Bow thruster and hobbit stove

[howardang]

3 hours ago, Stroudwater1 said:

we find a Romanian better at thrusting. The Bulgarian was rather a disappointment TBH. 

Its -1 c this morning, thank goodness as it’s making the canals nice and peaceful for a change. 😊

 

A bow thruster is simply not needed, enjoy developing skill at the helm. It’s another place to rust, another battery consumer and something else to go wrong. 

Neither is that new fangled engine thing. Buy a horse -  enjoy developing skills on the towing path.

 

Howard

[robtheplod]

59 minutes ago, Phoenix_V said:

switch them both on and it could make a channel in shallow canals? 

[IanD]

25 minutes ago, robtheplod said:

switch them both on and it could make a channel in shallow canals? 

[peterselby]

Hi Tony brooks 

I cannot reply to your individual advice but I thank you the site is 

https://sideshift.com/contact/

it’s retro fit looks a neat idea 

I know others have posted that you do not need a thruster and yes that is true, however having one is no disadvantage, I see it as I don’t need a reversing aid on my car but it’s easier with it or power steering or even an automatic gear box, or a  washing  machine, we do not need these aids but life is easier with them and as I am a total novice to boating I hope others can see why I am seeking advice, 

[Jak]

Ouch. Not cheap though. You might want to practice a bit and see?  There’s a lot of more essential kit for that sort of money. And always a few surprise maintenace jobs. I lit my Squirrel last week and a big plate I didnt know I had fell out and landed on my foot…

 

[magnetman]

1 hour ago, peterselby said:

Hi Tony brooks 

I cannot reply to your individual advice but I thank you the site is 

https://sideshift.com/contact/

it’s retro fit looks a neat idea 

I know others have posted that you do not need a thruster and yes that is true, however having one is no disadvantage, ....

 

There are definitely disadvantages to having one of these on a canal boat. You would have to be incredibly strict in locks and NEVER contact the cill or it will break the expensive contraption.

 

I believe you would quickly regret fitting one of those to a canal boat. 

 

Also looks incredibly prone to fouling from weeds and random junk. 

 

 

More the sort of thing for an open water boat never using locks. 

 

[David Mack]

4 hours ago, peterselby said:

however having one is no disadvantage...

... apart from your wallet being several thousand pounds lighter after you have forked out for a unit which is extremely vulnerable to damage in a canal environment. 

3 hours ago, magnetman said:

There are definitely disadvantages to having one of these on a canal boat. You would have to be incredibly strict in locks and NEVER contact the cill or it will break the expensive contraption.

Not only that, but the thing could easily be damaged by contact with another boat, often something you have no control over. Canal boating may not be a contact sport, but most boats bump another from time to time.

[ditchcrawler]

5 hours ago, peterselby said:

Hi Tony brooks 

I cannot reply to your individual advice but I thank you the site is 

https://sideshift.com/contact/

it’s retro fit looks a neat idea 

I know others have posted that you do not need a thruster and yes that is true, however having one is no disadvantage, I see it as I don’t need a reversing aid on my car but it’s easier with it or power steering or even an automatic gear box, or a  washing  machine, we do not need these aids but life is easier with them and as I am a total novice to boating I hope others can see why I am seeking advice, 

Are you considering fitting this on a Narrowboat on the UK canals?  if so you best order a couple of spare units at the same time 

 

[Tony Brooks]

7 hours ago, peterselby said:

Hi Tony brooks 

I cannot reply to your individual advice but I thank you the site is 

https://sideshift.com/contact/

it’s retro fit looks a neat idea 

I know others have posted that you do not need a thruster and yes that is true, however having one is no disadvantage, I see it as I don’t need a reversing aid on my car but it’s easier with it or power steering or even an automatic gear box, or a  washing  machine, we do not need these aids but life is easier with them and as I am a total novice to boating I hope others can see why I am seeking advice, 

 

Thank you. I think fitting one on a canal boat would be verging on the lunatic for the reasons others have said. It is very common to catch things on the bow that get pushed down, that could easily jamb the prop(s). It should not be so bad in reverse, but if the blades are already fouled they would just jamb up. That is before we start to consider mechanical damage when the unit hits a lock sill and takes all the force of stopping a 10 ton plus boat.

[Francis Herne]

On 25/04/2023 at 08:31, David Mack said:

How would that fare on the Walsall Canal?

At least you could get the junk off the props easily.

 

I've never dared to use my bow thruster on the Walsall, lest I spend the next day underwater with my hand down the tube.

 

(tbh I don't know why I even have one on a 30ft boat, the only time it's remotely useful is reversing)