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I am thinking about installing small bow thruster on my 29' cruiser single engine stern drive. I am ok (not great) maneuver around the dock. I can see benefits of having one installed. The bolt on kind like sideshift(sideshift.com) Any body have experience with this. What I am afraid of is impacting with log when not on plane. I am afraid of loosing 3,000 on a log.
A "small" bow thruster is useless. You want one properly sized for the boat that will move the boat in 25-30 knot winds - when you will NEED it the most.
No experience with the sideshift, but I do think that thing is ugly as all hell.
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There is a new side shift thruster, which is bolted on the centerline. It susposedly is out of the water at a plane, but still in at displacement speeds. I also would be worried about impacting--also no bow on the beach--and if you trailer???.
If you must have a bow thruster, get a built in one, of adequate size. The side shift thruster is basically a large trolling motor. On the other hand, spend some more time working on boat handling. Unless you have an inboard and lots of windage, most 29 foot cruisers are very managable with a I/O. Incidently if you rip a hole in the boat during an impact--the cost might be more than $3K.....
A "small" bow thruster is useless. You want one properly sized for the boat that will move the boat in 25-30 knot winds - when you will NEED it the most.
No experience with the sideshift, but I do think that thing is ugly as all hell.
30 knot winds...thats one heck of a bow thruster
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USCG 1600 ton Master Oceans, Master of Towing, Master of Aux. Sail. Master of Baiting
A "small" bow thruster is useless. You want one properly sized for the boat that will move the boat in 25-30 knot winds - when you will NEED it the most.
No experience with the sideshift, but I do think that thing is ugly as all hell.
30 knot winds...thats one heck of a bow thruster
I believe in overkill
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Move along, nothing to see here.
30 knots of wind is when you want the bow thruster. I put one on a 30 foot Carver, single screw (diesel) aft cabin--lots of windage-- and between the engine and thruster could work a boat off the dock in 25 to 30 knots of beam wind--but I put in two sizes up from the "recommended" size thruster. If you are going to put one it--be serious about it. I have seen too many folks become dependant on a small thruster, then have them thermal relay time out when it was really needed.
you will def have to put a few extra batteries and or a bigger alternator. I magin the stock one is most likely 65 amp, def want to get something bigger but your reserve cranking amps in the batteries will be the key.
If the sideshift is 3k, for another $k you could have a real thruster installed.
A decent glass shop/ yard should be able to complete the job for right around 4k.
My boat is a 34 ft and single handed it is a real challenge to dock on a windy day when only one engine is working (bad experience 2 years ago) . . . so I appreciate your question I have a friend who has a 31 footer single diesel and he added a bow thruster . . . he says that after the auto-pilot it was his best investment His bow thruster can spin the bow in a very stiff breeze and hold the boat against the dock . . . a real advantage when running single handed or with a newbie crew Forget the over zealous comments made by some posters . . . get the bow thruster but make sure that it is powerful enough - - - Two weeks ago I saw a guy with what I believe was a 34 footer . . . he had bow and aft thrusters . . . came in to dock and the wind was real breezie . . . gusts to 30 mph . . . he single handedly docked the boat . . . kept the boat tight against the pilings with the thrusters . . . ties his lines . . . turned off the thrusters . . . and did the lines on the other side . . . no stress and no running around . . . I was impressed . . . very impressed because he had his left arm in a cast . . . the other person on board was too young to help him with his lines
Thanks auguste. I was reluctant to post the question knowlingly I will have eggs on my face. I like the built in one. It looks 100 times better, but will have to cut a hole to the boat. Anyway, this thing is really another toy to have on the boat to play with. The guy at Sideshift send me a quote for 2995 for the ss340 model plus 175 shipping. I will wait till the price come down. How much current does it draw? I do have 2 batteries.
If you are serius I have a couple of left overs in stock. 30-35 ftr I would sell a Max Power 45 Duo w/ tube and controls for $800. I would guess it would cost an extra 2K to install it. PM me if you are interested.
i don't know what voltage this thruster operate at but at 12 volts every horsepower will draw roughly 62.7 amps, if its stepped up to 24 volts then the amperage will be cut in half.
Bow Thruster
