Adding a bow thruster?

[a64pilot]

I don't have one and haven't been considering one, but if I was having to dock between Mega Yachts, likely my outlook would be different.
That does put a whole different light on it.

[Suijin]

I think on a 30' full keel boat it's overkil since they are actually fairly maneuverable, or at least manageable. A friend of mine has an Alberg 30 and he's in and out of a difficult slip at his marina without much fuss. It's when you get past 40' that they make a huge difference.

You'd lose a fair amount of storage under your vberth, which in that size boat is not a lot to begin with.

You basically cut a hole in your boat both sides of the bow, glass in the tube and install the motor, and wire it up to power and controls. The issue is space for the tube, pretty much.

[Cadence]

Originally Posted by Mikado

I too recently installed a bow thruster and am thrilled with my decision and the results.

I stumbled on a SidePower motor for sale on Ebay that was a back up for someone who sold their boat and picked it up for $400. I contacted SidePower and they sold me all the other needed components for $400 that were left over from a boat show display. I paid $2000 to have it installed and the results are fantastic.

As most feedback has stated this is not a necessity, but very few items installed are. I was initially interested because docking in between mega yachts in So Florida is incredibly stressful for me. I also plan on moving to San Francisco and the tide and surges can be tough to deal with.

After using it I feel it is on the top of my list of "nice to haves" !!

Sweet looking. Just out of curiosity, what was your experience as far as turbulence effecting your sailing speed?

[Mango51]

I have a 1983 amel 51. Bought the boat with a retractable bow thruster. Hasn't worked since I bought the boat. Three years ago. Been working on other things that are more important to me. It can be lowered or raised Manualy or electric switch. Try looking at jet thruster the holes are much smaller. Just an option. Good luck.

[W3GAC]

When we returned from Caribbean cruising and spent 10 years based in a very tight NYC marina I quickly decided at Ted next haulout I would add a bow thruster on our Cal 46 ketch. My background is electrical engineering and have had pretty good experience with fiberglass work... both good backgrounds to have on project like this. I selected Vetus and can't say enough about how good they were in supporting the project.
Most importantly, is deciding how big if a unit to install. Turns out if you want to keep it 'simple' and keep the system to 12v (not 24v which adds complexity to charging... you'll be limited to about 80lbs if thrust. That was a bit under designed for our heavy 46' high freeboard cruiser, but probably about right for 37-40' sailboats.
Even so the unit draws 250 amps and you really have to use BIG gauge battery cables (use the voltage drop/ amp/ distance chart.... don't skimp on recommended wire gauge!
You'll have to get comfortable cutting a REALLY BIG hole in your boat. I must have measure 20 times to make sure it was in the right location. Top of tube has to be at least the diameter of the tube below the water surface or it will Cavitate cavitate and it can't be too close to bottom of bow area or you risk catastrophic structural damage in a grounding. The actual motor is very heavy and sticks out from the tube about 10" so much planning is involved to make sure you don't have tube location so high that motor won't fit under the v-birth to too close to a bulkhead if you decide to mount it horizontally. Either vertical or especially if mounted horizontal, you'll need to provide additional structural bracing for the motor in case the boat ever gets into heavy seas and starts bow slamming.

In the end, our bow thruster worked great up to about 18-20 cross bow wind. That was enough of an aid in out very tight slip, fairway situation. Our prop walk was in wrong direction for our slip situation/ prevailing Summer wind. However, as others have said, be sure you really need it. I pride myself in not using it unless I'm in real trouble. But actually after installing/ using it and knowing what it would and would not do... I hardly ever use it! It gave me that 'insurance policy' to go ahead and get out/ into the slip the traditional way. I learned I and the boat's maneuvering ability was really better than I thought... if I pushed it! I just wasn't comfortable pushing it (that much throttle) as hard as needed in tight quarters or using a 'swing' line on the outer piling. Even so, I'd install it all over again because it only would take one boo-boo in a crowed/ tight high end marina situation to cost many times what I spent installing our thruster.

[Mikado]

Originally Posted by Cadence

Sweet looking. Just out of curiosity, what was your experience as far as turbulence effecting your sailing speed?

