is a 28' too small for abow thruster

derekh

derekh

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is a 28\' too small for abow thruster

I have a 28' sunseeker. where it is moored the river currents throw me away from the pontoon. this has caused a few moments of concern when mooring. I am considering a thruster 4hp. can anyone give me an idea of professional install costs. and a good unit to install.
Thanks
 
Re: is a 28\' too small for abow thruster

Can't comment about installations costs as I fitted my own to a 9m cruising cat. 4hp should be more than adequate though this does depend on the location fitted. Vetus hand some good calcs in their catalogue for working out size required.
 
Re: is a 28\' too small for abow thruster

Handling a power boat in cross wind situation and where affected by significant current will certainly be made easier if you fit a bow thruster, Whether or not your 28 footer really needs one is a decision that only you can make. If it makes you more comfortable with tricky situations and minimises the risk of an accident then it is well worthwhile.
There are other benefits of a bow thruster that you will only appreciate once you start to use one. One very useful trick is the ability to move away from a pontoon virtually sideways without any appreciable movement fore or aft.
 
Re: is a 28\' too small for abow thruster

[ QUOTE ]
I have a 28' sunseeker. where it is moored the river currents throw me away from the pontoon. (cut)Thanks

[/ QUOTE ]
I may be offending here, but wouldn't it be cheaper to change your berth or method of approach? Perhaps approach bow on and have a crew member step ashore with bow & stern warps to pull her into position manually? Another technique (if single-handed) might be to drop a bow spring over the pontoon cleat and use slight engine & rudder to hold her onto the pontoon while you sort out the rest of the cats cradle?
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Fully rigged windjammers were always warped around the docks before being towed out into the channel, so a small MOBO shouldn't be too hard to deal with. Don Street always warped Aeolaire(?) around and she was engineless with quite high windage.
 
Re: is a 28\' too small for abow thruster

[ QUOTE ]
One very useful trick is the ability to move away from a pontoon virtually sideways without any appreciable movement fore or aft.

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How do you do that? presumably a mixture of bow thruster, prop walk and prop wash, but I cant get my head around it.
 
Re: is a 28\' too small for abow thruster

The sidepower 35 is probably a more appropriate thruster for you, It has a smaller tunnel and smaller footprint than the others.
 
Re: is a 28\' too small for abow thruster

About £600+vat to install the tunnel and about £1500 for a 4hp motor and the odds and ends.
 
Re: is a 28\' too small for abow thruster

usually, the cost of a few dings here and there is less than the cost ofhe bowthrustr. And even with a bowthruster there'll still be a few dings...
 
Re: is a 28\' too small for abow thruster

Moving sideways
Steer towards pontoon
Short burst of forward power kicks out the stern
Throttle to idle
Bow thrust away from pontoon kicks out bow
Centralise the helm
Result clear water between boat and pontoon without appreciable forward movement,

Result
 
Re: is a 28\' too small for abow thruster

If you have 2 engines you can move bodily sideways without a bowthruster. It's all part of learning to handle your boat. The bowthruster might fail and then where will you be if you can't do the job without it? Bowthruster can have advantages, such as could get you home (slowly) if you have a steering failure. It's always a good idea to practice manouevring without using one item of equipment, it teaches you to leave yourself a way out if it all goes pearshaped. This comes from someone who used to drive old supply boats where things were always breaking down but we still got the job done.
 
Re: Adding a bow thruster? Serious question . . .-

But how much will that hole and associated turbulence knock off your speed?
10% I've been told. Anyone confirm??

CJH
 
Re: is a 28\' too small for abow thruster

Derek,

Have in the past bung in many a thruster in Fairline Targa 29, using that as a bench mark, then yes perfectly possible, but I am certain you have less space in which to squeeze one in.

Always used Volvo Penta QL range of thruster. Kept it all very much one make of supply that way, which would be true to say the same re your Sunseeker, being that you have KAD32's in the back.

Have a look at QL's little BP300, granted only 2kW output, but its only a 132mm tunnel. Up from there you jump to a 160mm tunnel with QL's CT600 with a 4kW output.
 
Re: Adding a bow thruster? Serious question . . .-

[ QUOTE ]
how much will that hole and associated turbulence knock off your speed?
10% I've been told.

[/ QUOTE ]

Rubbish... Thruster tunnel will be clear of water when boat up and running.
 
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