Retrofitting bow thruster's - cost?

[RichM]

Hi all,

I have a 55ft narrowboat and often cruise solo. It's based in a rather exposed marina and it can be tricky to get out of it if it's a little windy.

 

I'm considering having a bow thruster fitted to help with this and also because I like my toys. The boat was built with the intention of having a bow thruster fitted, so it has a hole for it (for lack of proper terminology) but the original owner later decided not to have one fitted, for a reason unbeknown to me.

Does anyone have a rough idea how much it would cost to have one fitted?

 

Cheers

 

Arm

[RLWP]

Curious!

 

Many boat owners don't use their bowthrusters and would be looking for ways to remove one

 

Go hydraulic if you are seriously into gadgets

 

Richard

[Murflynn]

I cut the hole in the tube myself and purchased and fitted the Vetus thruster, battery, cables & controls myself.

 

I would budget on 2K if you DIY, perhaps 2.5K if you get a man in.

 

obviously the boat needs to be out of the water - extra cost unless you're blacking at the same time.

[Tisinca]

Curious!

 

Many boat owners don't use their bowthrusters and would be looking for ways to remove one

 

Go hydraulic if you are seriously into gadgets

 

Richard

I wonder if the many boat owners you mention would also look at ways of removing the power steering from their cars.

[Sea Dog]

I wonder if the many boat owners you mention would also look at ways of removing the power steering from their cars.

Aye lad, and those electric windows, they'll only go wrong. Air conditioning - you don't need that in Britain. Automatic gearboxes, what's wrong with a proper gearbox.... and none of that fancy synchro mesh either, if you can't double declutch on a 1 in 4 over the Pennines in the snow, you ought to stay at home. And who needs a radio? We used to make our own entertainment with nowt more than a stick and an old inner tube, but you try telling the kids of today that......

[raymondh]

Most BT "tubes" have a bolt on guard or grille at each side, if not already fitted you can fit blanking plates to each side using these fixings and fit the thrusters unit whilst in the water

 

Ours is a Vetus and as I am a little lazy use the BT as and when I need it, a lot in fact at our last marina as the prevailing gale blew all who tried to manouvre at the wrong time into the bankside adjacent to the moorings

 

I have not found any used on ebay but there were lots of new ones when I last looked from £900 to £1400 depending on size/power

 

Regards Ray

[nb Innisfree]

As already said go hydraulic. If it has to be electric go as powerful as poss, you only have 30 seconds or so thrust before overheating so you need to push hard and fast against the wind and get any manoeuvre done quickly.

[system 4-50]

Aye lad, and those electric windows, they'll only go wrong. Air conditioning - you don't need that in Britain. Automatic gearboxes, what's wrong with a proper gearbox.... and none of that fancy synchro mesh either, if you can't double declutch on a 1 in 4 over the Pennines in the snow, you ought to stay at home. And who needs a radio? We used to make our own entertainment with nowt more than a stick and an old inner tube, but you try telling the kids of today that......

You had it easy. We had to gut our own (& the neighbour's) cats to string our pianos so that we could have our evening sing-song after the shift in t'pit.

[Murflynn]

As already said go hydraulic. If it has to be electric go as powerful as poss, you only have 30 seconds or so thrust before overheating so you need to push hard and fast against the wind and get any manoeuvre done quickly.

I only ever used it to steer when reversing - just a 2 second burst now and then to keep the bow in line, when backing my wide beam into a narrow marina slot.

 

Last time I was on the Thames an ugly shiny gin palace followed me into the lock and I couldn't believe the almost continuous grinding and moaning as the helmsman (that description would actually be flattering him) tried to keep the boat straight as he approached at a snail's pace. He still ended up across the lock with a stupid great plastic ball fender holding his bow off the lock edge. Obviously had no idea about maintaining steerage way and using his twin outdrives to guide the boat in properly. No wonder the girly button attracts derision by some folks.

[blackrose]

I find my BT very useful for moving my 57 x 12ft boat solo, but for a 55ft narrowboat I personally wouldn't bother. It's not cheap, but it's your boat and your money. I think a electric kit can be bought for about £1,000 - £1,500 (not including batteries) and fitting perhaps 500 quid + dry docking.

 

Contrary to what one contributor has said, I don't see how it could be fitted while the boat is in the water.

[RLWP]

I wonder if the many boat owners you mention would also look at ways of removing the power steering from their cars.

Hardly the same, is it. Power steering allows the fitting of tyres with a larger contact area.

 

Richard

[Slim]

Aye lad, and those electric windows, they'll only go wrong. Air conditioning - you don't need that in Britain. Automatic gearboxes, what's wrong with a proper gearbox.... and none of that fancy synchro mesh either, if you can't double declutch on a 1 in 4 over the Pennines in the snow, you ought to stay at home. And who needs a radio? We used to make our own entertainment with nowt more than ranka stick and an old inner tube, but you try telling the kids of today that......

