Bow thruster for a Norman 44 ?

[Murflynn]

1 hour ago, magnetman said:

I think you could quite easily mount a Minn Kota trolling motor on some sort of customised bow mount and arrange 180 degree rotation for it. 

 

If you got something like a 60lb or more 24v unit it would have quite a bit of grunt. 

Might look a bit funny but much easier than a tube based thruster. 

 

If it was mounted in a vertical tube near the anchor roller it could be lifted out easily enough. 

 

Set it so that "park" would be pushing the boat directly backwards and allow 90 degrees each side. It might even act as a generator when not being used if it was set up opposite direction to the main propulsion. 

 

That would be quite a fun project actually. Lower units for Minn Kota's are not too much money even shipped from the US. 

 

Then customise the mounting and use a PWM speed controller for it. 

 

Example motor unit about £300 plus about £40 for the right prop. 

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MINN-KOTA-SALTWATER-RIPTIDE-80-POUND-LOWER-UNIT-ASSEMBLY-VARIABLE-PN-2886227-/253003779562

 

 

I've used one of these on one of the boats and it has a hell of a lot of poke. Not very efficient for full time use but as a thruster it would be very effective. 

 

and how on earth are you going to arrange to keep the thing out of the way when it is not needed, and to steer the damn thing remotely?

 

your proposal sounds like a bit of Bizzard eef wobinsum stuff.

[Machpoint005]

19 hours ago, W+T said:

>>> if cruising in high winds.<<<

 

Which accounts for about one day in how many, 50, 100?

[W+T]

10 minutes ago, Machpoint005 said:

 

Which accounts for about one day in how many, 50, 100?

who knows

[Machpoint005]

T'ain't every day, or every other day, though, is it?

[W+T]

1 minute ago, Machpoint005 said:

T'ain't every day, or every other day, though, is it?

Nope

[magnetman]

10 hours ago, Murflynn said:

and how on earth are you going to arrange to keep the thing out of the way when it is not needed, and to steer the damn thing remotely?

 

your proposal sounds like a bit of Bizzard eef wobinsum stuff.

Linear actuators.  Bearing in mind you would only really need two positions so it could be arranged so that the limit switches on the actuator stop it in the right place either left or right propulsion. It is heath robinson but a hell of a lot cheaper than a bow thruster and less invasive. 

 

It might be an alternative idea to fit a bow mounted rudder to counter wind effects. If you had a blade on a vertical bearing you would only need to be able to move it a few inches to one side to have a major effect on the direction of the boat. 

 

Maybe a motor isn't even needed at least when underway. 

 

 

[Murflynn]

8 hours ago, magnetman said:

Linear actuators.  Bearing in mind you would only really need two positions so it could be arranged so that the limit switches on the actuator stop it in the right place either left or right propulsion. It is heath robinson but a hell of a lot cheaper than a bow thruster and less invasive. 

 

It might be an alternative idea to fit a bow mounted rudder to counter wind effects. If you had a blade on a vertical bearing you would only need to be able to move it a few inches to one side to have a major effect on the direction of the boat. 

 

Maybe a motor isn't even needed at least when underway. 

 

 

all quite luvverly 'til u hit a floating log.

[Alan de Enfield]

31 minutes ago, Murflynn said:

all quite luvverly 'til u hit a floating log.

Are you thinking of the K&A ?

You shouldn't be emptying your toilet in the canal.

[Murflynn]

1 hour ago, Alan de Enfield said:

Are you thinking of the K&A ?

You shouldn't be emptying your toilet in the canal.

nahh! I ate hate the K&A near Bristle.  As you say, too many floating logs, and also dumpster 'vessels'.   

[Cheshire cat]

What happened to the stretch of this boat? Did Wayne ever do it? He seems to have a third boat now

[Murflynn]

9 hours ago, Cheshire cat said:

What happened to the stretch of this boat? Did Wayne ever do it? He seems to have a third boat now

 

sorry to say that all his news is available "elsewhere" 

[blackrose]

On 13/01/2020 at 17:41, ditchcrawler said:

I dont think it will help you cruise in high winds other than maybe get the bows off the bank

 

I tend to agree. If the wind is strong enough to prevent you from steering with a rudder then trying to counteract that with a BT won't help unless it was completely oversized for the boat. They're really just for close quarters handling at slow speeds and useful for reversing any distance.

[Murflynn]

7 hours ago, blackrose said:

 

I tend to agree. If the wind is strong enough to prevent you from steering with a rudder then trying to counteract that with a BT won't help unless it was completely oversized for the boat. They're really just for close quarters handling at slow speeds and useful for reversing any distance.

 

ferzackerly 

[Cheshire cat]

On 17/04/2021 at 07:46, Murflynn said:

 

sorry to say that all his news is available "elsewhere" 

Thanks. I'll have a look