Bow or Stern Thruster

[OldDan1943]

Nope been piloting this boat for 15 yrs

No prop walk at all?

 

[Dom61]

Very slight

 

[OldDan1943]

Which way in relationship to the rudder?
The AT has a rather large rudder.

 

[Dom61]

Very slight to starboard

 

[OldDan1943]

Throttle at what approx %?

 

[Dom61]

Mabye 10 to 15

 

[OldDan1943]

What the results at idle?

 

[Dom61]

Straight back

 

[OldDan1943]

Straight back

Rudder centered????

 

[Dom61]

Yes

 

[OldDan1943]

You are one of the fortunate few. Good on’ya

 

[Lammy]

We put a stern thruster on our last boat because the only helm was on the flybridge and by the time I would get down to handle the stern line the stern would blow off the dock. So to save trips back up and down I installed a stern thruster, worked great. On our current boat my wife said she didn’t want to buy it because she couldn’t go forward easily to handle lines. I told he that we would put a bow and stern thruster on so she wouldn’t have to go forward. There are a couple of mobile thruster installation companies that would do both for about $25K. I bought the boat and scheduled the thruster installation. But after buying the boat and poking around I found that the bow thruster tunnel would make me move the forward A/C and the stern thruster would make me move the water heater and the genset muffler along with about 6 hoses. I canceled the thruster installation. I found a company called SideShift. They make bolt on thrusters. The installation is very easy. Took my wife and I 1.5 days to do the bow thruster and a friend and I one day to do the stern thruster. They are 24 volt thrusters so I had to buy 4 batteries and 2 chargers. Total cost was under $11K. Now she stands in the stern and puts a stern line on first. We keep permanent bow lines tied off at the aft spring cleats. We do a stern line and walk forward on the dock and untie the bow line and secure it to the dock.

This is an older post but I just read it and am wondering how you feel now about the SideShift thrusters? I have looked at them and I worry, particularly with the box thruster that if you ever clip debris (log etc) with the bow that thruster will be demolished. Any experience with that?

 

[Comodave]

Still like them. No problems with debris doing any damage. Loved how easy they were to install.

 

[Gary Brickell]

I only have the SideShift Aft thruster and absolutely love it! BTW I operate mine connected to my two AGM house batteries. THERE IS NO NEED TO ADD DEDICATED BATTERIES. 99% of the usage time is while your engine & alternator are running and outputting more amperage than the thruster draws. I have a Renogy battery monitor / ammeter and it proves that the ten seconds of thruster use is insignificant.

 

[Cold Duck]

The MS350 absolutely needs a thruster. Learned the first time bringing her up from Santa Barbara and tried to get in a slip at Monterey. Little rudder, windage and no way she would turn into the slip without the thruster. Now can back her between two sterned in boats but I wud still like a stern thruster. Problem is when sterning in to a dock, stern thruster is in the way. I can live with the bow thruster. Rudder is useless when docking. Put it amdships and angle in using thruster only.

 

[long-cours.62]

We use thrusters but have twins. So we don't have the same prop walk effect. My wife and I are 75 years old and what made her the most nervous was docking in tight quarters or at a strange slip or dock. I say if you need a stern thruster then get one and use it. Also don't be hesitant to get some training on using your single screw. Some old guys "Captains" are sure to remember handling single screws. But if you opt for training do it on your boat.

What made my wife little nervous ( and me ,but don 't say to anyone it is a secret )
It is enter à 5,10 m lock with à beam of 5,03m and we do thousand...May be it is why now I have se heart trouble ?)
Or pass under some bridges https://idata.over-blog.com/4/56/46/39/photos-annonce/26-07-2011-19-03-28.JPG
OK twin engine but some windy day, or just the very small current who exist after lock empty...