'Speed Control" thrusters?

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Bruce B

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As we await the launch of our boat, we've been cruising the area and especially the local marinas. Yeasterday, we saw a boat that had speed control thrusters demonstrated. It looked kind of neat...
Our boat uses Side-Power thrusters and has both a bow and stern thruster. We did not opt for the speed control as just the thought of thrusters seemed so luxurious.
We can always update our thrusters if we decide later that we want to.
So I put it to the forum, would you want variable speed thrusters on your boat if available?
Bruce
 
Greetings,
Mr. BrB. As I understand it the limitation of electrical thrusters is the length of time they can be engaged without self shutting down so IF a speed control model allowed a longer operational window I can see some advantage but at what cost to maneuverability?
 
I don't consider electric bow thrusters super reliable to start with. When redoing mine, I chose to avoid the added complexity of variable speed.

Ted
 
Bruce B said:
As we await the launch of our boat, we've been cruising the area and especially the local marinas. Yeasterday, we saw a boat that had speed control thrusters demonstrated. It looked kind of neat...
Our boat uses Side-Power thrusters and has both a bow and stern thruster. We did not opt for the speed control as just the thought of thrusters seemed so luxurious.
We can always update our thrusters if we decide later that we want to.
So I put it to the forum, would you want variable speed thrusters on your boat if available?
Bruce
Click to expand...

Yes, we have variable speed thrusters. So, do you have DC thrusters? If so, I think it's an easy add-on if desired at some point. On the Sunseeker we have Sidepower SEP210/250TC. The P is the indicator of variable speed. The reason for variable speed is that more people are upsizing their thrusters for severe conditions and this allows the use of the up-sized thrusters but maintaining control when just a small amount of power is needed. Speed control also has a hold function if you want to hold position beside a dock to automatically do that for you.

Most AC and Hydraulic thrusters I've encountered are variable speed, just seems to be an option on DC.
 
Bruce B said:
So I put it to the forum, would you want a variable speed thruster on your boat if available?
Click to expand...
My answer is "yes" although my bow thruster is a 24volt Sidepower. Here's a name that is seldom mentioned.....Wesmar. They make all kinds of marine gear and they also have a line of DC Proportional Power (another name for variable speed) Bow thrusters. The company is very proud of their products as is indicated in their prices. (Damned expensive!) They will retrofit Sidepower and several other brands in the same tunnel. It's worth a look.

WESMAR DC Pro Thruster Series
 
Codger2 said:
My answer is "yes" although my bow thruster is a 24volt Sidepower. Here's a name that is seldom mentioned.....Wesmar. They make all kinds of marine gear and they also have a line of DC Proportional Power (another name for variable speed) Bow thrusters. The company is very proud of their products as is indicated in their prices. (Damned expensive!) They will retrofit Sidepower and several other brands in the same tunnel. It's worth a look.

WESMAR DC Pro Thruster Series
Click to expand...

Sidepower can change the one he has to variable.
 
I am sure that we will use the boat as delivered first.
I watched a demonstration of the low power hold-the-boat-against-the-dock operation yesterday and I can easily see its usefulness.
Yes, if we want the feature it is a fairly simple upgrade.
Having never owned a boat with a bow thruster(s) before, I was simply curious about what people thought of the option.
Bruce
 
Our thrusters are variable speed, hydraulic powered. I definitely like the variable speed, but living without them it is no big deal either. You just pulse the thrusters.
 
Just out of interest I wonder how many on TF actually have thrusters on their boats?
 
My single-engine boat has a bow thruster. It makes life easy and spares the transmission.
 
Last edited:
twistedtree said:
Our thrusters are variable speed, hydraulic powered. I definitely like the variable speed, but living without them it is no big deal either. You just pulse the thrusters.
Click to expand...

yes just pulse the thrusters that make "manual" variable speed...:thumb:

In hydraulic, variable speed are really more complicated and sensitif
 
Last edited:
BandB said:
Why not? Most of the boats you're on have hydraulic thrusters don't they?
Click to expand...

True. But I've never seen the point of variable speed thrusters.

If I need a little bit of thrust I just bump the trusted for a second or two.

I guess if I was running a boat with a large, oversized thruster maybe.

But most of them are a bit undersized for those times when you really need them.
 
I am currently in the process of installing a stern thruster in my 41 President now. Have it all done except the battery wiring. I would prefer a bow thruster but in my boat it is not nearly as easy as a stern thruster. I will probably eventually install a bow thruster. As we get older if it enables us to keep boating longer then thrusters are well worth the cost and complexity.
 
I like the idea of variable power on thrusters. How many things can you think of that are either off or balls to the wall. Having had thrusters I hated the idea of full on and the loud sound and wake and would have much prefer the precision of a variable plus the fact that you only use the amount of battery you need.
 
Capt.Bill11 said:
True. But I've never seen the point of variable speed thrusters.

If I need a little bit of thrust I just bump the trusted for a second or two.

I guess if I was running a boat with a large, oversized thruster maybe.

But most of them are a bit undersized for those times when you really need them.
Click to expand...

That's a trend changing to make them oversized so they'll be there for you when you really need the thrust, but then that calls for variable for other times. Or just bump it.
 
Capt.Bill11 said:
But most of them are a bit undersized for those times when you really need them.
Click to expand...

I notice that also I really don't understand why that very ofter undersized.
very stupide because when you really need thruster that when you have wind and if they undersized that really not efficient when you have wind...:facepalm:
 
101Tug

Money! Most people are willing to pay for the amount of power they will use 95% of the time but are unwilling to pay 25% more for something they will only use 5%.
 
Bigsfish said:
101Tug

Money! Most people are willing to pay for the amount of power they will use 95% of the time but are unwilling to pay 25% more for something they will only use 5%.
Click to expand...

Which in this situation is silly as that 95% of the time you could probably handle without thrusters, but it's the other 5% when they are really needed.
 
BandB

Very true to a skilled boater but I find more novices with boats these days and most of those need help being young and not willing to learn and spend the time.
 
Bigsfish said:
BandB

Very true to a skilled boater but I find more novices with boats these days and most of those need help being young and not willing to learn and spend the time.
Click to expand...

Also true to our norm as when it came to any engine in my life, I always wanted a larger, more powerful one. I don't have to use that extra power unless I need and want to.
 
Correct again but unfortunately just knowing you have the extra power just makes you want to use it. :)
 
Old thread…but what’s been the verdict here?
I’m faced with the same decision as to whether to add proportional control for se170’s.

Does pinning against a dock really work effectively? I assume it’s not automated so you just hold the settings you used but conditions could change quickly (wind gusts) so how would they really help? With a remote you could be just as easy to control on/off burst I would think.
 
bowball said:
Old thread…but what’s been the verdict here?
I’m faced with the same decision as to whether to add proportional control for se170’s.

Does pinning against a dock really work effectively? I assume it’s not automated so you just hold the settings you used but conditions could change quickly (wind gusts) so how would they really help? With a remote you could be just as easy to control on/off burst I would think.
Click to expand...

We still liked the variable speed on the sidepower we had on the Sunseeker and would do so again. Yes, pinning to a dock can work effectively. Now, one added comment, we did have a joystick control and that did make it easier to utilize the variable speed effectively and we'd recommend a joystick for them. Sunseeker widely used Xenta and then I think some Marex. We do not recommend Dockmate. In fact, we highly recommend and prefer Yacht Controller.
 
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