Stern thruster, yes or no

[nauticlew]

A stern thruster can be added without putting a hole in the boat. Remember, if the stern is pushed to port the bow will go to starboard.

 

[ktdtx]

Do I need a stern thruster?

"Need"...No But....

you probably don't
"need" a 4 or 5 bedroom house, a Chevy Suburban, a motorcycle, a refrigerator in the garage, and so forth...but sometimes they are nice to have.

I have bow & stern. I try to be a "purist" and not use them but I don't let my attempts at "purism" (is that a word) become stupid and I use them if I need them.

 

[psneeld]

There's that "need" word again, you never NEED them as there's always an alternative...

But absolutely they can turn a stressful docking into a walk in the park...as long as they have the guts to do it and don't stop at a critical moment.

 

[Nomad Willy]

I don't have thrusters but at times I could use one.

When anchoring in the wind my Willard's bow tends to go downwind and soon we get 90 degrees to the rode. Very difficult to lay out a rode sideways. A stern thruster would probably work just fine.

 

[dhays]

I don't have thrusters but at times I could use one.

When anchoring in the wind my Willard's bow tends to go downwind and soon we get 90 degrees to the rode. Very difficult to lay out a rode sideways. A stern thruster would probably work just fine.

You bring up uses other than docking. I found that my thrusters were very handy in holding position while establishing a stern tie to shore last summer, both my bow and stern.

 

[Peter B]

I don't have thrusters but at times I could use one.

When anchoring in the wind my Willard's bow tends to go downwind and soon we get 90 degrees to the rode. Very difficult to lay out a rode sideways. A stern thruster would probably work just fine.

This is never an issue with all chain rode Eric, and is a function of the light weight in your rope rode. My boat, by virtue of the windage of the highish bow, flybridge and bimini, etc, always tends to fall off for'd in a breeze, but it is never enough to interfere with anchoring. One suggestion to alleviate this could be to follow the conventional advice with all rope rode of having at least a length of chain equal to the length of the boat, connected to the anchor instead of just the 1 metre I believe is all you use. Gives better chafe protection at same time, and helps keep the rode down with short scope, something I know you like to use..?

 

[dhays]

This is never an issue with all chain rode Eric, and is a function of the light weight in your rope rode. My boat, by virtue of the windage of the highish bow, flybridge and bimini, etc, always tends to fall off for'd in a breeze, but it is never enough to interfere with anchoring. One suggestion to alleviate this could be to follow the conventional advice with all rope rode of having at least a length of chain equal to the length of the boat, connected to the anchor instead of just the 1 metre I believe is all you use. Gives better chafe protection at same time, and helps keep the rode down with short scope, something I know you like to use..?

My bow falls off as well and it can be an issue when dropping anchor even with my all chain rode.

 

[AusCan]

Bow and stern thrusters were on my upgrade "list" during the first year I had my boat. During the second year it was bow thrusters only. Now I'm happy without either.

If the wind is really blowing hard the wrong direction making it difficult to dock, I can always temporarily dock somewhere else and keep several thousand in my pocket.

 

[CaptTom]

... I can always temporarily dock somewhere else and keep several thousand in my pocket.

It's a cost-benefit thing. If money is no object, why not go for a 150' yacht with two helicopters?

The point being, if your funding is in any way constrained, as is usually the case in a boat this size, then the question becomes "is it worth it?", not "is it needed?"

For many of us, the answer is a resounding "NO" if we're footing the bill for installation. If the boat came with one, at a price comparable to a boat without one, then I guess I'd take it. I'd try hard not to use it, to keep my skills up.

But there are dozens of safety-related and comfort-related toys I would much rather spend that money on.

 

[psneeld]

I think the ability to reasonably moor a vessel without a thruster is a good skill to keep.

But I also think there are manuevering skills while using a thruster need to be practiced too.

Obviously you can do things with a thruster that you can't without one. Sure, sure, the end result may be the same without using one, but the actual coordination of the manuever isnt.

This is especially true of twin engine boats.

I have and have seen others in high crosswind situations use a thruster with only one engine and full rudder slide large vessels down long fairways like on rails. Sure some here might be able to, many more might think they are able to...without a thruster and twins or backing snd filling......but most couldn't do that manuever unless you were very confident of single engine work on a twin engine boat coupled with a thruster.

So practicing difficult docking situations with a thruster is necessary for the time those of us without them would be choosing plan "B". Or going through the hoops to use springs, etc.

 

[ranger58sb]

This is especially true of twin engine boats.

I have and have seen others in high crosswind situations use a thruster with only one engine and full rudder slide large vessels down long fairways like on rails. Sure some here might be able to, many more might think they are able to...without a thruster and twins or backing snd filling......but most couldn't do that manuever unless you were very confident of single engine work on a twin engine boat coupled with a thruster.

Agree.

I could sometimes dock our twin on one engine... but it would usually depend on slip location versus which engine. (Along with weather, tide, current issues.) I can likely dock stern-to in a port side slip on (only) our starboard engine, and probably a starboard side slip on (only) our port engine.

