Bow Thrusters

[Guest]

We have a 40 ft Cruising Yacht based at Pine Harbour Marina. We use the yacht frequently, some of the time single-handed. Generally we can get on and off the berth without any difficulty, apart from the times we have an audience. I am thinking of installing a bow thruster and wonder if anyone has any comments or advice. I do wonder whether there could be problems due to marine growth fouling the unit leading to premature wear of the bearings and/or propeller.

[Guest Rocket]

If you can't park a yacht with a keel and a rudder without a bow thruster I don't think boating is for you.

 

Get some lessons!

[Guest]

Thank you for your kind observation. I was rather hoping for something more constructive.

I suspect that even Captain Cook would have taken on board(literally) any of the new-fangled gadgets that we now take for granted. In my view, anything that enhances safety and reduces stress levels is good seamanship.

[Grinna 2]

Perhaps not the most helpful response there Rocket.

 

I know nothing about bow thrusters, having never owned or driven a boat with one, but one day while talking with a mate about docking he told me that we all have times when a docking manoeuvre goes somewhat differently to how we imagined it and that he sometimes has docking issues even with a bow thruster.

 

I think the keys to successful docking manoeuvres are to practice, to be familiar with how the boat reacts under different situations (which will only come with practice), to think things thru beforehand so you have a solid plan based on the wind direction, tide, etc and don't be afraid to abort the attempt and to have another go.

[w44vi 17]

If the boat is full keel you could consider one as it will not have a large effect on performance, if it is a fin keel and spade rudder you shouldn't need one! You should be able to get your boat into and out of any were just using thrust, wind and prop walk. It may pay to have a talk with some one with experience with your type of boat, also it you are in the correct side of the pair for the predominate wind

[Guest]

I would avoid it if possible (i.e. - can you live without it?), just one more piece of equipment to go wrong, need repairs and maintenance, take up space under the v berth................

[Guest Rocket]

Pretty constructive I thought (the lesson bit) I mean seriously a bow thrust er on a 40 foot yacht? Never heard anything so idiotic.

[tuffyluffy 76]

As someone said above, it would be interesting to know your hull profile - either full length keel or fin and rudder. I can understand how a bow thruster would be useful on a full keel boat, but on a fin keeler, im with Rocket. Im also a Squiddy type, its just another hole in our boat thats going to cost you money and give you grief sooner or later.

 

My tip - Spent the money on some extra fenders on your berth.

[wheels 543]

If you can't park a yacht with a keel and a rudder without a bow thruster I don't think boating is for you.

I used to say that, but my idea of thinking has changed some what recently, because Marinas are becoming far more compact to fit extra boats in. There is simply not the room anymore. Add to that, not all boats are easy to manourver, some zip along the top of the water in a simple breeze and some just won't go where you want it to go. My boat is 26Tonnes and you let that get moving and it is a major crunch when it comes up against something. Thankfully it has alwasy been a jetty finger so far, but one day something just may go wrong, and that flash mega palace that they always park exposed next to the local fuel jetty is going to wear it.

It is very easy for people to say, "use your Prop". Well that is not always easy either. Some marina's don't give you much choice. Then add in tides and winds. Havelock has a very strong current that runs at an exact right angle to the Fuel dock. Some days with a good wind blowing at a different direction, it is a nightmare to try and get your boat on or off the thing. And what is worse, the main channel is that same area as pulling up to the fuel Dock. So having bow or stern kick around on you ends up blocking the marina entrance. Many articles are written about fendering off with lines and fenders, which is all very well if you have a few capable crew. Not always the case. Even keging away from a jetty. Yeah well that is all very well if you can do so. I don't know what some of these authors on on, but imagine rowing your anchor out inot the middle of the main thoroughfare and then winching yourself off the finger.

After you have operated a vessel with side thrusters, you fall in love with them. And my view is that if it makes the boat easier and less stressful to operate, you enjoy boating more.

 

Righty, there are several types of thruster designs now. The older tunnel thruster that has a cross tunnel in the bow. The "bow turner" which has a unit that fits externaly on the front of the bow. And my favorite, the jet thruster that has four through hull fittings, one in each four "corner points" of the Hull. A central pump blows a high pressure jet of water out which ever 2" skin fitting and pushes the boat. It is easy to install and you can have four directions of thrust. A little more expensive for the unbit, but far far cheaper to fit than anything else and pretty much free of maintenance.

The tunnel thrusters have one or two props depending on size. The prop's have an anode on each to protect them. The anodes do not last that long and are expensive. The Blades are Alloy and so you have to antifoul with a copper free AF. Apart from that, they are pretty much full proof. The Tunnel is easy to fit into a glass boat. If you want to reduce noise, then fairing the intake to the instrcutions is essential. Most just keep them flush to the Hull and the Noise sounds like the gearbox is chucking itself to bits. And the sideways thrust is reduced by as much as 30%. And of course you have this big Hole that doesn't help much with through the water efficiency.

 

Any more questions, fire away.

[PaulR 3]

In difficult cross winds or strong breezes, don't be afraid to REVERSE in. Any wind can blow the bow off and with the area / windage of the bow and the mast forward of the leading edge of the keel and point of rotation, a strong wind will push you around easily.

 

By contrast, reversing in, you are closer to see what is happening, closer to the point of impact and handy to engine controls to give a quick "kick" ahead quickly to stop moving astern.

 

Thereafter, it is often easier to get a warp around a pole and stop and relax.

 

Now with a few more warps you have many choices, and can do things with out the pressure of panics and collisions.

 

You can winch into your berth an inch at a time, and moor "backwards".

 

You could pay out warps and spin the boat around and go in "forwards".

