Yes, we included the Star feature when we built Tanglewood, but in all honesty, other than a few tests, I have yet to need it. Anchorages in the PNW are just too darn calm
But I've been in plenty of anchorages elsewhere where I would have killed for them, so we went ahead and included it. On an initial install, it's a relatively small cost increment (maybe 15%). Existing system can often be retrofit as well.
Of course you need a source of power - there is no way around that - so you get to pick your poison. But either way you will need an engine of some sort running. We put a pump on our generator which made the most sense for us. It can run Star, serve as a backup if the main engine or attached pump dies, and is a supplemental power source for thrusters, anchor wash, etc.
The fins when you have Star are also slightly different. It's pretty much the same square footage, but they are longer and shallower. The other difference is the addition of a hydraulic accumulator which is just like a water tank in a plumbing system, but holds hydraulic fluid and operates at a much higher pressure. It provides reserve hydraulic flow capacity and smooths out the load on the generator.
When we get out of the PNW, I expect we will use them more often, but for now I can't complain about the calm anchorages.