Although the latter would be more difficult for me, since that prop walk is backwards from what I'm more used to with our previous single-screw boat.

And either of those would be easier, given crew and spring lines.

Just happens I had to return from a trip on one engine last Summer, single-handing. Would have been our own port side slip on our port engine, wasn't gonna happen. Luckily the marina had a bail-out slip available at the end of our own dock, so I slid in there bow first, no problem. Plans B, C, D, and E mostly involved dock neighbors or the fuel dock.

-Chris

 

[Ski in NC]

Even if you have twins and bow and stern thrusters, there can be wind and current situations where you simply DON'T want to try that!!

 

[Bacchus]

It's a cost-benefit thing. If money is no object, why not go for a 150' yacht with two helicopters?

The point being, if your funding is in any way constrained, as is usually the case in a boat this size, then the question becomes "is it worth it?", not "is it needed?"

For many of us, the answer is a resounding "NO" if we're footing the bill for installation. If the boat came with one, at a price comparable to a boat without one, then I guess I'd take it. I'd try hard not to use it, to keep my skills up.

But there are dozens of safety-related and comfort-related toys I would much rather spend that money on.

I have noticed the "justification" word many times re thrusters whether bow, stern or both and find it interesting that I never / rarely see similar discussion re justification of twins vs single - most w/ twins thoroughly enjoy the maneuverability and scoff at those w/ thrusters.

I do believe that to be fair - especially in the mid 30 - 40 ft range - honestly compare the cost of twins vs a single w/ 1-2 thrusters.

Don't get me wrong - I'm NOT against twins - I loved my previous boat w twins - I just believe when "justifying" we should be considering all various combinations... in all situations including single handed operation.

Then there is the pleasure vs frustration quotient - how often do we want to dock w/ a smile on our face vs sweat on the brow???

 

[Nomad Willy]

psneeld wrote;
"Obviously you can do things with a thruster that you can't without one." Reason enough to have them if you've got the money.

 

[Nomad Willy]

This is never an issue with all chain rode Eric, and is a function of the light weight in your rope rode. My boat, by virtue of the windage of the highish bow, flybridge and bimini, etc, always tends to fall off for'd in a breeze, but it is never enough to interfere with anchoring. One suggestion to alleviate this could be to follow the conventional advice with all rope rode of having at least a length of chain equal to the length of the boat, connected to the anchor instead of just the 1 metre I believe is all you use. Gives better chafe protection at same time, and helps keep the rode down with short scope, something I know you like to use..?

Thanks for trying to save me my friend.
But when I pay out line after the anchor is positioned on the sea floor there's not much tension on the rode (hardly any) so I don't see how using chain would help. Perhaps you pay out chain very slowly so it's acting like an anchor buddy or kellet. Could be a help then. I get it.
And if I was to switch to chain what would happen to my personal identity? How would I stant out from the crowd? HaHa. However I may get so old I may not be able to pull rode w a capstan and would need to scum to the chain. But I just bought a new capstan.

 

[psneeld]

psneeld wrote;
"Obviously you can do things with a thruster that you can't without one." Reason enough to have them if you've got the money.

This could easily be taken out of context....

I have repeatedly posted that you don't really need one either.....

 

[eyschulman]

This could easily be taken out of context....

I have repeatedly posted that you don't really need one either.....

True enough but also the same goes for a boat there are a lot of things we don't really need by someone else's standards. After single handing a 48 foot boat with twins bow and stern thrusters and a wireless remote system I could go back to a single engine with no icing but given the option and the ability to pay for it not going to happen. My other boat is much smaller and lighter 1800s technology except that it has a single engine and a tiller its name is K.I.S.S. and yes it also works for me.

 

[psneeld]

True enough but also the same goes for a boat there are a lot of things we don't really need by someone else's standards. After single handing a 48 foot boat with twins bow and stern thrusters and a wireless remote system I could go back to a single engine with no icing but given the option and the ability to pay for it not going to happen. My other boat is much smaller and lighter 1800s technology except that it has a single engine and a tiller its name is K.I.S.S. and yes it also works for me.

I have repeatedly posted in thruster threads that you don't have to have one, one makes certain maneuvers and stress free docking more likely, that practicing with or without one is a good idea....

I pretty much agree with with EVERYONE except those that say you DEFINITELY need or don't need them, or have them but RARELY should you use them.


I would think only those few that use those absolutes would have an issue with my posts on thrusters....

Really...am I that hard to understand??????

 

[eyschulman]

I have repeatedly posted in thruster threads that you don't have to have one, one makes certain maneuvers and stress free docking more likely, that practicing with or without one is a good idea....

I pretty much agree with with EVERYONE except those that say you DEFINITELY need or don't need them, or have them but RARELY should you use them.


I would think only those few that use those absolutes would have an issue with my posts on thrusters....

Really...am I that hard to understand??????

Not hard to understand and no issues did not pay enough attention to your previous posts.

 

[psneeld]

Not hard to understand and no issues did not pay enough attention to your previous posts.

Thanks...this is one issue I can easily see all sides to....