 

You could in some cases put a warp "around" a pole (keeping both ends on your boat => not a loop or bowline) on the opposite side of the marina and pay out gently until safely into your berth. Then simply let the warp go and retrieve.

 

I think many of the skills from the old sailing stories have been lost because most boats have motors and we all rely upon them a lot.

 

Reading old stories, many, many times sailing ships were warped in and out of their berths and wharves. Sometimes they would drop an anchor off the wharf, and pay out warp until safely moored. Then retrieve their anchor, or leave the anchor and use it later when they wanted to leave.

 

I agree using an anchor in a marina is not practical, but it could be useful somewhere, sometime. Hence my comment about a pole on the opposite side of the marina.

 

PANIC SLOWLY!!!

[Guest Rocket]

Dude we are talking a 40 ft cruising yacht not the Queen Mary - thank goodness they cruise - imagine start lines or anywhere else in close proximity to other boats. Harsh maybe but really I believe it is fair to expect a modicum of capabillity when piloting something that must weigh in around 10 tons.

 

They need lessons. I had lessons when we got a 40ft launch cos up till then I had only really driven yachts and fizzys. No shame in getting lessons - and a heck of a lot cheaper than a freaking bow thruster. Spend a day with a good skipper and over Xmas (when the marina is empty) go in and out 100 times. Bet it won't be a problem then...

[Gappy 9]

Just to following up on what Wheels has to say.

 

Most props are now made out of a Reinforced Nylon so if something gets sucked in they are designed to sear off the blades rather than do any damage to the gearbox. When you get into the bigger 80ft plus market you start getting into alloy props and even then thats changing.

 

The classic tunnel thruster is what most people install but we are starting to see a move towards up down thrusters ones which swing rather than go vertically. They are bit more to install and the over all buy price is more but you end up with a smooth finsih to your hull not a big hole out each side that been said most cruising boats don't seem to mind it.

 

Cheers

 

Gappy

[L'escale 0]

Hi Florence - see you out and about a lot and probably far more often than your 'round the cans' critics. Before I start, it's a funny thing "human nature" and more so with fellow boaties. There is a core element who base their opinions on what they currently own. e.g.

you should have my brand of yacht, engine, anchor, antifoul, fridge, etc etc or you should not have XYZ cause I don't have one.

And now to answer your question:-

When we ordered L'escale (13.25 mtrs or 43.5ft) one of the many boxes we ticked was 'bow thruster' My wife thought it was a tad excessive but she is now the biggest fan. I tend to pilot whilst she tends to dock lines - it's a breeze, on and off and her arms have shrunk back to normal length. We are out at least 150 overnights per year and never get stressed about what the wind throws at us (at the marina) Yes you still need boating skills and you learn to use prop walk and bow blow-off with the thruster, for maximum benefit.

Also handy for tacking!! plus it is an emergency steering tool (with engine running as batteries take a hammering.)

I must say I do like the sound of water jet version.

I am not saying "you must have this type" but ours is a twin plastic/nylon prop'd QL (Ovlov are agents I believe) of 5kw running off two dedicated 100amp batteries. I faired the tunnel and definitely is quieter with a noted reduction in turbulence - so therefore less drag?

Anyway as we are both getting a tad creaky - if it keeps you on the water longer then go for it - to hell with the expense

[Guest]

If you can't park a yacht with a keel and a rudder without a bow thruster I don't think boating is for you.

 

Get some lessons!

 

Rocket's apt, but perhaps harsh, comment brings to mind a little episode I had last year, having just

had someone (a Marine engineer) renew my steering cables.

 

I reversed out of the Marina and put the helm down to head the boat towards main chanel. To my utter amazement, the opposite happened and I was headed for the sea wall.

 

By the time I realised that the cables had been reversed, I was in mid chanel, facing inwards rather than outwards, being pushed sideways by the breeze and trying my hardest to "think in reverse" (i.e going forward - putting the helm the opposite way to which I wanted to go and going astern steering the way one would to go ahead, the whole business being complicated by having to back and fill several times to get the boat facing the berth - not the least of my troubles being the boat's natural propeller creep).

 

I eventually made it, but the backing and filling and the fairly audible discussion I had had with my sole crewmember - Mrs Lackey - had attracted a small audience who I then recruited to help with lines.

 

One of these helpers started to tell me that I should swallow my pride and get some lessons in boat handling.

 

I thanked him for his timely advice - it seemed superfluous to explain to the c**t the real situation.

[Guest Rocket]

'Lescale using a bow thruster to tack proves my point - they have no place on a boat 40 foot long - if you can't tack a boat without a bow thruster you should stick to the play station where you can't do any damage.

 

Er and I do a wee bit more than round the cans!

[L'escale 0]

howdy Rocket

Having a bad day?

Try reading the "tacking" comment again, and this time with a smile on your face.

Anyway we are cruisers so don't tack - we "go about"

Lighten up my friend - life is far too short

Wot's a playstation

[Guest Rocket]

Nope not having a bad day just aghast that people think they need bowthrusters on toy boats.

 

A playstation is a little machine added to a screen that lets you pretend to do stuff that you are incapable of. If you like you can put on full uniform and live vicariously.

 

And I did read your post again and it does say that bowthrusters are useful for tacking -so are personal tugboats but I personally wouldn't go there. This florence asked for advice - I gues they wanted happy clappers that agree that installing some useless bit of kit on their little boat is a good idea. I am offering advice - I am suggesting they should learn to put their boat away without a bow thruster as if they can't do that they shouldn't really be leaving the shore - just one persons view you don't have to agree.

[Marshy 30]

Can i put on my captains hat when i play playstation Rocket?

[Guest Rocket]

yep

 

You can go full trecky if yo u like

[Old Girl 0]

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