You. just described my dad's first car when I was young. Mind you, it didn't have a heater either. Still remember the registration number ELW 772.

 

Frank

[RLWP]

You. just described my dad's first car when I was young. Mind you, it didn't have a heater either. Still remember the registration number ELW 772.

 

Frank

 

I have a car like that - with a heater

 

Richard

[Tisinca]

Hardly the same, is it. Power steering allows the fitting of tyres with a larger contact area.

Richard

It's just the same... Think about it !

[RLWP]

It's just the same... Think about it !

 

Hmmm - better tyres, safer, better steering and stopping

 

Bowthruster - I haven't got one and manoeuvre my boat very successfully

 

Nope. I thought about it, and have played with boats with bowthrusters.

 

Richard

[blackrose]

 

Hmmm - better tyres, safer, better steering and stopping

 

Bowthruster - I haven't got one and manoeuvre my boat very successfully

 

 

But it's also possible to drive a car without power steering quite successfully too, so I think the analogy is reasonable.

 

I agree that for a small or medium sized narrowboat the benefits of a BT are marginal even when single-handing, but I doubt there are many members of this forum who'd be able to control my boat single handed even with the bow thruster. I could do it without, but for me it just makes life a bit easier.

[GUMPY]

Pah bowthruster? Learn the tricks of boat handling, you will then be able to use them when the bowthruster fails.

Having used boats with and without thrusters up to 61x12 I would save my money. Best thing to do is read Chris Deuchar's book "A Boaters Guide to Boating" will benefit you more than any thruster will.

[RLWP]

But it's also possible to drive a car without power steering quite successfully too, so I think the analogy is reasonable.

 

I do drive a car without power steering, but not a car with modern tyres. Modern cars are practically unsteerable without the power system, the load on the wheel is huge

 

OTOH, my 20 ton boat works fine without a bowthruster.

 

As I said, I have steered boats with bowthrusters and talked to owners with them. You'd be surprised how many owners don't actually know which way the buttons work

 

The OP is very clear: "I like my toys". Good for them, go hydraulic

 

Richard

[GUMPY]

I agree that for a small or medium sized narrowboat the benefits of a BT are marginal even when single-handing, but I doubt there are many members of this forum who'd be able to control my boat single handed even with the bow thruster. I could do it without, but for me it just makes life a bit easier.

Please sir do I count as one of the few? Edited December 24, 2015 by Loddon

[RLWP]

Best thing to do is read Chris Deuchar's book "A Boaters Guide to Boating" will benefit you more than any thruster will.

 

Indeed - it will give you a whole lot more than the ability to move the bow sideways. Great book

 

Richard

Please sir do I count as one of the few?

 

We few, we happy few, we band of brothers*

 

Richard

 

*and sisters

[mrsmelly]

It's just the same... Think about it !

 

Err No its not. Power steering aids the driver to steer the vehicle using the same steered wheels that he would use without power steering.

Bow thrusters shove the fron of a boat about ( nearly ) for people incompetent at steering with the rudder/s or for large ocean going ships in confined spaces, they are a nonsense on narrowboats all of which are so small as to not to need one, the money would be better spent on boating lessons but as the op says he likes his toys and its his money. Liken a bowthruster to parking sensors on cars, another useless bit of kit for a competent driver and they make a bad driver even worse.

 

Tim

[GUMPY]

 

Indeed - it will give you a whole lot more than the ability to move the bow sideways. Great book

 

 

 

Yes I still have one of the rare unsigned first editions Edited December 24, 2015 by Loddon

[RLWP]

 

the money would be better spent on boating lessons

 

Tim

 

Or ropes

 

Richard

[ditchcrawler]

Most BT "tubes" have a bolt on guard or grille at each side, if not already fitted you can fit blanking plates to each side using these fixings and fit the thrusters unit whilst in the water

 

Ours is a Vetus and as I am a little lazy use the BT as and when I need it, a lot in fact at our last marina as the prevailing gale blew all who tried to manouvre at the wrong time into the bankside adjacent to the moorings

 

I have not found any used on ebay but there were lots of new ones when I last looked from £900 to £1400 depending on size/power

 

Regards Ray

Do you go swimming to fit the prop?

[bag 'o' bones]

^{In my opinion bow thrusters are one of those nice to have but not necessary gadgets. Although I can certainly see there worth if you have a longer boat and do a lot of single handed boating.}

 

^{The only thing that puts me off though is the electric versions reliability doesn't seem to be reflected in their cost!}

 

^{As others have said hydraulic seems to be the system to go for.}