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Bow Thruster on a small boat?

Discussion in 'Center Consoles, Tenders & Dinks' started by Norseman, Mar 2, 2026.

  1. Norseman

    Norseman Senior Member

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    Side Power?
    It is major player in the bow thruster business.
    Yes, there are some other firms that don’t drill holes.
    I am either/or., not in between.
  2. Norseman

    Norseman Senior Member

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    Yes, for hire and they offered a happy docking, for you my friend :cool:
  3. boatpoor

    boatpoor Senior Member

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    No, I'm familiar with Sidepower, this was Sideshift.
  4. Capt Ralph

    Capt Ralph Senior Member

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    Your teasing me again.
    !cid__17d0ac1403d4511e1961_.gif
  5. Norseman

    Norseman Senior Member

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    Starting to rethink the whole now thruster project as it will certainly void the 10 year structural warranty if the stringers are in the way and any modifications to those are performed.
    Probably not a good idea to use the bikini girls for ballast either.
    The best solution is probably to have Capt. Ralph dock the boat for me when the wind is howling and the birds are walking.
    Thx Capt. Ralph, drinks on me.:cool:
  6. Capt Ralph

    Capt Ralph Senior Member

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    I'm here to help brother.
    9593C93F-0CCB-45B9-8FD3-44D43693EE11.jpg
  7. Norseman

    Norseman Senior Member

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  8. Norseman

    Norseman Senior Member

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    Tool a few pics today.
    There is a narrow slit in the aft anchor locker bulkhead where I could jam my phone in a see the bilge of the bow area. Looks skinny and not enough meat to support a thruster, even a small one considering the boat could slam into waves and create several G’ shaking lose the motor and cracking the hull and any new support structure.
    (Not my problem of the installer signs for a lifetime structural warranty in lieu of the builders 10 year structural, 7 years remaining)
    Pictures:
    IMG_9460.jpeg
  9. Norseman

    Norseman Senior Member

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    Almost looks like a colonoscopy, unfinished and looks skinny IMG_9459.jpeg
  10. Norseman

    Norseman Senior Member

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    The foam on the above is insulation for the locker boxes to keep ice and fish cold I guess.
  11. Capt Ralph

    Capt Ralph Senior Member

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  12. Capt Ralph

    Capt Ralph Senior Member

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    I asked in post #24; Can you bow in or you must stern in to your slip?
  13. Norseman

    Norseman Senior Member

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    All lockers and the entire deck is molded, no access to the keel, any installation of a bow thruster means cutting fiberglass then installing service plates on both sides and reinforcing the entire bow seating area to support 3-4 fat bikini girls while slamming into head seas @ 30 knots.
    The contractor I am dealing with assured me all of the above would be no problem and included in the quote, but he may not know how skinny these Sea Hunt boats are made.
    (I purchased it for light duty only and have never been in the ocean, and I never anticipated a need for structural work such as a thruster installation)
    Any Naval Architects or Marine Engineers here who would like to chip in?

    2 highly regarded Bow Thruster companies assured me there would be no problem but seeing these pictures and knowing Sea Hunt is not a top tier builder I am having doubts..

    Attached Files:

  14. Norseman

    Norseman Senior Member

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    Sorry, thought I mentioned it before, Back in every time hence you lose the bow in a good breeze and if the wind is really blowing, you can’t turn 180 degrees, not enough room.o_O
    Last edited: Mar 5, 2026 at 5:37 PM
  15. Norseman

    Norseman Senior Member

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    I know the Captain Ron movie well and I inspected a similar boat, a Taiwanese 51’ ketch, I considered buying it to start a charter/dive business in the USVIs.
    (It belonged to the Manager at River Bend Marina in Fort Lauderdale back in the early 2000s)
    Lots of interior space, I almost got lost in the all the cabins, and it had a lazy Ford Lehman that would last forever.
    Decided to stay with wifey instead, decisions, decisions..o_O
  16. Capt Ralph

    Capt Ralph Senior Member

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    This is a marina rule or a preference of yours.

    Yes, I was at a dork head marina whee all was supposed to back in.
    In bad weather I bow'd in and flipped the dock/dork manager off.
  17. Capt Ralph

    Capt Ralph Senior Member

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    I believe a good decision.
  18. Norseman

    Norseman Senior Member

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    I never challenged the rule, guess I could but 90% of the time docking is good and fairly easy.
    A thruster would be for the other 10%.
  19. Capt Ralph

    Capt Ralph Senior Member

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    Ah, it is a rule to stern in?
  20. Capt Ralph

    Capt Ralph Senior Member

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    Is there an outside pile between your slip and the neighbor slip?