot exemption certificates and use thrusters, VPP and special rudders like Beckers to turn on the proverbial sixpence.

Yep. But few who've got them hate them........
Of those that haven't, you're one of the enlightened.

It's called the cheat stick on my boat. Rarely used as I have 2 engines so I don't need it to rotate the boat, but is the only thing that can make me go sideways in any sort of breeze.

On a single shaft mobo which has a rudder about the size of a piece of A4 and huge prop wash, they are virtually impossible to drive in close quarters without one. Neither can they go astern for any distance without one.

You do see a lot of people - and they tend to be mobos - using them to steer. This is plain poor handling skills. But using a bowthruster properly is in itself s skill.

 

[Whiskey Bravo]

Bow thrusters are one of the best subjects for boating dischord.

Like Marmite, people tend to love 'em or hate 'em.

Some even call them "girlie" buttons.

Personally, I'd have one tomorrow.

Ah, but you have to be careful which buttons you press on a girlie!

 

[snowleopard]

I've just spent 10 days on a 56 ft narrow boat with one fitted. It did a great job but I couldn't overcome the feeling that using it instead of prop and rudder was lazy.

On my own boat it would be OTT. If you can't do a manoeuvre with 2 props & rudders 17 ft apart you shouldn't be out there - that's not to say I don't cock it up from time to time.

But - WHY DO THEY HAVE TO BE SO B*****Y NOISY!?