Bow thruster

[FootballFan]

Not sure I can visualize the impact of a bow thruster on a side tie. Except maybe when the wind is pushing you into the dock and you are wanting to use the thruster to keep from the wind pushing you into the dock too aggressively.

If you have the wind pushing you away from the dock, you don't need 90 degrees. Bow in at a decent angle, float speed based on windage, but 1-2 knots. Let the bow come all the way in, then reverse the outer engine. Let the forward motion of the boat (which is now turned, floating at an angle) carry you up against the dock. If you overcorrect with the outer engine, use the inner engine to push your stern in.

You didn't mention current, if that is a factor or not. Current will impact your stern more than your bow.

Don't take any of my comments as anti-thruster. Thrusters are nice to have.

 

[b_arrington]

A bow thruster will save your marriage!

Absolutely.
I'm absolutely loving the thrusters on my single engine boat. My wife has a disability that can limit her mobility and make her unsteady; anything I can do to be SURE the boat is tight to the dock and reduce the gap she has to step over is most welcome. Thrusters do that. With a fixed shaft it would be quite a challenge to use my slip without them. Backing into my side-tie slip in a south wind would put me into my neighbor. I also have a shallow area right in front; the thruster lets me exit the slip, pivot to avoid both the shallows and the nearby moored boats.

I've never subscribed to the idea that thrusters are for "wimps". I saw it as a tool to make maneuvering simpler and more precise. Does it require less skill than using engine thrust? Absolutely. Does it diminish the enjoyment of using a boat? Not for most people, but it makes them more likely to use it and go out when returning would otherwise be quite difficult and stressful.

Yesterday I was rafted with some family. We left to take the kids tubing on our boat and they held on to our dinghy. We came back so the kids could take the dinghy then all go back to the slip. I didn't want to tie up when they just had to step off the swim platform and also didn't want to put out fenders. I pulled up even with their boat then used the thrusters to move sideways about 6 feet. Stopped a few inches away, the kids stepped off, and we moved back the other way. Did I need thrusters for that? No, but it make the operation easy peazey and reduced both my stress and workload.

 

[FootballFan]

My comments above were directed at a side tie at a t head, or parallel dock. My approach would not work in the scenario of backing into a slip, then tieing on one side of the boat. I look at that still as a stern in situation.

 

[JVM225]

Not sure I can visualize the impact of a bow thruster on a side tie. Except maybe when the wind is pushing you into the dock and you are wanting to use the thruster to keep from the wind pushing you into the dock too aggressively.

If you have the wind pushing you away from the dock, you don't need 90 degrees. Bow in at a decent angle, float speed based on windage, but 1-2 knots. Let the bow come all the way in, then reverse the outer engine. Let the forward motion of the boat (which is now turned, floating at an angle) carry you up against the dock. If you overcorrect with the outer engine, use the inner engine to push your stern in.

You didn't mention current, if that is a factor or not. Current will impact your stern more than your bow.

Don't take any of my comments as anti-thruster. Thrusters are nice to have.

That’s pretty much my routine on a normal day or when the east winds are fairly light. But when those winds are really blowing and I’m trying to get 45 1/2’ of boat (anchor to back edge of platform) sideways in to a 50’ recessed space the thruster comes in real handy.
I’m recessed about 3 feet so there is bulkhead behind me and in front of me.
Going too far back puts my platform in to a bulkhead. There is also an old piece of junk houseboat in front of me so not much room to maneuver forward without my anchor penetrating that thing.
Would be a lot easier if I weren’t recessed and were able to have a little more wiggle room, but if my Aunt had balls she’d be my Uncle.
Could I do it without the thruster? Sure. Especially if I’m not single handing it. But the thruster makes life a lot easier.

 

[susanandlance]

My comments above were directed at a side tie at a t head, or parallel dock. My approach would not work in the scenario of backing into a slip, then tieing on one side of the boat. I look at that still as a stern in situation.

It wouldn't work in my parallel slip either..... All parallel slips are not equal, everything seems similar but is different, especially if you don't have diesels that react totally better to inputs.....

 

[susanandlance]

I’m lucky in that the prevalent wind around here is out of the west/southwest. When the wind is blowing from that direction I have no need for the thruster at all. In fact, I often just get close and then let the wind push me against the bulkhead.
By the time I get from the helm to the swim platform I can step off and secure my lines.
But when it moves around to coming out of the east it’s usually a bad one that is blowing pretty good and hitting me broadside as I try to move sideways in to my dock.
My canal runs north and south with the Bay at the south end. My dock is on the east side and we all dock with the bows facing the Bay.
Coming in at 90 degrees isn’t usually an option because of the boats on the opposite side of the canal.
Most often, I have to pass my dock and turn around a little further up where there are smaller boats tied alongside the bulkhead then come back down to my slip.
That’s where the thruster comes in handy.
Could I get in without it with the wind coming out of the east? Sure! Would it be a PIA and require a lot more maneuvers and stress? Absolutely!

Ditto...