To thrust or not to thrust

[Artimis]

Im approaching the decision point for installation of a bow thruster tube

 

Do I or dont I?

 

Someone said a thruster is a get out of jail free card for those who arnt much good at boat handling.

 

Yeah, thats me. Im a novice, and a wide beam is more draft than a NB, so is going to catch the current even worse, especially on rivers.

 

Do I need to factor it in or not?

[Chagall]

Im approaching the decision point for installation of a bow thruster tube

 

Do I or dont I?

 

Someone said a thruster is a get out of jail free card for those who arnt much good at boat handling.

 

Yeah, thats me. Im a novice, and a wide beam is more draft than a NB, so is going to catch the current even worse, especially on rivers.

 

Do I need to factor it in or not?

Yes, its very very useful! at the press of a button one can turn on the centre pivot of the boat...however I do intend to practise doing without it because I know it could fail when I need it in an emergency, so I don't intend to rely on it.....

[Natalie Graham]

If the boat you are having built is an oil tanker, a cruise liner or a large car ferry then go for it, otherwise don't bother. Boats managed to navigate the canals for 200+ years without them so there's no reason your boat can't do so quite happily as well.

 

(Please remember to let us know when you get to the point of considering what type of toilet to fit and wondering about your council tax liabilty. )

[alan_fincher]

...............and a wide beam is more draft than a NB...........

?????

 

Only if you design it to be (or ballast it to be) surely ?

 

Generally there is more buoyancy for the total weight in a WB, and naturally I'd say most would have less draught if unballasted.

 

I can't see why you would deliberately choose to put a modern leisure WB lower in the water than it's skinnier cousin ?

[magpie patrick]

?????

 

Only if you design it to be (or ballast it to be) surely ?

 

Generally there is more buoyancy for the total weight in a WB, and naturally I'd say most would have less draught if unballasted.

 

I can't see why you would deliberately choose to put a modern leisure WB lower in the water than it's skinnier cousin ?

 

I'd agree, on the Lancaster we found all the wide beams could get into the bank, whereas Ripple Couldn't...

[Naughty Cal]

It may be worth having the tube installed so that you can retro fit a bow thruster if you decide you need it at a later date.

 

Personally i dont think they are necessary and have yet to see anyone, other than a container ship, use one to successfully perform a manouvre.

[rgreg]

I would go for one if it's within your budget. No matter how proficient a steerer you are they are very useful at times. Not a need to have but certainly a nice to have in my opinion.

[carlt]

I regard being able to steer a boat, conventionally, when the bow thruster fails, as the real "get out of jail free" card.

 

Learn how to handle your boat then, if you fancy an occasionally useful gadget, fit a bow thruster.

 

There are so many, more useful, things you could spend that money on.

Edited June 22, 2010 by carlt

[blackrose]

Im approaching the decision point for installation of a bow thruster tube

 

Do I or dont I?

 

Someone said a thruster is a get out of jail free card for those who arnt much good at boat handling.

 

Yeah, thats me. Im a novice, and a wide beam is more draft than a NB, so is going to catch the current even worse, especially on rivers.

 

Do I need to factor it in or not?

 

How big is the widebeam and do you intend to be moving it alone?

 

For single-handing a big boat they are useful.

 

As others have said, it may be worth getting the tunnel fitted even if you're not sure about getting the thruster yet. That way if you or any successive owner wants to install a thruster at a later stage it's a relatively simple job which can be done when the boat's out for blacking.

Edited June 22, 2010 by blackrose

[Artimis]

To thrust or not to thrust, that is the question

 

Is it more noble to take the easy route and fit one, or to suffer the slings and arrows of those whos boats one bashes in the attempt of landing single handedly.

 

Im planning a Schilling rudder, which in theory should do the job from the other end, but its more money to fit the tube, and I gues once i get used to not having one, I wont then need one retro fitting as and when.

 

The world managed well for years without,. but of course, labour was more abundant.

Were waterways less congested 100 yrs ago?

Were boat handling skills better back in the day?

 

I bet billy Shakespear didnt have these decisions to make.

 

As for the khasi, thats already a fete acompli. Jabsco 12v macerator. Self pump out. No messing about with a bulky casette.

[blackrose]

If the boat you are having built is an oil tanker, a cruise liner or a large car ferry then go for it, otherwise don't bother. Boats managed to navigate the canals for 200+ years without them so there's no reason your boat can't do so quite happily as well.

 

Boats managed to navigate the canals whilst being pulled by horses for many years too, but then most people decided they prefered mechanical propulsion.

 

Edit: There are also lots of other bits of equipment on all our boats that they didn't used to have, but then again if money's the issue I agree - don't bother with a BT.

Edited June 22, 2010 by blackrose

[Artimis]

Im just keeping an eye on the hundreds and the thousands will take care of themselves.

 

Its @ £150 to put the tube in at this time.

 

Boat is 50' x 10'6'' so might handle like a dead pig?

[barge sara]

Personally i dont think they are necessary and have yet to see anyone, other than a container ship, use one to successfully perform a manouvre.

 

On our mooring there is a barge that appears to use his bowthruster more than his main engine and he still managed to put his bow through another boat's cabin window!

