Single Engine, Hard To Manoeuvre?

[bumpy_the_dog]

How difficult is it to manoeuvre a single, shaft driven, semi displacement boat like a Nimbus 320 that has a bow thruster?

 

[superheat6k]

With a thruster not too bad, but will favour one side or the other subject to the prop rotation direction. My last had a single left hooker with a thruster and was great parking to stbd, and not so clever to port, especially with any wind off the berth.

I found parking a single with a thruster to its favoured side a lot easier than parking a twin screw without the thruster.

Nice boats the Nimbus range IMHO.

 

[NoviceRod]

I have a Nimbus 335, single engine with bow and stern thruster. I always use both, but could probably do OK with just bow thruster. Depends if you berth stern to or not I guess.

 

[jrudge]

We have a twin engine, but have hired 2 river cruisers on the thames. One with bow thruster ( Linson) , one without.

The technique is totally different to a twin engine, but was not difficult per se.

The one with the bow thruster was MUCH easier to handle, as without it it rather assumes (a) you will get it right every time or ( b) you dont mind the bump to park method!

 

[Jack Haines]

How difficult is it to manoeuvre a single, shaft driven, semi displacement boat like a Nimbus 320 that has a bow thruster?

My folks went from a twin engine sportscruiser on legs to a single shaft, semi-displacement boat and found the learning curve quite steep. It is a totally different technique and, as superheat6k says, it's about working out how the prop rotation affects the inputs to helm and throttle.

We found the best thing to do was to practice all sorts of different berthing manoeuvres on a very still day, that way you can work out how the boat reacts to inputs when it's calm and apply that knowledge when the wind or tide is in force.

And, if you struggle with just the bowthruster, then a sternthruster is generally a simple retrofit job.

 

[Elessar]

How difficult is it to manoeuvre a single, shaft driven, semi displacement boat like a Nimbus 320 that has a bow thruster?

nimbus not too bad, the more powerful the engine and the bigger the prop, the harder it is. Antares 30 for example quite difficult - until you fit a stern thruster then it's easy.

A sternthruster will remove stress and reduce wheel twirling. They can be retrofitted for about £3k. It is generally as difficult and time consuming to fit a stern thruster as a bow thruster - it doesn't just bolt on.

 

[Kawasaki]

My old Nimbus had a 'left hand'prop
I was port side to on the pontoon
Going astern She 'walked' away from the pontoon as the prop was turning right
So I would leave the helm to starboard and I would 'kick' Her ahead when reversing on which popped the stern to port , then back into reverse for two or three seconds then another nudge ahead and so it worked
The prevailing wind didn't help but when it blowy then I would use the bow thruster
You will find that a single shaft is quite predictable and when you get used to it, it's fine
Use the wheel as little as possible and get used to the prop wash

 

[stuartwineberg]

+1

With a thruster not too bad, but will favour one side or the other subject to the prop rotation direction. My last had a single left hooker with a thruster and was great parking to stbd, and not so clever to port, especially with any wind off the berth.

I found parking a single with a thruster to its favoured side a lot easier than parking a twin screw without the thruster.

Nice boats the Nimbus range IMHO.

My Hardy is the same. Wind off and wrong side is tricky but General principle is to turn away from the dock as you approach, quick (gentle) burst of revs to kick the stern in and use the thruster to slide the the bow sideways towards the dock at the same time

 

[bumpy_the_dog]

Thanks for the comments, they were very useful. I'd previously limited my search to twin engined boats, but maybe a single engined, shaft driven boat like a Nimbus is a possibility.

 

[AllanG]

I have a single engine Nimbus 320, with a bow thruster, and provided you take account of the prop walk, which pushes the stern to port when going astern, and use the bow thruster to counteract as required, I think manoeuvring isn't too difficult.

When I first got my boat three years ago, I had a couple of hours tuition just doing close quarter and berthing manoeuvres, and that was the best money spent!

 

[bumpy_the_dog]

Allan, how do you find the side decks on the Nimbus 320? They seemed pretty narrow and the handholds didn't automatically appear when and where I needed one! I've read that the side decks have put off a few prospective purchasers, is it something you get used to?

 

[AllanG]

We have no problem at all with the width of the side decks, as they are 8" wide, and the hand rails are very well placed on the cabin roof. Our boat does have the side rails that extend back to the cockpit, which gives additional security.

 

[oceanfroggie]

How difficult is it to manoeuvre a single, shaft driven, semi displacement boat like a Nimbus 320 that has a bow thruster?

IMHO very easy. Just a different technique. Unlike twins it will have a barn door sized rudder so wheel steering very effective at low speed and squirts of forward thrust very effective positioning stern of vessel. Combined with a bow thruster it is very suitable for singled handed operation and mooring especially at that length.