Absolutely no impact to sailing speed that I have noticed. I'm able to hit 10 knots pretty regularly before and after. Since I don't race I haven't paid attention to possible minor changes.

The installer is also a mechanical engineer and has done significant water flow studies and the design he chose for my bow is recessed/faired 180 deg to 360 deg on the trailing side of the hole to reduce drag and reduce picking up sea weed, etc. Many designs I have seen have an eyebrow on the leading edge which would seem to me to add drag but I am not sure.

[nitpik]

Originally Posted by landlockedsquid

But Ive heard the full keel boats are a bit of a pain to maneuver, and thats what Im thinking of looking into.

I am rather tired of hearing this line, over and over, for the past 50 years! I sometimes wonder if the proponents of this idea have ever owned a full-keel vessel. I'll admit there are some drawbacks, like increased drag, but there are so many advantages! ( and, there are drawbacks to the fin keel, skeg rudder arrangement too!)
Manoeverability is not one of the drawbacks to a full keel boat. I have many times turned my schooner in its' own length, once, within a lock.
So, with any boat, you need to learn how it backs, how it responds to wind and rudder, etc. Then you will have confidence when docking and manoevering in close quarters. Full keel is no different - yes, it responds to outside influences in a different manner, but once you understand that, it is no problem. Personally, I find the behaviour of a full keel boat to be more predictable than fin keel, and I definitely do not want a skeg hung rudder on my boat! (but then, I am not into racing)
Having said all that, I would certainly love to have a bow thruster on my boat!

[Cadence]

Originally Posted by Mikado

Absolutely no impact to sailing speed that I have noticed. I'm able to hit 10 knots pretty regularly before and after. Since I don't race I haven't paid attention to possible minor changes.

The installer is also a mechanical engineer and has done significant water flow studies and the design he chose for my bow is recessed/faired 180 deg to 360 deg on the trailing side of the hole to reduce drag and reduce picking up sea weed, etc. Many designs I have seen have an eyebrow on the leading edge which would seem to me to add drag but I am not sure.

Thanks for responding to my curiosity. I can see why the bevel difference fore and aft would minimize turbulence. I wish I were that smart. It also appears to be well down in the hull.

[MAJICDAN]

My boat is a #55,000, 54' GulfStar Ketch Motorsailer, full keel, 49'9" waterline, 59' overall.

Currently I am at a dock until next April when my wife retires. The way my dock is situated, I would not be able to get in and out of my dock without a bow thruster. I am between two large Motor Yachts that stick out at least 20' beyond the outside dock poles. I then have mangroves about 75 ft in front of me.

It was the best investment, $15,000, that I have made.

Florida Bow Thrusters in Merritt Island, Fla. did a wounderfull job. They travel all over the south eastern US.

[Steadman Uhlich]

Old School Bow Thruster

[Time2Go]

My friend had a bow thruster installed on his
2006 Bavaria 36 last year. Cost was apex 4500
Pounds Sterling. This was before BREXIT.
Certainly made pulling into finger burths
easy. But on the other hand one should be
well versed in prop walk, stern to wind,
and spinning the boat with hard over full power
and other such techniques
My RYA instructor also was prown to saying
TWAT
Think Wind and Tide
Cheers
Neil

[Cadence]

Originally Posted by Steady Hand

Old School Bow Thruster

A bit of levity. Sometimes the threads need it.

[JOHNMARDALL]

About half of all of the thrusters we sell are retrofits, so there's nothing unusual about doing it. If you'd like to send your email address, I'll send you step by step instructions on every aspect of the installation process There are excellent companies which make complete installations, or you can do some or all of it yourself, depending on your skill set.
All the best
John Mardall
Vetus Maxwell Group

[JOHNMARDALL]

Sorry to disagree, but jet thrusters are notoriously weak and unreliable. We stopped making them about 25 years ago, for that reason.
Go with a standard thruster and you'll be pleased with the results.
All the best
John Mardall
Vetus Maxwell Group

[Sunsetrider]

No one has mentioned the external stern thruster. That's the direction I might be tempted to look if I cannot get a stbd finger dock next season with my counter-clock screw!