 

Use the money for a good boat handling course instead.

 

Boat is 50' x 10'6'' so might handle like a dead pig?

 

It'll only handle like a dead pig if its designed like one..

[blackrose]

Im just keeping an eye on the hundreds and the thousands will take care of themselves.

 

Its @ £150 to put the tube in at this time.

 

Boat is 50' x 10'6'' so might handle like a dead pig?

 

Sounds very reasonable, but on a boat of that size you should be ok without one.

[NB Alnwick]

Im just keeping an eye on the hundreds and the thousands will take care of themselves.

 

Its @ £150 to put the tube in at this time.

 

Boat is 50' x 10'6'' so might handle like a dead pig?

 

I would forget about the bow thruster and spend your £150 on something more useful - a RYA Helmsmans Course if you haven't already done one or a case of good wine if you have!

 

A bow thruster capable of moving a wide beam effectively will absorb a lot of energy and will be one more thing that can go wrong. Although we have never had a bow thruster, we have shared locks with people who tell tales of how they have failed when they felt that they most needed them - the failures often being caused by plastic bags and other debris blocking the tubes or getting sucked through the mesh and fouling the prop.

 

Without a bow thruster, even if you make a mess of manoeuvring with the tiller, it is always possible to move the bow sideways with a shaft or line ashore!

[blackrose]

Without a bow thruster, even if you make a mess of manoeuvring with the tiller, it is always possible to move the bow sideways with a shaft or line ashore!

 

Easier said than done when your alone.

[Machpoint005]

If you think you might want a bow thruster, put in a tube for it now, then forget it until you REALLY want one!

£150 compared with the price of a new boat is negligible. Retrofitting the tube is a much bigger exercise.

Whether to have a thruster or not is entirely your choice - there's no right or wrong about it.

[carlt]

Boat is 50' x 10'6'' so might handle like a dead pig?

My boat is 51' x 13'6" and handles better than any narrowboat I've steered.

 

The size of the boat doesn't dictate the handling qualities, the design of it and the skill of the builder does.

[Naughty Cal]

On our mooring there is a barge that appears to use his bowthruster more than his main engine and he still managed to put his bow through another boat's cabin window!

 

Use the money for a good boat handling course instead.

 

It is one of our weekends passtimes watching people attempt to manouvre their boats, bow thrusters being harrassed beyond belief, yet still cocking up the manouvre. The ones that really amuse us are the ones who use their bow thruster to steer on straight sections of the navigation.

 

We where approached by a boat owner (obviously of the novice variety) after we had moored up outside the Pyewipe on Sunday along with firends who have the same boat. He wanted to know how we come our boats had such quiet bow thrusters, he was amazed when we told him they didnt have bow thrusters

[blackrose]

It is one of our weekends passtimes watching people attempt to manouvre their boats, bow thrusters being harrassed beyond belief, yet still cocking up the manouvre. The ones that really amuse us are the ones who use their bow thruster to steer on straight sections of the navigation.

 

We where approached by a boat owner (obviously of the novice variety) after we had moored up outside the Pyewipe on Sunday along with firends who have the same boat. He wanted to know how we come our boats had such quiet bow thrusters, he was amazed when we told him they didnt have bow thrusters

 

How big are your boats?

 

Edit: I reversed my 57' x 12' widebeam through this bridgehole the other morning to get back to the waterpoint.

 

http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http...%26tbs%3Disch:1

 

The BT made the manouvre very easy. Could I have don't it wthout? Yes probably, but to be honest I'm not sure I'd have attempted it because there was a big Dutch barge moored on one side and NBs on the other. One gust of wind...

Edited June 22, 2010 by blackrose

[Artimis]

Ok, sounds good to me. I used to fly gliders and its well known that a glider pilot can fly powerd much more skillfully than a power pilot whos never glided.

 

I wont miss what ive never had either, so start as I mean to go on.

 

Thanks everyone

[Naughty Cal]

How big are your boats?

 

Ous are only 25ft single engined ones, the chap in question had their bigger twin engined sister at 30ft.

 

Size is irrelevant, you can either handle your boat or you cant.

[billS]

They have their uses, and if money is not an issue, I would put one in - especially if you intend single handing.

 

As others have said, they are no substitute for being able to steer properly, but they do make some manoeuvers easy.

 

- reversing - you can effectively steer the boat in reverse with the occasional blip of the bowthruster

- leaving a mooring - push the back out, touch of bow thruster and you are 8 feet out and parallel with the bank ready to move forward

- winding is quicker

- manoeuvering in a strong crosswind

 

you will take a lot of stick for "cheating" from the people without bowthrusters, but envy is never pretty!

Edited June 22, 2010 by billS

[RLWP]

Envy or incredulity?

 

Richard

[mrsmelly]

Im approaching the decision point for installation of a bow thruster tube

 

Do I or dont I?

 

Someone said a thruster is a get out of jail free card for those who arnt much good at boat handling.

 

Yeah, thats me. Im a novice, and a wide beam is more draft than a NB, so is going to catch the current even worse, especially on rivers.

 

Do I need to factor it in or not?

 

No.