Is a bow thruster worth the money?

[Slow_boat]

Thanks, Finbar. I've been single handing for quite a while and can do most things with my Sadler. Maybe I'm just nervous of a totally different type of boat. It feels like stepping up from my Vivacity 20, which handled like a dinghy, to the Macwester 26 which came next. I got used to that in time!

 

[Three kings]

This is not an endurance course to show off how clever you are with your boat. It is about enjoying the adventure where you will do more docking in strange places than most weekend sailors do in a lifetime.

Best advice yet.

 

[grumpy_o_g]

If you're going to the Med and going to be mooring stern-to Med-style get a bow thruster first as I gather they're a lot more expensive to get fitted out there. It's tricky enough berth stern-to without any wind - if there's any significant cross wind then you'll be grateful for any help you can get. If you're going to be jousting with the charterers (including me) not why not try it without and see how you get on and then get one once you know if it will may your life easier? Searush is a lovely chap but he does tend to assume that what works for him and his circumstances applies to everyone else as well.

 

[Monique]

I couldn`t agree more.......Bowthrusters are part of the `dumbing down` de-skilling culture.....Some people would say they were a bit gay....but I wouldn`t say anything as politically incorrect as that...

Learn to master the skills of handling your boat without a bowthruster... Save yourself some money and gain some self-respect.

I would not take the above too seriously: I have a BT and my skill set is quite ok. But when you need it, it is a God send.

For instance, going astern in a stern to mooring in the Med after a 90 degree turn in a tight manoeuvring space with a cross wind, a BT is essential and removes the stress.

Get it done.

 

[Rivers & creeks]

I agree - learn to handle the boat - I learned to handle ours a lot better once I'd fitted a bow thruster

Honestly I cannot understand the mentality of deriding modern equipment that makes handling a boat easier. Why not remove the roller reefing, the winches, the clutches??? Bow thrusters are great and if it brings out the inverted snob in others then shame on them, frankly their attitude is a bit bizarre.

 

[Adrian_]

Honestly, I don't think we should put it this way (inverted snob and so on), both sides have valid arguments. Most important are:

Get dependant on a thruster & you will be stuffed if it ever fails.

I think I am right in saying the OP is planning a trip to the Med with his wife. This is not an endurance course to show off how clever you are with your boat. It is about enjoying the adventure where you will do more docking in strange places than most weekend sailors do in a lifetime. If a bow thruster makes it easier and safer then it is worth having.

I'd say the mistake would be to get a bow thruster before learning to handle the boat without it and then be completelly dependant on it. But getting one after you learned how to properly hadle your boat is just progress.
After all, I don't see anyone saying we should ditch the stern thruster

 

[stearman65]

Bow Thruster

We spent 3 years in Med marinas with a Moody 40 centr cockpit. We didn't have a bow thruster, but, the number of times we would have welcomed one was 90% of the times we entered or left a Marina. Our first experience after taking over the boat in Calvi Marina in Corsica was mind blowing, the travellator dropped us in the dock & we had to navigate down rows of bow or stern moored boats with only 5 metres of free space between the bows of the moored boats, the slightest deviation put our prop in danger of catching the other mooring line, which we did 3 times before finding out berth. I would never set sail again without a bow thruster. We have swallowed the anchor now & are considering a steel motor cruiser in Holland, the first essential in our spec would be a bow thruster.
stearman65

 

[david36]

We've just bought a Countess 33, which, as she's centre cockpit and heavy, will probably be a bit of an effort to moor in tight spaces as I'll be single handed with a willing passenger, who I happen to be married to.
Therefore, I'm thinking of getting a bow thruster.
What are the ups and downs of a bow thruster and what do I need?
And how much?

