F26 Bow thruster

[foofer b]

... how to handle a single screw (sort of how married life is after 40 years) in varying conditions. ...back it into a slip with a minimum of hysterics.

Single screw? Is that per year? Hysterics? Are they related!!


KNow what you mean tho, after gaining some experience, I can actually spin my boat in place. Much more easily to port.

[summer storm]

I have run vessels up to 220 tons which were single screw and didn't have a bow thuster and all I can say is if you want one and can afford it go for it! Yes you can moor the boat with out it but you will be able to get into a tighter spot with it. As far as a thuster on a 26 footer, well it does not matter the size of the boat it is the size of the slip you are trying to get into. The 268 ton yacht I run now has a thuster and I can tell you this-

You can't steer with it. Max thust is when the boat is NOT moving. On this boat at 4 knots the thust effect is reduced by 50% at 7 knots it is reduced by 70%

It will be very hard to use a stern thuster while operating astern. I would guess you will loose 70% thust at 3 knots on a 26 footer.

I know I could put any single engine boat in any slip with out any problems and I would still won't mind a bow thuster, just like I don't mind power steering.

For the owners of single screw Trojans try this-

For the perfect 360

1. Turn the wheel hard to starboard and leave it there
2. Clutch forward, and blip the thottle. once the boat starts to turn-
3. Clutch reverse. Watch the bow, when the bow stops turning to starboard then clutch forward, and blip the thottle until the boat starts to move forward then clutch reverse.
4. Repeat until you complete the 360

If you do is correctly you should only be moving the engine controls and not the wheel.

I was thinking about putting a bow thuster on my 26, but my reasons are a little different. I thought it would be nice to have if I had to get someone else behind the wheel out of trouble. After looking into the install, price, and power requirements I decided to skip it.

[foofer b]

I nominate Summerstorm for Boater of the year for 2011. He has TWO TROJANS (and Had three) at one time.

[prowlersfish]

Kind of early for that.

[Jerry]

I nominate Summerstorm for Boater of the year for 2011. He has TWO TROJANS (and Had three) at one time.

I keep a bulk pak of Trojans on my Trojan.... Does that count?

[rbcool]

Or did you mean stickers?

[alexander38]

All you guys keep used Trojan's. I couldn't help myself.

[alexander38]

Edit double post

[alexander38]

All you guys keep used Trojan's. I couldn't help myself.