I am vacillating between the pros and cons of a bow thruster on a 35-40 foot
sail boat. My question in general is are they worth it / do you really need it?
When we do upgrade to a
new boat this is one of the items I am considering but I can't make up my mind on if its worth the cost and
maintenance. Versus the benefits at
dock. Here are my thoughts on it so far.
Cons:
-expensive (could put the
money towards the generator)
-something not essential that can break and needs
maintenance
-its another hole in the
hull
-generally needs a dedicated
battery or you need to increase the
battery bank
-I have made it 23 years with out one and have managed just fine
-expensive when they do break
Pros:
-In a pinch when you do need them they are priceless
-Thinking back to some tight spots I've pulled into and out of with difficulty a bow thruster would have been helpful (but I still managed without, not sure if this is pro or con)
-They are nice to have and boost confidence
I would love to hear from any and all on both sides i.e. the you shouldn't take a
boat out if you don't know how to handle it crowd and the bow thrusters should be standard
equipment because they can save your ass crowd. I personally tend to fall in the middle (hence my problem) I do believe that proper seamanship is essential but I also know that sometimes you just get into a screwy situation that you can't help.
So are they worth the expense, the extra hole in the
hull, the battery upgrade, and the maintenance/repairs?