[vista sun]

I want to install a thruster in my boat. Any one ever try this?

[NYCAP123]

Originally Posted by vista sun

I want to install a thruster in my boat. Any one ever try this?

You can put a thruster on almost anything. Kind of a waste on a 35 though. You'd be better off with some docking lessons. Unless it's 80'+ or a single screw I hate hearing a thruster.

[vista sun]

ture it may be.... but think of the cool factor.... and i do have a tight quick manuver in my slip... or i think it is...will be... have not parked it yet. just thinking of what it will be like if i get in to trouble.... but if i were parking next to you, it good to know i can just say " it ok.. i will get the hang of this my the end of summer, sorry about that "

[NYCAP123]

Originally Posted by vista sun

ture it may be.... but think of the cool factor.... and i do have a tight quick manuver in my slip... or i think it is...will be... have not parked it yet. just thinking of what it will be like if i get in to trouble.... but if i were parking next to you, it good to know i can just say " it ok.. i will get the hang of this my the end of summer, sorry about that "

When I teach I do not let my students use the thruster. It's there for emergencies (high wind, currents). If I hear a thruster cranking on a 35 footer I think "here comes an amateur". That's no "cool factor". It kind of goes with the wife standing on the bow with a boathook in hand. You have 2 motors. That's all you need to put that boat anwhere you want if you learn how to do it and practice. Take that $10K and spend it on cruising or on filling the boat with babes. Now that's cool.

[Capt J]

Originally Posted by NYCAP123

You can put a thruster on almost anything. Kind of a waste on a 35 though. You'd be better off with some docking lessons. Unless it's 80'+ or a single screw I hate hearing a thruster.

I tend to agree here, but Carver's have a lot of windage and kind of get blown around like a kite. But, for the money involved you are better off practicing on how to manuever and learn how to work a spring line. Without a bow thruster, a spring line is your best friend and comes in extremely handy in high winds or currents.

[VikHatBer]

Originally Posted by NYCAP123

You can put a thruster on almost anything. Kind of a waste on a 35 though. You'd be better off with some docking lessons. Unless it's 80'+ or a single screw I hate hearing a thruster.

HA, for a 35 footer... Definitely a "0" on the cool factor. I'm surprised it wasn't a Sea Ray guy.

[Pascal]

i agree, i dont see what's "cool" about loudly showing the world that you need to use thruster to "park" a 35 footer...

as to the safety factor, well, the only time I was hit was by a guy using his BT...

three big drawbacks.
cost (get ready for sitcker shock)
more systems to worry about (extra batteries, wiring, charger, etc...)
electrics have a nasty habit to call it a day when you need them the most (electrics have a thermal shutdown which can get triggered in as little as 20 to 30seconds)

unless you dock in really tight and dangerous situation, you dont' need it.

a spring line works much better than the grinders...

[NYCAP123]

electrics have a nasty habit to call it a day when you need them the most (electrics have a thermal shutdown which can get triggered in as little as 20 to 30seconds)

This bore repeating because if you regularly use your thruster it's a safe bet that, when you really need it, it won't be there. Seen that way, way too often. Face it, there is no substitute for developing skill.

[vista sun]

alright, i found a person that will give me parking lesson, as i am not sure what a spring rope is? i will let ya know how it goes, but just in case i do have my ins all paid in full.

[NYCAP123]

Originally Posted by vista sun

alright, i found a person that will give me parking lesson, as i am not sure what a spring rope is? i will let ya know how it goes, but just in case i do have my ins all paid in full.

You'll be happy you did it. Do us all one favor though. PLEASE, stop with the "parking". It's like fingernails on a chalk board. You "park" a car, you "dock" a boat. While we're at it, when you put those white things out on your sides they're "fenders". We don't "bump" boats. Good luck and welcome to the boating community. Oh yeah, one more little thing. Once a rope comes on board it becomes a line. Lots to learn, eh. You'll get it .

[Pascal]

we've all been there at some point, learning.

first thing to do is buy yourself chapman's Piloting, it's the bible of boating! you will learn all these things so that all of us old salts (well, them old salts, I'm just 47...) dont' cringe when reading worst like parking, bumpers, ropes, bathroom, beadroom, kitchen, etc... :-)

seriously, get the book, available at Worst Marine and co... you will learn a lot.

[Capt J]

Originally Posted by Pascal

we've all been there at some point, learning.

first thing to do is buy yourself chapman's Piloting, it's the bible of boating! you will learn all these things so that all of us old salts (well, them old salts, I'm just 47...) dont' cringe when reading worst like parking, bumpers, ropes, bathroom, beadroom, kitchen, etc... :-)

seriously, get the book, available at Worst Marine and co... you will learn a lot.

What about the septic tank? hehehe.........

[NYCAP123]

A few years back I was cruising with an owner I'd been teaching for awhile. Day by day he'd pick up bits of the language although he'd usually try to figure it out through context so as not to feel foolish (which he wasn't). On this particular day we were turning around up near Providence when I said "check out the Russian sub". After a few moments of having a quizzical look on his face he said " OK, I give up. I can usually figure out what you're referring to, but what is a Russian sub?" So I said "the thing over there with the red star on its conning tower". Boy did he feel foolish.

[VikHatBer]

It's fun to laugh out loud after a long and difficult day.

Remember, the 'pointy' end is the bow....

And you don't have to put your motors in 'park' before you shut down.

Please, have a good buddy show you how to dock. It is fun and will fill you with pride and accomplishment. There is nothing more pathetic than a bow thruster on a small, twin engine craft.

[K1W1]

Hi,

Get the bow thruster, try to manoeuvre the boat without it and use it only when you really need to, enjoy your boating experience and don't be put off by negative comments. It is after all what the Captain ( Driver) feels comfortable with that is the underlying foundation to any manoeuvre.