Bow thruster control panel location

[fastgrandad]

I'm currently fitting a Sidepower bow thruster to my long keeler which is tiller steered. The manufacturer's advice is to mount the touch control panel close to the steering and engine controls for obvious reasons so it could go either on the port locker side panel next to the engine control or on the cockpit rear bulkhead.

The problem is that the panel switches are marked port and starboard but mounted on the rear bulkhead would be back to front. This is my preferred location and I can easily remark them but I wonder where others have fitted theirs.

I'm also fitting a wireless remote so the fixed panel will mostly be used to enable/disable the controls, but it still needs to be clear to anyone using it which way the boat will go when they press a button!!

Paul

[s/v Moondancer]

Just reverse the controll wires at the joystick and it will appear to work as labled. I did it with my Sidepower.

[fastgrandad]

Hi Phil
thanks for the reply. I can do that with the push button controller version that I have but the colours will be wrong. Not that it matters that much and maybe a bit of touch up paint will do the trick.
Do you have tiller steering and if so where did you mount the joystick?
I'm also looking at Velcro mounting the wireless remote fob onto the end of the tiller.
Paul

[s/v Moondancer]

I have wheel steering but over the years I have had to hot wire the controls to comensate for electrical problems in the thruster head.

Nail varnish works to recolor things.

[fastgrandad]

Red nail varnish I can borrow from my wife's boudoir, however I don't know that green would be in there; I sincerely hope not!!

I have actually just found some little red and green triangular stickers that came with a year planner that are a perfect fit, always assuming they can be persuaded to stay put of course.

Unless someone comes up with a better location it'll be going on the cockpit rear bulkhead.

Thanks

Paul

[dougweibel]

Can you mount it upside down? Then the colors would be correct?

[fastgrandad]

I thought of that but I'm going to change the arrow colours on the buttons as it would look a bit odd with all the writing upside down.

Paul

[dw1979]

I just use the remote. Hard wire is just used as back up. I have the remote on a lanyard which ensures control if I’m off the boat tying up single handed.

[meirriba]

Originally Posted by fastgrandad

I'm currently fitting a Sidepower bow thruster to my long keeler which is tiller steered. The manufacturer's advice is to mount the touch control panel close to the steering and engine controls for obvious reasons so it could go either on the port locker side panel next to the engine control or on the cockpit rear bulkhead.

The problem is that the panel switches are marked port and starboard but mounted on the rear bulkhead would be back to front. This is my preferred location and I can easily remark them but I wonder where others have fitted theirs.

I'm also fitting a wireless remote so the fixed panel will mostly be used to enable/disable the controls, but it still needs to be clear to anyone using it which way the boat will go when they press a button!!

Paul

I am not familiar with your boat by my 2cents worth will be to assume the position that you take when helming the boat during berthing/leaving berth. Then find a place for the panel, such that you will be able to both use the tiller and press the buttons while not losing your vision of what's going around. Maybe on the tiller itself?

[sainted]

As moon dancer said, you can swap the port and stbd control wires, which will make both the labels and the colors correct on your backward mounted panel. The way I do this is to back the pins out of one of the connectors at the panel end of the cable and swap them. You can back the pins out by using a thin, narrow blade to depress the little tab on the pin that holds it in the connector body. I made my own connector tool by grinding a small screw driver to make it thinner and narrower. You may have to bend the tabs back out before you put the pin back in the connector body so that it will latch in the body.

Have fun!

[stormalong]

Maybe a corded or cordless hand held control would be helpful for you. I have a cordless one for my windlass and that is all I use. Still wire the panel for when (not if) the cordless stops working.

If the switches themselves are color coded can they be removed from the panel and the positions switched?

[Mark Thurlow]

Definitely put the remote on a lanyard around your neck so that once partially moored etc you can adjust lines without effort; well at the bows anyway.

[SaltyMetals]

I think for the small percentage of time that you actually need to use the bow-thruster the remote would just get in the way if you put it on the tiller. Better on a lanyard temporarily clipped somewhere handy under the sprayhood.
Andrew

[Scotty Kiwi]

I had a Sidepower switched on the pedestal with the wheel and the throttle. In tricky situations would want to manoeuvre all three simultaneously - eg to jump the ship 2 meters to port, get a bit of forward way wheel amidships, and at the same second hard into reverse (use prop walk to port), wheel 1/2 to port, and port thruster, and then ease the revs so you don't actually make way to stern, and begin to straighten the wheel.

Problem was, only had two hands. Tricky.

So always wanted a toe switch for the thruster. Probably dismountable so it doesn't get kicked during the 99.5% of time you don't use it. Aside from you question about where to mount the hand switch, think about that for your remote. Cheers.

[Robert Tilbury]

i would leave it the way it is as you wont be looking at the control panel after the fist 2 days ,, (MMMMM THATS A NICE PANEL)
No really you wont it will be a natural movement to just drop your hand and steer the bow ,

If its that much of a drama ,, maybe a mirror ,, ( just joking ) ,,, My vote leave it as is ,, you will be ok