are bow thursters help to new boaters

[wullie]

what are bow thrusters used for, is it to aid steering, or to aid manovering in marina, i know the principles of them, but did not think they were fitted on narrowowboats, would it help novice like me?

[RLWP]

They are really meant for manoeuvring rather than steering Wullie. If your boat has an electric bowthruster with a remote battery, you'll have a limited amount of time that you can use it for anyway

 

Richard

[Nightwatch]

Personally never had Bow Thrusters. i guess it's a little like power steering and then when you haven't you may find it difficult to steer.

 

If you have it, use it. if you don't have/never had it, you won't miss it.

 

There are those on here that won't be as gentle as I............

Martyn

[IanM]

As has been said they're intended for slow speed manoeuvring and not a steering aid. Would think there are more boats without than with and certainly hire boats don't normally have them and that is generally where you find a lot of the novices.

 

Learn to manoeuvre without one and you'll be fine and won't end up stuck if you have one and it fails

[Proper Job]

Should only be used for manouvering and as a last resort.

 

Better of learning how to handle the boat properly than getting in to the habit of using them

[Chagall]

Yes

[Tonka]

No

[Guest]

what are bow thrusters used for, is it to aid steering, or to aid manovering in marina, i know the principles of them, but did not think they were fitted on narrowowboats, would it help novice like me?

 

When we were looking for our boat 3 years ago (as novices but with some hire boat experience) our Chief Steerer was convinced she wanted one, in fact she once saw a NB crabbing sideways across the cut at Bingley (Bow and stern thrusters no less!) and she was convinced we would want one - luckily the boat we really liked and ended up with had none.

 

........and we have never regretted it.

[ditchcrawler]

I've got one and I use it when I want it. Very useful for getting the bow out from a tight spot and steering if you have to go backwards a long way in a restricted channel. Essential no, but nether is hot and cold running water of a pump out loo but I have both of those as well.

[wullie]

When we were looking for our boat 3 years ago (as novices but with some hire boat experience) our Chief Steerer was convinced she wanted one, in fact she once saw a NB crabbing sideways across the cut at Bingley (Bow and stern thrusters no less!) and she was convinced we would want one - luckily the boat we really liked and ended up with had none.

 

........and we have never regretted it.

loks like i wont bother, and one less thing that can go wrong.

[Guest]

loks like i wont bother, and one less thing that can go wrong.

 

You will find some people swear by them (some swear at them too when the shear pin goes ping) but that was the stance we took.

 

There is enough stuff to go wrong on a narrowboat without adding to the list.

[rgreg]

My Vetus bow thruster failed more than three years ago, but I hardly ever used it. Up until now I have not bothered to have it fixed and managed very well without it. Having said that, there have been the odd occasions, for example when reversing in a side-wind in the marina, it would have made the manouvre easier if not as challenging. Useful? Yes, sometimes. Necessary? No. Whatever you decide to do it's best to get used to handling the boat without it.