Retrofitting a bow thruster to an IG32

Hi,

I am new to the forum but keen to by an IG32 in the next 12 months in Australia.

Being single screw I am considering fitting a bow thruster to assist with marina manouvering.

Can anyone advise if this is feasible and approximate cost? $USD is ok I can convert.

Thanks,

It is absolutely feasible and the price is totally dependent on make, type and who will do the work. I just finished a low budget project myself today. I installed a Sideshift bowthruster. List is around $4,000 but you would also need to buy the battery wiring extra. In my case that was about another $400. It is a do it yourself job. If you want and can afford a conventional through hull bowthruster I would suggest that the cost would approximately double. Here are a couple pictures I took today upon finishing. One before bottom coat and one after.

Thanks

Hi Allen,

Thanks love your simple idea. However, what I had in mind was through hull and if there is sufficient space between the bow and watertight bulkhead.

Cheers,

MG

Some hints about installing a tube in bow thruster on my bow thruster page

If nothing else, it might help you when dealing with a yard.

Best,

Mike

LaBomba said:

It is absolutely feasible and the price is totally dependent on make, type and who will do the work. I just finished a low budget project myself today. I installed a Sideshift bowthruster. List is around $4,000 but you would also need to buy the battery wiring extra. In my case that was about another $400. It is a do it yourself job. If you want and can afford a conventional through hull bowthruster I would suggest that the cost would approximately double. Here are a couple pictures I took today upon finishing. One before bottom coat and one after.

Click to expand...

I have been around boats for a LONG time and I have never seen this style if install. What does it do to the efficiency of the boat with the induced drag. It also looks like extreme care will be needed if you ever creep up on the stem as you power forward to relieve strain off the windless when pulling the hook.

let us know how the unit ( and the boat ) performs in the future
HOLLYWOOD

Gee, that installation looks very vulnerable as well as creating drag. Believe a proper bow thruster is through-the-hull. My boat builder (in China) charged $5500 for a 24V unit.

Welcome Mark. A while back I had a quote from a local seller advertising retro fit bow thrusters, it mounted externally but was moulded to the bow. About 9K without fitting/electric connections, from memory. Too much. I imagine "thru-hull" will be more.
Investigate importing a kit from US, even with the AUD fall, freight, and GST. Try Defender.com. You`ll be surprised.
Some 32s had twin 80hp Ford Lehmans. I know of 2 in Sydney, one raw water cooled (avoid),one with heat exchangers, so check around. The 32 has almost the same saloon space as a 36.
Check the Halvorsen builders section here for common IG issues.

hollywood8118 said:

let us know how the unit ... performs in the future
HOLLYWOOD

Click to expand...

That thing is bizarre.

Surely there must be tremendous vibration that will lead to pretty rapid fatigue failure of the mount.

RickB said:

That thing is bizarre.

Surely there must be tremendous vibration that will lead to pretty rapid fatigue failure of the mount.

Click to expand...

That was my thought too.. but I was trying to be nice and give the OP the benefit of the doubt.

In the Pacific N.W. there is so much crap in the water it would be gone in a hurry.. or at the very least the props would be!
HOLLYWOOD

The cost of an in hull thruster DIY would not be much more than an external one...the cost of the tube and epoxy isn't much.

The cost of an electric in hull is 3-5k maybe.

I could see a pro install costing another 2-4K depending on the complexity and how many other parts are needed.

You could always have a glasser do the tube and the rest yourself to save.

RickB said:

That thing is bizarre.

Click to expand...

Wouldn't outboards strapped to each side of the bow achieve the same end? ( Not being electric, I guess they would be somewhat of a hassle.) Now, before someone jumps me for not being polite & diplomatic, that thing deserves some negative press.

SeaHorse II said:

Wouldn't outboards strapped to each side of the bow achieve the same end?

Click to expand...

Funny, that is the first though I had too. Build a mount for an outboard and run a steering cable up to the pilot station. PNW boaters could install an outboard with hydraulic tilt to avoid the flotsam threat.

Bruce,

Good to hear from someone in Oz. I had heard there were some twins done and ther is also a 30ft twin for sale on the Gold Coast.

Do you know what the key differences between the 30 and 32 are?

Briz Mark

Do you know what the key differences between the 30 and 32 are?


2 feet! Lol sorry. I couldn't resist...

Cheers

For all the nay sayers have a look at the Sideshift web site and the unit can be seen on U-tube as well. I was a little skeptical I must admit but another fellow in our marina installed one two years ago and he is meticulous with his boats and says he absolutely loves it. I will let you know, easy to remove if I have to since there are no holes below the water line but I have a feeling that won't be necessary. Makes the first mate a lot more comfortable when docking.

https://www.sideshift.com/shop/

wow...a manufacturer/owner who proclaims their product/purchase as great!