My advice FWIW is to get one. Pick one which is generously powered for your size and type of boat and choose a reliable make; Side Power seems to be well regarded. When you have got it then practice using it and you will find it transforms many aspects of your boathandling life, not just berthing and possible even more important, gives peace of mind to your passenger. For example, it is a nice feeling when pinned by a strong wind and tide to a small space on an alongside pontoon to press a lever and move off without the saga of complicated single handed springs, overlarge fenders etc etc.
But then what do I know, I only like to enjoy my sailing and have given up all notion of hair-shirts etc.
Fair winds.

 

[Victoria Sponge]

The cost.
The horrible noise.
The looks from everyone else when they hear you using it.

1.The cost of ours was reduced as we did a lot of the work ourselves.

2. Ours isn't noisy actually.

3. See 2. and we're not bothered by the inverted snobbery. It's their problem and not ours.


Those who comment on other people's boating handling skills should remember that they only know about the boats they have sailed. I completely agree that sailing isn't an endurance test it's about getting out on the water and enjoying yourself. If after a lovely day out sailing you end up with a marina that is tricky to get into a bow thruster can save the day.

 

[cloud7]

All this stuff about bow thrusters indicate inferior boat skills is load of B******S. I think I am right in saying the OP is planning a trip to the Med with his wife. This is not an endurance course to show off how clever you are with your boat. It is about enjoying the adventure where you will do more docking in strange places than most weekend sailors do in a lifetime. If a bow thruster makes it easier and safer then it is worth having. It goes along with a good electric windlass, big fridge, large battery bank, powerful engine etc - all of which help make the trip a pleasure rather than a continuous worry about how one would cope. Plus you minimise the chance of damaging your boat as well as others.

+ 1

 

[david_bagshaw]

All this stuff about bow thrusters indicate inferior boat skills is load of B******S. I think I am right in saying the OP is planning a trip to the Med with his wife. This is not an endurance course to show off how clever you are with your boat. It is about enjoying the adventure where you will do more docking in strange places than most weekend sailors do in a lifetime. If a bow thruster makes it easier and safer then it is worth having. It goes along with a good electric windlass, big fridge, large battery bank, powerful engine etc - all of which help make the trip a pleasure rather than a continuous worry about how one would cope. Plus you minimise the chance of damaging your boat as well as others.

Totally agree, improves all the crews enjoyment + we practice without the bow thrust as well. But when in a lock with large commercial barges such as as at Hansweert I am more than please we have one fitted.

Many years ago we had a 1930s 45 foot twin screw MY, which we had for 20 years, I can still remember the joy and relief realizing on a pre survey trial the manoevering envelope of the new 54 footer with its bow thrust, would be easier, safer, quicker.

 

[Talulah]

There are lots of things on a boat that aren't necessary but they make life easier, more enjoyable. i.e. Windlass, Furling Sails, Lazy Jacks, Stack Pack, Furling winches etc
To have them doesn't indicate inferior sailing skills etc.

I'm with Tranona all the way on this.

I can turn the boat on the spot (clockwise) without the thruster but having a thruster opens up the possibilities of reversing into berths I wouldn't consider possible without one.
For me on a 33 footer I wouldn't bother but it would very much depend upon how the boat handles, what type of manouvering I have to frequently do etc.

On Thursday I was on one of the 68ft Clipper Boats. The Skipper reversed into Clarence Marina with expert precision but that boat responded well in reverse to the wheel. On some boats half that size I wouldn't attempt the same thing.

 

[SvenglishTommy]

Searush, I reckon you're right. I'm thinking of problems that may not exist. And she does have a 50 hp engine!

She's still high and fat, though.....

I also usually sail single handed or with a willing passenger. Last year I went from a 28'er to a 35' fat, high centre cockpit boat like yours. I know what you mean about it feeling a bit daunting at first, but I soon got used to her.

I'm not knocking bow-thrusters, in fact I'm even trying to convince a friend to get one - but he has 50'+ ferro-cement long keeled schooner

You should be just fine in a Countess 33.

 

[sailorman]

Thrusters are absolutely essential - if you can't handle a boat.

TBH as a single hander I tend to avoid marinas, but the odd times I have used them I've not had a problem with a 32'6" CC ketch with fore & aft cabin sprayhoods & dodgers. Not much different from a Colvic Countess in fact.

