Bow Thruster

[mcos]

Has anyone installed a bow thruster on their Cape Dory Sailboat?
If so, any comments? Worthwhile endeavor or not so much?

[Russell]

Has anyone installed a bow thruster on their Cape Dory Sailboat?
If so, any comments? Worthwhile endeavor or not so much?

Troy Scott was planning to install one, you can search the message boards and find his post pretty easily. I would be very surprised if there were any others though. As for worthwhile, I imagine that would be a highly individual evaluation. There have certainly been many cases where I would have loved to have one, but i cant imagine ever giving up the space it requires (or the cost).

[moctrams]

This type is getting to be popular. Bot as much cutting.

http://www.hollandmarineparts.nl/jetthruster

[Neil Gordon]

Has anyone installed a bow thruster on their Cape Dory Sailboat?
If so, any comments? Worthwhile endeavor or not so much?

It's a personal decision. What exact problem are you trying to solve?

Our boats don't steer well in reverse and pretty much no matter what, the bow will blow downwind. Inconvenient at times but rarely dangerous.

[Steve Laume]

Having the bow blow down wind is also a big help at times. Raven and I look pretty snappy if I am backing out to the left with the wind just off the port side of the bow.

I recently discovered that if I want to hover alongside a boat that is at anchor or on a mooring it is far easier to come alongside with my bow down wind. You can sit there while occasionally idling in reverse. The boat is far more stable and you don't have nearly as big an overlap so if you do want to scoot away it is simply a matter of moving forward a bit. I can't believe it took me so long to figure this out.

There have been a couple of times when I have run out of room in a tight marina and just can't seem to get the bow to come around. A thruster would have been nice. Most of the time you can find a way to get the boat to do what you want. Sometimes you have to work around what the boat wants to do.

Unless money is not much of an issue it would seem like there would be a lot of other things to spend it on before you installed a thruster, Steve.

[karonoko]

Scotia came with a bow thruster, installed by a very exacting, engineer previous owner. I laughed at it......but I LOVE having it. On a CD27, no less, it has helped dock in a breeze or pinch. The downside is that he had to remove the water tank, which I replaced with a bag type of a smaller size since the thruster takes up some room. I get lots of funny looks when I swing around, but most admit they all want one!

[Russell]

Scotia came with a bow thruster, installed by a very exacting, engineer previous owner. I laughed at it......but I LOVE having it. On a CD27, no less, it has helped dock in a breeze or pinch. The downside is that he had to remove the water tank, which I replaced with a bag type of a smaller size since the thruster takes up some room. I get lots of funny looks when I swing around, but most admit they all want one!

Wow! On a 27!!

The other downside (other then the water tank) is if you cant nail a perfect docking every time on a 27' sailboat with a bowthruster, its really got to hurt the ego...

I will admit I used to be one of the snobby types who rolled their eyes at boats under 45 feet with bowthrusters, but really, it was jealousy. Docking is a pain, especially short handed, with cross breeze, current and full keels with fixed props. One bad mistake that has you ramming a million dollar boat could cost you more then the thruster that could have prevented it costs. Even on a small CD I can see the appeal of a thruster.

I still cannot see myself giving up the space for it, but I said the same thing about air conditioning 10 years ago...

[karonoko]

Yes - its hilarious on the one hand, and really great on the other hand! The loss of space was easily mitigated thanks to water bags these days. There is no turbulence from this thruster while underway - the PO was a genius.