I can't even imagine the kelp you would pick up in my waters

Brizvagas Mark said:

Hi,

I am new to the forum but keen to by an IG32 in the next 12 months in Australia.

Being single screw I am considering fitting a bow thruster to assist with marina manouvering.

Can anyone advise if this is feasible and approximate cost? $USD is ok I can convert.

Thanks,

Click to expand...

Echoing the hello and welcome(despite last nights State of Origin!)

FWIW, there is a 32 IG moored across from me and I was talking to the owner the other day, he got a quote for a Sidepower thruster which was about $11.5 K all done.

Our yard rates are higher than yours up in Brisbane, so if you do as Bruce suggests, buy the thruster in the US and ship it out, getting the local yard to do the install, you may find this to be the most economical route.

A suggestion, pay a bit extra and buy the next thruster size up, that is, buy the thruster suitable for say a 40'boat, that extra power on a windy day makes it all worthwhile.

Good luck

Brizvagas Mark said:

Hi,

I am new to the forum but keen to by an IG32 in the next 12 months in Australia.

Being single screw I am considering fitting a bow thruster to assist with marina manouvering.

Can anyone advise if this is feasible and approximate cost? $USD is ok I can convert.

Thanks,

Click to expand...

Hi, and welcome aboard the board, fellow Brisbanite Mark. Where are you based, by the way? I'm in Springwood, and I have my Clipper 34 down at Horizon Shores. Yeah, great state of Origin win that - sorry Andy...makes the decider in Melbourne really interesting, does it not..? Can NSW win a series, or does Queensland make it 8 yrs in a row...? Sorry...brief off topic wander - couldn't help it. It's funny really, as an ex NZder I find it easier to relate to Queensland State, than I do Australia...must be something to do with size...don't go there..ok..?

Now, I don't want to be a wet blanket, but another approach is to get the boat first, as you might find it has one already, but if not, don't rush into it. My Clipper does not, and while sure...the first time or two out we sometimes muttered about maybe fitting a bowthruster... once familar with how it handles, and thanks to tips on this and other forums, (ok, fora for the pedants), we find we hardly ever feel the need now, and that has been the case for about the last 10 yrs. There is a heap of other gear I'd far rather spend good money on than something I honestly doubt I would use more than once in a blue moon. Yes, others who have them will use them more and swear by them, because they adopt methods of manoeuvring that use them, but if you don't have one, you adopt methods that avoid the need, and we have always managed to achieve what was needed without. Just watch the city river ferries - the monohulls, not the cats - and see how they manage at the jetties without bow thrusters. It's not that hard. There are others on here who will agree I think.

Brizvagas Mark said:

Being single screw I am considering fitting a bow thruster to assist with marina manouvering.

Can anyone advise if this is feasible and approximate cost? $USD is :

Click to expand...

I & others with IG 32s have a bow thruster and there is plenty of room to install one. I can't comment on the cost as it's been about seven years since purchase.
"Don't leave home with out it!"

Peter B said:

Hi, and welcome aboard the board, fellow Brisbanite Mark. Where are you based, by the way? I'm in Springwood, and I have my Clipper 34 down at Horizon Shores. Yeah, great state of Origin win that - sorry Andy...makes the decider in Melbourne really interesting, does it not..? Can NSW win a series, or does Queensland make it 8 yrs in a row...? Sorry...brief off topic wander - couldn't help it. It's funny really, as an ex NZder I find it easier to relate to Queensland State, than I do Australia...must be something to do with size...don't go there..ok..?

Now, I don't want to be a wet blanket, but another approach is to get the boat first, as you might find it has one already, but if not, don't rush into it. My Clipper does not, and while sure...the first time or two out we sometimes muttered about maybe fitting a bowthruster... once familar with how it handles, and thanks to tips on this and other forums, (ok, fora for the pedants), we find we hardly ever feel the need now, and that has been the case for about the last 10 yrs. There is a heap of other gear I'd far rather spend good money on than something I honestly doubt I would use more than once in a blue moon. Yes, others who have them will use them more and swear by them, because they adopt methods of manoeuvring that use them, but if you don't have one, you adopt methods that avoid the need, and we have always managed to achieve what was needed without. Just watch the city river ferries - the monohulls, not the cats - and see how they manage at the jetties without bow thrusters. It's not that hard. There are others on here who will agree I think.

Click to expand...

Hi Peter,

Thanks for your thoughts re trying before installing if there is not one on the boat.

We live in Manly, QLD so would be keeping the boat in Manly probably at RQYS and cruising the southern bay before trying a cruise north.

Have you been outside Moreton Bay in your boat?

MG

For the bemused. "State of Origin" Football: A rugby league football game series of 3 (currently 1 all) annually between the States of Queensland and New South Wales. Players must be originally from the State they play for but may be currently playing for any team anywhere in Australia. A bloodbath grudge match, lots of fights ("going the biff"), tackles intended to cause disabling injury, players get "sin-binned" (sent off) for infractions, but players and coaches say it is unfair to penalise for brawling in these matches.

