susanandlance
Well-Known Member
Hey Guys, Any of you had bow and or stern thruster installed and what kind of price for complete package? I found the ONLY 36 Sedan Bridge with no thrusters, gas engines, does it really need them? Thanks!!
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Frank; been a long time since I have signed on to this sight. I had a 400DA a few years back and your posts and experience helped me many a time.Lance,
Depends upon your boat, the ambient winds, your experience and your ability to handle the boat in changing conditions.
I've been running 40' to 60' boats in coastal waters for about 30 years, so I have some experience in variable wind/tide conditions. My own boat is a 450DA without a bow thruster and I have never considered adding one, but the 450DA is an unusual design for Sea Ray.....the center to center distance between shafts/props is unusually large and makes the boat a dream to operate in tight spots.
Would I automatically add a thruster to a new to me boat? No, I wouldn't consider spending the $15-$25K for a new thruster on a bot that is about 50% deprecated until I proved to myself that not having a thruster was limiting my ability to enjoy the boat.
Also, I asked this on another thread but perhaps you didn't see it..........have you decided where you are going to keep the new boat?
Frank
IMHO: If it will make you use your boat more and be more comfortable it’s worth it.
But diesels perform better than gas because all the torque. I know, I own a Chevrolet 6.6 Duramax and wouldn't trade it for the world!!I would lean on not. I rarely uses the thruster and when I do its to grab the lines at tie up after docking. I think you will be surprised how well these sedans maneuver without the need.
Maybe run her for a bit and judge for yourself before spending the money .. I would use the spend on the electronics upgrading .
Superwa, what sized thruster did you install i just started considering this and have been looking at the Lewmar 185TT 4HP possibly 5.4HPI barely use them, but love having them, especially when it gets windy. It’s a great backup when needed