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12-31-2016, 02:54 PM
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#1
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Senior Member
City: Toronto
Join Date: Nov 2015
Posts: 271
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Thrusters
I'm in a position to get a " really " good deal on new Stern Thrusters. Being new to larger power boating, the process of docking was always a source of anxiety in this our first year. My " unqualified " thinking is that it's much harder to bring the stern in ... than the bow. ( we have twins btw ) hence my interest in the Stern Thrusters, not to mention the ease of installation.
Would appreciate comments from experienced users of both ... Thank you in advance ... FB
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12-31-2016, 04:07 PM
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#2
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Guru
City: Ft Pierce
Vessel Name: Sold
Vessel Model: Was an Albin/PSN 40
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 28,149
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Either will help....
Some boats a bow thruster is more effective than a stern thruster due to rudder performance.
With twins it could be a complete toss up...with neither being important unless you lose an engine.
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12-31-2016, 04:08 PM
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#3
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TF Site Team
City: Saltspring Island
Vessel Name: Retreat
Vessel Model: C&L 44
Join Date: Nov 2007
Posts: 5,663
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ex Sailor
I'm in a position to get a " really " good deal on new Stern Thrusters. Being new to larger power boating, the process of docking was always a source of anxiety in this our first year. My " unqualified " thinking is that it's much harder to bring the stern in ... than the bow. ( we have twins btw ) hence my interest in the Stern Thrusters, not to mention the ease of installation.
Would appreciate comments from experienced users of both ... Thank you in advance ... FB
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Make the prop-walk your friend.
Your Port engine will pull the stern of the boat to Starboard, when in reverse. Your Starboard engine will pull the stern of the boat to Port.
That is all a stern thruster could do.
Put the bow up against the dock first, get a line ashore and fastened to anything. Set the wheel to bring the stern in, put the dock-side engine in fwd, the off side engine in reverse, and in you will go.
__________________
Keith
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12-31-2016, 04:17 PM
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#4
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Guru
City: San Diego
Vessel Model: Helmsman 4304
Join Date: May 2016
Posts: 2,005
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With some more time and practice, you should be able to pivot your boat around its own axis with the shifters only.
A thruster is nice to have though, and it has bailed me out on a few windy/tight occasions.
If you feel a thruster would be helpful and give you more confidence, I would vote for the bow.
The only reason I would want a stern thruster, was if I had a single engine, larger boat, and I would want both..bow and stern.
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12-31-2016, 04:23 PM
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#5
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Guru
City: Fort Myers, FL... Summers in the Great Lakes
Vessel Name: Slow Hand
Vessel Model: Cherubini Independence 45
Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 12,834
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If you feel you need a stern thruster, go for it. Spend 10% of the total cost on some boat handling lesson from a professional instructor. A year from now you will probably think the latter was a better investment.
Ted
__________________
Blog: mvslowhand.com
I'm tired of fast moves, I've got a slow groove, on my mind.....
I want to spend some time, Not come and go in a heated rush.....
"Slow Hand" by The Pointer Sisters
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12-31-2016, 04:31 PM
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#6
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Guru
City: Annapolis
Vessel Name: Ranger
Vessel Model: 58' Sedan Bridge
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 7,088
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ex Sailor
I'm in a position to get a " really " good deal on new Stern Thrusters. Being new to larger power boating, the process of docking was always a source of anxiety in this our first year. My " unqualified " thinking is that it's much harder to bring the stern in ... than the bow. ( we have twins btw ) hence my interest in the Stern Thrusters, not to mention the ease of installation.
Would appreciate comments from experienced users of both ... Thank you in advance ... FB
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In our situation, twins, controlling the stern is usually easy... assuming both engines are running. Even then, I can have some control -- in at least one or the other direction.
Bow thruster would be my choice, if that project ever bubbled up to the top of my wallet.
-Chris
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Chesapeake Bay, USA
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12-31-2016, 05:21 PM
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#7
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Guru
City: Tri Cities, WA
Join Date: Nov 2012
Posts: 4,406
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Being on a boat with twins usually makes moving the stern a piece of cake. A good visual of how that works is to think of a shopping cart.
If you are pushing a cart and want to back straight up you would pull back equally with both hands.
If you want to back sharply to the right you would pull back only with your left hand.
If you want to pivot the cart to the left on it's axis you would pull back with the left hand and push forward with the right.
Its the same thing on a boat only you're using your hands on the shifters instead of the handles on the cart.
When I bought my first boat with twins it didn't have a thruster. It took the better part of a summer to really get the hang of moving the stern around the way I wanted it to go. At the end of that summer (using the boat a lot to practice) I had it down pretty well.
I'd suggest you do the same. Save your $$$ and spend it on fuel.
__________________
Mike and Tina
1981 Boston Whaler 13'
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12-31-2016, 07:19 PM
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#8
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Guru
City: Sydney
Vessel Name: Sojourn
Vessel Model: Integrity 386
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 13,333
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I`m in the "twins should handle the stern in conjunction with bowthruster" but you see boats with twins and thrusters both ends, so I`m sure it has uses,eg holding against a dock without movement fore or aft. As the stern thruster is probably an external fit it install is easy, and if you get it cheap, and are uncomfortable without one, it could be a good (but discretionary) retrofit.
__________________
BruceK
2005 Integrity 386 "Sojourn"
Sydney Australia
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