Peter, do the Brisbane mono-hull ferries have singles or twins?

First, to answer Mark. Yes, I have had Lotus out of the bay, we went out the seaway and up the outside and back in at the top to Tangaloma last Xmas/New Year week, but were rather underwhelmed by what we didn't see in 11 hours non-stop travel. So although she has been to the Whitsundays a couple of times with previous owners, we didn't feel the need. It would take toooo long. I think I would rather charter one up there. You know..."skipper a Clipper", like the old ad used to say.
By the way, I know RQYC well. I had my Gazelle Maxi trailer yacht there on the hard when I first moved over from NZ. Nice club.

Bruce they are singles, those mono ferries, and as Marin and others have posted previously, those ferry pilots (and prof fishermen), can just about make a single engined boat talk...so what they can do... practice can also do...

BruceK said:

For the bemused. "State of Origin" Football: A rugby league football game series of 3 (currently 1 all) annually between the States of Queensland and New South Wales. Players must be originally from the State they play for but may be currently playing for any team anywhere in Australia. A bloodbath grudge match, lots of fights ("going the biff"), tackles intended to cause disabling injury, players get "sin-binned" (sent off) for infractions, but players and coaches say it is unfair to penalise for brawling in these matches.

Peter, do the Brisbane mono-hull ferries have singles or twins?

Click to expand...

Sigh .... It's turning in to bloody AFL.

GOOOOO THE BLUESSSSSS and GOOOOOO THE STORMMMMMMM!!!!
There's only one thing worse than losing in the origin and that's watching my teams fullback aka slater scoring against my origin team :-(

Sent from my iPhone using Trawler

Sorry Hendo, but you will just have to suck it up. Billy Slater is ours in Origin, and so is Greg Inglis. As for no 3...prepare to be disappointed.
'Course..if we lose...you can crow..ok..?
Hey, I thought you lived in Queensland before WA? How come you support the Blues, anyway.

Peter B said:

Sorry Hendo, but you will just have to suck it up. Billy Slater is ours in Origin, and so is Greg Inglis. As for no 3...prepare to be disappointed.
'Course..if we lose...you can crow..ok..?
Hey, I thought you lived in Queensland before WA? How come you support the Blues, anyway.

Click to expand...

I am actually originally from Texas in Country QLD but was born in the car on the way to the hospital which was in NSW. Texas is on the QLD/NSW border and when I was a kid I liked blue more than maroon so NSW was the choice.

Same went for Melbourne. I've never been to Melbourne but I love the colour purple and when the Storm began I claimed them as my team over the broncos which was maroon. I think I have a subconsciously deep seated dislike for maroon lol

Oh I'll be crowing don't you worry! Hahaha

Sent from my iPhone using Trawler

As I said, then...'prepare to be disappointed'...
Ever see the movie Princess Bride...? Legend....

I am also contemplating a bow thruster and had one quoted for our Defever 49 RPH a few months ago, cost estimate was US $13,100 completed from of the big Florida thruster companies but did not including haul out, blocking, etc and any issues with moving tank if necessary etc.

After crawling around in the front bilge with a tape it looks as if there is enough room but it will be tight for a 350lbf thruster.

Thats alot of cruising dollars for us but as I was cruising earlier this week solo on a 50' 60,000lb boat in a strong gusty side breeze was tough to bring along side marina for pump out and then get back into her slip which only has 18" waterline room a side.

Still undecided what to do ....

gwkiwi said:

I am also contemplating a bow thruster and had one quoted for our Defever 49 RPH a few months ago, cost estimate was US $13,100 completed from of the big Florida thruster companies........Thats alot of cruising dollars for us but as I was cruising earlier this week solo on a 50' 60,000lb boat in a strong gusty side breeze was tough to bring along side marina for pump out and then get back into her slip which only has 18" waterline room a side.
Still undecided what to do ....

Click to expand...

But, mate, you managed right? You just saved $13,100 bucks...think of it that way. I don't have auto pilot or radar. I would far rather spend that sort of money on those, or even AIS, than a bow thruster. Of course, if you already have all that, plus AIS, and money to burn, then ok, but re-read my post above again first.

Brizvagas Mark said:

Hi,

I am new to the forum but keen to by an IG32 in the next 12 months in Australia.

Being single screw I am considering fitting a bow thruster to assist with marina manouvering.

Can anyone advise if this is feasible and approximate cost? $USD is ok I can convert.

Thanks,

Click to expand...

Mark, don't know if you've seen it, but there is an '83 IG 32 for sale for $100,000 here in Brisbane in the today's Courier Mail in case you are interested.
It does not say whether it has a bow thruster, but might be worth a look..?