Low buck bow thruster??

wildcard · #1 11-30-2006

I was thnking so I decided to ask here. Has anyone used a remote control electric trolling motor as a bow thruster? Im thinking it would be a great thing for close quarters maneuvering. Of course it would have to be kept coverd at the dock to avoid thousands of stupid comments.

ianhlnd · #2 11-30-2006

OK, here's your first stupid comment.

Do you have one of those plastic water filled anchors too?

Cruisingdad · #3 11-30-2006

Instead of the trolling motor, try "getting a wife", put her on the bow and let her tend the lines. Just think of marraige like an old boat: fun and exciting in the beginning but a lot of maintenance to keep it up!!!

(On second thought, maybe the the troller idea would be cheaper).

To answer your question, It would have to be one hell of a troller to push the bow of a sailing vessel. If you have a very small boat, maybe... but any boat of any size and displacement does not move really easy. Just my thoughts. I will say that my boat on a beam wind takes every ounce of energy I can muster (and often my wifes) to pull over the bow. A friend of mine with a high-end thruster on his taswell cannot get his to move in much more than about 12-15. My boat displaces about 25,000 lbs, I guess, with our junk on it (only 500 lbs without all our junk, HAHA).

sailingdog · #4 11-30-2006

Also, unlike a bass boat, which is what most trolling motors are designed for, a sailboat has a lot more underwater profile as a general rule.

k1vsk · #5 11-30-2006

I have seem this question asked before elsewhere - presumably by you?
Guess you didn't like those answers but suspect you'll get the same comments here, if not worse.

TrueBlue · #6 11-30-2006

Somehow, I just can't visualize an outboard/bow-thruster jury-rigged to my bow, considering the 5'-2" distance from toe rail to waterline.

Giulietta · #7 11-30-2006

Why not try a blender or a mixer?? While you're at it, prepare a few margarittas, to drink after docking!!!

Irwin32 · #8 11-30-2006

In theory it should work for a 30 footer, but why bother? It is a lot easier to put a bow line ashore and pull.

btrayfors · #9 11-30-2006

I think compressed air is the way to go, something like the air brakes on an 18-wheeler.

Small holes in the hull, big push, big bubbles, scare the hell outta the fish!

Also, with good air pressure you could hook up a real air horn, just to let folks know that the village idiot -- oops, marina idiot -- is trying his hand at docking....again :-)

Pamlicotraveler · #10 11-30-2006

I use a leaf blower on my boat. The engine is small, although a little loud, especially when submerging the blowing end in water to make the turns. The reason I use it instead of the trolling motor is that I have found it more useful in dead air. I can just blow in the sails and find that it moves the boat along rather nicely. It also works for cleanup in the cabin.