Use plenty of fenders, go slowly, but keep moving. Understand how she reacts to propwash & propwalk & you shouldn't have a problem. Especially with an able bodied crew equipped with a fender, a boat hook & with 2 warps pre-set up ready to step ashore with. Centre cleat with a short spring can be used to hold the boat in place under engine while you sort out the rest of the lines.

Practice in calm water somewhere, manoeuvring around a mooring buoy so you have a fixed point of reference. Really get to know how she will respond to throttle & helm. A sharp burst of ahead onto full helm can spin you in almost your own length if you use prop walk to assist. Any slight current allows you to creep into a berth sideways using ferry gliding techniques.

Get dependant on a thruster & you will be stuffed if it ever fails.

Well said Steve.
why do folk insist on "driving" a boat rather then "handing" & using warps.
poor seamanship

 

[Victoria Sponge]

I think it all depends on the boat. If you've got one that reasonable to manouvre in a marina you're ok, but some boats are absolute pigs.

 

[Jamesuk]

We've just bought a Countess 33, which, as she's centre cockpit and heavy, will probably be a bit of an effort to moor in tight spaces as I'll be single handed with a willing passenger, who I happen to be married to.
Therefore, I'm thinking of getting a bow thruster.
What are the ups and downs of a bow thruster and what do I need?
And how much?

As far as i am concerned, for what a BT is designed to do their are no 'down's' to having a bow thruster. Likewise for having an electric windless to pull up the anchor (you have one of those don't you)

Now the boat systems and the bow thruster, you usually have to have a good battery bank or even dedicated batteries for it to run without giving your current battery bank a heart attack.

A 33ft yacht is small enough to handle single handed but i agree it can at times feel like a handful.

Out of interest can you post your 'boat list' of items that is required for your new boat. I had 115 4 weeks ago now down to 15

 

[sailorman]

when i started sailing 33` was a big boat, now they are Sub starter boats size.
the down side
1/ 2 large holes in the bow reducing windward performance
2/ heavy batteries in the bow
3/ extra wiring
4/ more to go wrong
5/ becoming dependent on the thruster & forgetting how to handle the boat with rudder & engine

 

[wotayottie]

Searush, I reckon you're right. I'm thinking of problems that may not exist. And she does have a 50 hp engine!

She's still high and fat, though.....

To try and give you a serious answer. Any new boat feels strange at first and it takes a little while to get used to the way she behaves. I well remember the first times I tried to manoeuvre my old Prout cat in a marina. They were horrendous with a central propellor and rudders on the hulls. No prop wash and no ability to kick the stern round. But I learned eventually .

High topsides is an issue because of windage ( as with the Prout) but your new boat has the advantage of weight unlike my Prout. And likely it will have a rudder behind a 3 blade prop so you should have lots of prop wash to help.

Have an afternoon practising before you make up your mind. A thruster is more expense, more maintenance and more complication. But some boats ( the new Southerlies for example) need them thanks to high topsides and twin rudders and narrow chord keels.

I've some sympathy with Tranona's comments. There's no point in making life difficult and being, as some long keel fanatics seem to be, almost proud of what a PITA their boat is to manoeuvre.

 

[pessimist]

We also switched from a Sadler 29 to a longish keel 41 footer (Rival). The 29 was a delight to handle under just about any conditions. We've had the Rival for around 15 years now and fitted a thruster around 5 years ago. It has not been used often but I've been very grateful for it when we have needed it.

So have the occupants of the other boats nearby!

 

[Deleted member 36384]

I would just buy one if you desire one for easier handling. There are articles in the yachting press about fitting your own. The Vetus Catalogue will give you and indication of purchase price and any decent yard will give you an estimate to fit it.

I don't have one and my boat is quite awkward to handle however, if I decided to move my boat to a busy area like the Med as described in this thread, I would fit one. I wear hairy shirts.