External bow thruster reviews - yacht thruster?

I think side shift will be great for catching all kinds of floating debris. Guess what happens when you hit a log?

There are number of places to choose more cost efficient solution, but quite often the rule "what you pay is what you get" applies. I personally would only opted for conventional (tunnel) solution. Have one and love it. Use it all the time.

Regarding performance, I've upgrade my 3 blades prop to 5 blades. Better thrust and quitter. However, when it blows over 25-30kts you better not count on the BT to save the day. Everything has limitation, so in extreme conditions, spinning "big wheel" fast is the only way to make it happen.
 
Xplicitlnck said:
There's a few in my marina with them. Mechanically I have no idea how good they are but cosmetically it doesn't do it for me at all..
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Personally I think it totally ruins the lines of any boat it is on. No offence to anyone that may have already installed one, but they look like something someone would add to a 1989 Bayliner Avanti with a 6 inch list, faded blue gelcoat, a bent bow rail, and duct tape covering holes in the seats and a couple spots on the canvas (but other than that, the canvas is in great shape and should last at least another season).
 
You guys reminded me. I took two pictures of external thrusters in my area. http://s870.photobucket.com/user/xp.../20151220_162715_zpseaaigarn.jpg.html?filters[user]=105333758&filters[recent]=1&sort=1&o=0 (first two)
The first is just like wtf were you thinking. The second is actually a very clean install but again he needed to cut some part of his hull
(Sorry about clarity the boat is on somebody's property and I didn't want to trespass)
 
Xplicitlnck said:
You guys reminded me. I took two pictures of external thrusters in my area. http://s870.photobucket.com/user/xp.../20151220_162715_zpseaaigarn.jpg.html?filters[user]=105333758&filters[recent]=1&sort=1&o=0 (first two)
The first is just like wtf were you thinking. The second is actually a very clean install but again he needed to cut some part of his hull
(Sorry about clarity the boat is on somebody's property and I didn't want to trespass)
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Thank you very much for that. The photo with the black bottom paint is the YachtThruster brand. Not sure what the other one is. In the water, at idle, the YachtThruster is invisible. I agree that out of the water - on plane or on the hard it doesn't add anything aesthetically. However, it is half the price of an equal size tunnel version.

Given the age of our 400DB I don't know that we can justify spending 10-15% of the boat's value on a tunnel system. Love to have it, but like the synthetic teak products - hard to justify in a boat at our price point.


Still trying to find some operational experience on the YachtThruster - good or bad! They've been around a long time and installed quite a few it appears.

Thanks again for the input!
 
Our sideshift unit works great. I bought it a couple years ago during a Black Friday sale they were having and picked it up for $2800. It was another few hundred for the two grp 31 AGMs and cables. I too was having a tough time justifying the 8k on a tunnel thruster. And I had a sideshift on my 260 prior to my 360 and had great luck. So I went for it. It's an easy clean install. The unit is very durable. I have hit trees, branches, very choppy waters at over 25knots, a sea turtle, etc and it has been solid. No issues except with some of the mounting hardware. They give you three bolts that go through your hull. The main fastening bolt is fine but the smaller bolts that mount lower on the hull are the epoxy in place type bolts. They do this because rarely do you have access to bolts from inside the boat. I certainly didn't. Mine loosened up after a couple months. So I used fish wire and a regular bolt and pulled them through. I then dremeled a slot on the end of the bolt so I could use a screwdriver to stop it from spinning while I torqued the lock nut. It's been solid for two seasons now.
I have the 5hp unit. It works well for my 18k lb boat but I would get the largest 7.5hp unit if I had any bigger. In a really stiff wind mine does not move it as quickly as I would like sometimes but gets the job done.


I am not a fan of the looks but when people are really looking at your boat, you are at rest or not on plane, and you can't really see anything. It was worth it to me, plus I enjoy installing upgrades on my boat.
 
craigswardmtb said:
Our sideshift unit works great. I bought it a couple years ago during a Black Friday sale they were having and picked it up for $2800. It was another few hundred for the two grp 31 AGMs and cables. I too was having a tough time justifying the 8k on a tunnel thruster. And I had a sideshift on my 260 prior to my 360 and had great luck. So I went for it. It's an easy clean install. The unit is very durable. I have hit trees, branches, very choppy waters at over 25knots, a sea turtle, etc and it has been solid. No issues except with some of the mounting hardware. They give you three bolts that go through your hull. The main fastening bolt is fine but the smaller bolts that mount lower on the hull are the epoxy in place type bolts. They do this because rarely do you have access to bolts from inside the boat. I certainly didn't. Mine loosened up after a couple months. So I used fish wire and a regular bolt and pulled them through. I then dremeled a slot on the end of the bolt so I could use a screwdriver to stop it from spinning while I torqued the lock nut. It's been solid for two seasons now.
I have the 5hp unit. It works well for my 18k lb boat but I would get the largest 7.5hp unit if I had any bigger. In a really stiff wind mine does not move it as quickly as I would like sometimes but gets the job done.


I am not a fan of the looks but when people are really looking at your boat, you are at rest or not on plane, and you can't really see anything. It was worth it to me, plus I enjoy installing upgrades on my boat.
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Thank you very much! This was great information.

I hope you don't mind if I ask more questions as we proceed down this path.

I appreciate your help.
 
Craig, Nice post. Aviator, If you go this route please document the process, Thanks JC
 
I paid over $5500. for front and rear thrusters from Sideshift, and have had no end of problems with them. First of all, the salesman never told me that I had to install a second battery to run the thrusters, so the mechanic installed them without. He called the company before installation and was also never told there had to be a second battery. After countless problems and several hours spent trying to figure out the problem, the mechanic phoned Sideshift again and was then told there had to be a second battery. Then I had to spend another $600. for a second battery to be installed. The owner of Sideshift is very rude and does not care at all that his salesman did not tell us that we needed a second battery. He just pointed out a statement on a page in the manual that says you need a second battery. The manual was given to me AFTER I made the purchase, so what help does that do? I think the company has a right to inform people that they need to spend another $600. on top of the $5,500. to get the unit working. Shame on them for misleading the public and shame on the owner for not caring. After installing the second battery, they still do not work properly. I have to constantly turn off the battery and reset the fuses so the thruster will work. And you cannot run both at the same time, which they neglect to tell you, if you do, the power source shuts down and they are inoperable. I highly recommend NOT purchasing this unit, unless you want a ton of headaches.
 
Personally, I'd wouldn't buy a boat with externally mounted thrusters installed. I'm just not a fan.
 
In response to Boat owner, our documentation clearly states that a dedicated battery is required for powering all our thruster products. We will always offer this advice at the time of sale! It appears that your installer did not follow the instructions included with the kit and available on our website. Both the bow and stern thruster will operate simultaneously when powered by properly charged and load tested batteries. A problem here would indicate insufficiently charged thruster batteries. Don't hesitate to have your installer contact us if further help is needed. - Sideshift Inc.
 

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Richie89 said:
i would go for the tunnel mount bow thruster. i had florida bow thrusters install one on my last boat. i installed a side shift stern thruster on my current boat last year and am thrilled with it and it's quality and performance. would not want an external one on the bow tho
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Hi, what boat did you install the side shift stern thruster? And again you thought it was powerful in wind?
Thank you I'm looking at them.
 
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