Bow Thruster Guidance

[ranworthbreeze]

Bow thrusters  are great when you need one to fight currents pulling you to or from a mooring, they are good at helping with stern moorings. They are power hungry and draw around 200 amp plus dependant on the models fitted. We advise all of our owners to only use for a few seconds at a time. 

As already stated the new models do have overheating safeguards built into them. 

Regards

Alan

[Palmtree]

We have bow and stern thrusters fitted to our twin engined boat (not a boat designed for the Broads slow speeds, so not fitted with large rudders). These have transformed the boat handling at slow speeds. Some people will say they are not required on a twin as you can move sideways anyhow. 

So side wind pushing you off the mooring, no tide to help, don't want to hit neighbouring boat, one engine forward one engine back, rudder over just enough, adjust engine speeds to keep position while also checking around you and keeping whoever is going to tie up the ropes safe. Gust of wind, readjust controls, reach mooring person off with ropes, another gust engines again......

or

Approach the mooring a few feet out, move the mouse sideways on the dashboard, boat goes sideways, mooring person off, gust of wind adjust stern or bow as appropriate.

So take your choice.

 

 

[MauriceMynah]

My choice? Sit in pub and wait for wind to drop. (though that might be the reason I can't afford to have a bow thruster fitted. :-) )

[Broads01]

Back home now after my first bow thruster-equipped hire and I found them really useful. They're an excellent back up tool in certain situations and really helpful when I'd hoped they would be. Most handy thing I found was for stern moorings where I found a little dab of thrust was the best way to straighten the boat to a 90 degree angle (as opposed to the rudder hard over, burst of forward throttle method I'm more used to). 

[DAVIDH]

I think the desirability of bow thrusters if you are sailing solo, or indeed effectively solo cannot be overplayed. My next hire is aboard Silver Symphony, a boat we have had before and with thrusters. I feel much more assured knowing I can call on these if needed. When mooring, they are as useful as a second crew member. 

[SwanR]

11 hours ago, Broads01 said:

Back home now after my first bow thruster-equipped hire and I found them really useful. They're an excellent back up tool in certain situations and really helpful when I'd hoped they would be. Most handy thing I found was for stern moorings where I found a little dab of thrust was the best way to straighten the boat to a 90 degree angle (as opposed to the rudder hard over, burst of forward throttle method I'm more used to). 

Couldn’t agree more. I think that you are spot on there. There is only ever two of us on board so we don’t have spare hands around to step off with ropes and get us into or out of a mooring. I’m at the helm, hubby does the ropes, and bow thrusters give us that reassurance that I can keep one end of the boat against the bank. Also it is that bit easier to correct the steering when reversing into a stern on mooring. 

We had our first hire without them last year. It was ok but we needed more help from other people around us. My preference would always be to hire a boat that has them!

[wavylittleboat]

Please don't laugh 'cos we are both pensioners but our little Safari has bow thrusters

[Wyndham]

2 hours ago, wavylittleboat said:

Please don't laugh 'cos we are both pensioners but our little Safari has bow thrusters

Come on Wavy, don't go playing the pensioner card as an excuse.

We'd love one, really, but then again what's the worst that can happen without one,.......you look stupid,.......we look stupid anyway.

[wavylittleboat]

We have trouble mooring stern on, he who must be obeyed does the driving, while I do the jumping out bit. Whenever we go back to our yard, they all come out to watch because we get in such a muddle, but it is funny, we don't hit other boats though because we are on an end. Keeps everyone amused??

[quo vadis]

you should see Denzil land

[MauriceMynah]

11 hours ago, wavylittleboat said:

Please don't laugh 'cos we are both pensioners but our little Safari has bow thrusters

Even the best helmsman (other genders are available) can slip up, and it's yet another example where size doesn't matter (Other genders might disagree). I've messed up even when playing with my little dinghy (Other genders.. Behave yourselves).

If someone finds a bow thruster useful, then great. Yes there are some who claim they never need them, but such bravado merely sets them up for a lot egg on face when they eventually 'get it wrong'.

If bow thrusters reduce impacts, then long live bow thrusters and those not too proud to use them .

[Wussername]

 

However people need to know how to use them, when to use them, where to use them and where not to use them.

Oh! And how to handle the boat when conditions are such that you are unable to use them.

[MauriceMynah]

The Norfolk Broads is the place where most people learn to handle a boat, far more so than the Thames and possibly even the canals. They hire a boat as total novices, have a brief lesson and are let loose on a very crowded waterway. They learn as they go along. That is the way it is, and pretty much that is the way it has always been for as long as there have been hire craft on the Broads.

Go back far enough and you'll find that significant numbers  were hiring and learning on boats with flappy things. Now there's a frightening thought!!!

The bow thruster is just another piece of kit that the novice will learn how to use as his holiday progresses. It's all part of the fun. If yards start increasing the amount of tutorage for the novice (something many clamour for) it will become boring for the new hirer who may or may not be listening anyway.

No! That's not the Broads. Boating on the Broads is fun. May it stay that way.

There are things that the hire yards can do to lessen boat to boat damage, the introduction of bow thrusters is one. Personally, I'd also remove metal headed boat hooks too, replacing them with plastic headed ones and an extra mop. Advising customers to use mops to fend off when required could save quite a bit of accidental damage.

 

[vanessan]

1 hour ago, MauriceMynah said:

I'd also remove metal headed boat hooks too, replacing them with plastic headed ones and an extra mop. Advising customers to use mops to fend off when required could save quite a bit of accidental damage.

What a great idea. I’ve even come across private boat owners who fend off other boats with a boat hook.