Installing a bowthruster

[mike james]

I intend having a bowthruster fitted to my Monterey 250 (2007).
Has anyone any experience of an installation?
Any advice would be appreciated such as location of the tunnel or photos of the work?
Thanks

 

[Boatbore]

i Can’t help you directly, but I wonder if you’ve looked at the water jet alternatives ? I suspect it might be more expensive, but potentially could give you grater control on account of the jet being further forward in the hull, might also be easier to install.

Hamble Yacht Services offer something called a “Jet Thruster”.......

Otherwise I would get advice from someone like Osmotech who fits huge numbers of thrusters. They are a great bunch and always helpful,

 

[dustywings]

Not sure if you are thinking of a DIY job but I remember that @neale did a feature in MBM where he fitted one himself into his Bayliner. It looked like a fun project, not sure if you would be able to get hold of it anywhere.

Neale now edits Motorboat Owner magazine and is known to inhabit this forum so may pop up to comment.

 

[jct1981]

Not sure if you are thinking of a DIY job but I remember that @neale did a feature in MBM where he fitted one himself into his Bayliner. It looked like a fun project, not sure if you would be able to get hold of it anywhere.

Neale now edits Motorboat Owner magazine and is known to inhabit this forum so may pop up to comment.

In Motorboat Owner Neale steps through installing a bowthruster on his S28, over two issues. Not sure which issues but easily to find in the search

 

[fred247]

myself and a mate fitted a vetus one into my 37 ft boat, fairly easy job if you are good at DIY /fibre glass. bit nerve racking cuttiing a bloody great hole through the bow. If you are fitting a 100mm tunnel then the centre point of the tunnel should be at least 150mm below the water line, in other words 1. 1/2 th
the tunnel diameter, that will give you a point of reference as to whether you have a void to fit your thruster.important thruster can be fitted from vertical through to horizontal
pm me if you want further info and photos.

 

[spannerman]

If you fit the thruster horizontaly you need to make a support for the motor as on a fast planing boat there will be a lot of load on the mounts when the hull slams into a wave. Also check that the motor can be offset enough so that the prop sits centrally in the tunnel otherwise there will be a marked difference in thrust from one one side to the other. When glassing in the tunnel be careful not too build it up too thickly inwards along the tunnel otherwise you won’t get the mounting flange to sit squarely on the tunnel. I can recommend Sidepower having fitted dozens of them both bow and stern.

 

[C08]

Getting the thruster tunnel as far forward as possible conflicts with trying to get it as deep as possible so this is always a compromise. A professional BT fitter should have all those issues ascertained and get the optimum spot but there probably is also a recommended exact location for your boat. As spanner..says it is important to make sure a section of the tunnel is clear of laminate in order to sit the thruster flange on top of the tube. A good point has been made previously about a horizontal thruster, it is a chunk of weight to be hanging on the side of the tunnel in a bouncing boat. I felt it gave better access with mine mounted vertically but it did reduce my locker space. You will be aware that you cannot enclose these things due to heat build up?
When I fitted a small Sidepower thruster (100mm tube) I was surprised at the low thickness of the tunnel, only about 5mm so built it up as much as I could apart from the flange area and went vertical.
I hope it goes well and they are a terrific bit of kit on a boat that does make life easier and less stressful.

 

[mike james]

Thanks for all the info. And suggestions.
Monterey tell me they never installed a bowthruster in my model,a 250CR.
Therefore no diagrams or details of position.
The person installing this for me is thinking it through and will decide soon.
Again thanks for your advice !