View Poll Results: Bow and / or stern thrusters?
No thrusters 36 33.03%
Bow thruster 29 26.61%
Bow thruster variable speed 2 1.83%
Stern thruster 7 6.42%
Stern thruster variable speed 1 0.92%
Bow and stern thruster 25 22.94%
Bow and stern thruster variable speed 4 3.67%
I have thruster Lust 5 4.59%
Voters: 109. You may not vote on this poll

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Old 03-28-2017, 07:09 PM   #41
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Thanks Comodave, great post.
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Old 03-28-2017, 07:15 PM   #42
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How about this idea?

JT-70 Jet Thrusters for Bow and Stern

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Old 03-28-2017, 07:52 PM   #43
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If I had one, would I even be posting? We could at least try to put new spins on these old discussions. Ok... Maybe THAT was my point.
The OP did put a new spin on it, he included a poll!
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Old 03-28-2017, 08:19 PM   #44
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The OP did put a new spin on it, he included a poll!


Why? They don't have these in Northeastern Europe?
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Old 03-28-2017, 08:19 PM   #45
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Okay this is cool!
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Old 03-28-2017, 08:23 PM   #46
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Bow and / or Stern Thrusters?

This is what is appended on my Stem. https://sideshift.com/bow-thrusters/

It's not pretty. But on the upside it has NO holes below the waterline, is easily installed and (counting the days) easily removed. Actually has been helpful in some situations. But I generally don't need or use it. It's a novelty in use.

This is what it looks like on the boat Name:  IMG_3141.JPG
Views: 408
Size:  23.1 KB

Would I buy one? No. Would I replace this if it failed? No. But it came with the boat.
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Old 03-28-2017, 08:33 PM   #47
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Originally Posted by dhmeissner View Post

They need to post a video that shows how well the work with a strong wind and/or current.

A paddle will move you around on a calm day.

If you look closely, it looks like the frame speed was sped up to make it look like the boat is moving away from the dock faster than it really is.
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Old 03-28-2017, 08:39 PM   #48
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Exercising the thruster:



Click on it!
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Old 03-28-2017, 09:06 PM   #49
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Always love your pix & videos Mark
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Old 03-28-2017, 09:16 PM   #50
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Greetings,
Mr. mp. great video and boat handling BUT you need a sound track. May I suggest this particular piece...

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Old 03-31-2017, 06:40 PM   #51
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Richard,
What kind of problem are you having? With hydraulics you can always tell where the issue is by checking which component gets hot first: pump, hyd motor, valve. While you're at the dock have someone operate the thruster while you do "touch tests" on each component.
If it is an intermittent issue that happens whether hot or cold it is probably a control issue that will often be a lose wire or bad connection. If you're pump is running other systems such as a windlass and that works fine you can rule out the pump.
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Old 03-31-2017, 11:10 PM   #52
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I power up my thrusters before leaving or coming into a dock. I also pulse them to ensure they work. Then I do my best to not use them. However, I am very happy to use them if they provide a convenience.
Exactly what I do.

Our boat came with bow thruster and we added a stern thruster a couple of years later. I'm glad we did (although I'm really unhappy with our installer). I rarely use either of them, but when they're handy, they're very handy.
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Old 03-31-2017, 11:14 PM   #53
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Originally Posted by johnma View Post
Richard,
What kind of problem are you having? With hydraulics you can always tell where the issue is by checking which component gets hot first: pump, hyd motor, valve. While you're at the dock have someone operate the thruster while you do "touch tests" on each component.
If it is an intermittent issue that happens whether hot or cold it is probably a control issue that will often be a lose wire or bad connection. If you're pump is running other systems such as a windlass and that works fine you can rule out the pump.
John
John,

The bow thruster runs fine for a while when the engine is first started. Say 10-15 minutes. After that the power drops off significantly. My fin stabilizers are run from the same pump and seem to operate fine all the time. I'm suspecting that it's a problem with the directional valve but don't have proof.

Richard
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Old 04-01-2017, 05:19 AM   #54
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My current boat has pods but a previous boat had a thruster. I always thought of the thruster like insurance: it there and you hope it's not needed but when it is your happy to have it.
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Old 04-02-2017, 03:10 PM   #55
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Richard
ok so it"s not a pump problem. That narrows it down to a motor or valve. Since valves generally either work or don't work regardless of temperature I would take a hard look at the motor first. When hydraulic fluid goes from high pressure to low pressure without doing work (an internal leak or bypass) it creates heat. Hold your hand on the motor while someone operates the thruster. If it gets unusually hot, say 150-160 degrees F in 10 seconds or so you have a bad motor that need to be rebuilt or replaced. If it does not get hot the fluid is bypassing before it reaches the motor and that leaves only the valve itself or the solenoid. With a multimeter take a resistance reading through the coil (ohm setting on your meter) if you have zero resistance its a bad coil or you could have a loose ground connection that breaks when the coil gets hot. If that checks out take a look at the tag number on the valve. If its the same as the valve for your stabilizer swap them and see if the problem moves to your stabilizer. If you have cartridge valves (valves that screw into an aluminum or steel manifold) the part number is stamped on the wrench flats. these are very inexpensive and you can buy them at any hydraulic equipment distributor. If it says "Sun" on the valve they must be purchased from a Sun dealer. All of the other brands are physically interchangeable with each other.
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Old 04-02-2017, 10:30 PM   #56
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Old 04-02-2017, 10:32 PM   #57
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Comodave View Post
... As we get older it is not as easy to pull the lines when docking or push the boat around. If having thrusters will enable us to boat 5 or 10 years longer than we could otherwise, then I will have thrusters....
Great point.

Right now Badger has a single engine and no thrusters, but we'll add them when age creeps up on us.

We dock bow first and have to make a hard turn against prop walk when going astern leaving our berth, but with a bit of speed our big rudder easily does the job, even against a stiff wind. So far, while entering the berth, prop walk and the occasional burst of power against the rudder (one way or the other) does the trick. Must be doing something right...haven't had to retreat with my tail between the legs and try again for a couple years.
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Old 04-03-2017, 04:31 AM   #58
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After my first singlehanded attempt at docking with my new single engined full keeled boat, a bow thruster was on the top of my ToDo list. Since then I've rubbed and bumped the dock numerous times, although nothing that couldn't be "polished out". Over the past 3 years the thrusters have somehow disappeared off my ToDo list.

But - I've learned:
how to read the wind and current,
how to handle spring lines,
how to make prop walk work in your favour,
how to abandon the plan to dock where you originally planned to dock
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Old 04-03-2017, 10:11 AM   #59
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Originally Posted by MurrayM View Post
Great point.

Right now Badger has a single engine and no thrusters, but we'll add them when age creeps up on us.

We dock bow first and have to make a hard turn against prop walk when going astern leaving our berth, but with a bit of speed our big rudder easily does the job, even against a stiff wind. So far, while entering the berth, prop walk and the occasional burst of power against the rudder (one way or the other) does the trick. Must be doing something right...haven't had to retreat with my tail between the legs and try again for a couple years.


I have an angled birth with an extremely narrow fairway behind me. Even on my 40' sailboat, backing out of the slip, turning against the prop-walk was extremely difficult with some wind/current conditions. Fortunately, I never hit anything but a couple of times I came close to needing to fend off. That was with a large rudder and a proper keel.

On the North Pacific, it would be impossible to do without at least a bow thruster in some wind conditions.
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Old 04-03-2017, 12:13 PM   #60
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You forgot the poll option "Whenever I hear the shrieking of thrusters I immediately try to locate the cloud of smug floating above the captain using them".
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