Firefly625
Well-Known Member
Fit a second!
When one bow thruster just isn't enough..
- Thread starter Firefly625
- Start date
Danfarry
Well-Known Member
If you operate them in opposing directions, does the bow raise/lower?
Anders_P42
Well-Known Member
Would be an interesting test to see how well matched they are.
BruceK
Well-Known Member
It's be a neat trick if it could pivot round the bow. There are a few berths in the marina where that could come in handy were it possible.
D
Deleted User YDKXO
Guest
I have to admit I don't understand that. The existing thruster is nicely faired in to the hull in order to minimise disturbance to the water flow but the new thruster sticks out like a zit on a teenager's butt. If the owner wanted more thruster power why didn't he fit a more powerful thruster in the existing hole and if necessary, enlarge it?
P4Paul
Well-Known Member
Hope the wiring and batteries were upgraded or the forecabin berth will have a very noisy electric blanket.
Firefly625
Well-Known Member
Dead right, glad someone else got my point.. and the boat was a Nordhavn, I think a 52 so I can't really imagine the original one being underpowered, but I guess to the owner it was. All I can think was they got a quote for enlarging the original, and then got a quote for just fitting a new one and I guess fitting a new one was cheaper... but even if that was the case you still would not just fit a second as quite frankly it is ridiculous, you would cough up and enlarge the original... wouldn't you?
or perhaps they had a bowthruster failure and decided they needed a spare! That's almost a better excuse.
paul salliss
Well-Known Member
If the owner lacks a little confidence berthing then a simpler and more cost effective solution would be to invest in a bit of training and then go and practice
D
Deleted User YDKXO
Guest
Actually thats probably a better explanation. I can imagine that manouvering a single engined Nordhavn around a tight windswept marina might be a bit bottom clenching if the bowthruster fails. The other possible explanation is that I guess the original bowthruster is hydraulically powered and may depend on the wing engine being powered up to high rpm to operate at max efficiency. The owner might have thought that an instantly available electric thruster is more useful and a wise back up for a wing engine that sometimes won't start?
Either way I guess there is a good reason for him to do this but IMHO it still looks a bit Heath Robinson
MapisM
Well-Known Member
Quite possibly, the most silly modification of a fine boat that I've ever seen.
Otter
Well-Known Member
+1 it has bodge written all over it. Why not fit a stern thruster instead? That would improve things rather than just pushing the bow away with more force.
MapisM
Well-Known Member
Well if she's a Nordie 52, it's quite likely that she already has one...
Coming to think of it, I wonder if the owner fitted the second b/t to have one hydraulic and one electric, for ultimate redundancy (on top of higher power).
Regardless, not for me, thanks!
Garold
Well-Known Member
I think it's not a bodge.
http://www.nordhavneurope.com/thruster-upgrade-n43-wandering-star/
Though definitely unusual.
Garold
http://www.nordhavneurope.com/thruster-upgrade-n43-wandering-star/
Though definitely unusual.
Garold
Firefly625
Well-Known Member
good spot, and sorry for misleading folk that it was a 52, looked bigger than a 43 from walking past it quickly and taking a snap! Although certainly can confirm it has a stern thruster (I think they all do as standard..)
benjenbav
Well-Known Member
Is this actually the same boat? The facebook page for Wandering Star seems to suggest the work being done in January 2015 whereas, from your picture, it appears that something has been done quite recently.
Maybe having a second bowthruster is becoming de rigeur for Nordhavns?
Firefly625
Well-Known Member
Oh, didn't see it was 2015. So perhaps not the same boat... I can't recall its name and indeed the install on the boat I pictured on 7th March this year looked fresh... who knows!?
