Dock like a pro with thrusters
Careful!
These audio interviews are candid conversations with highly experienced staff from our shop—people who have worked on boats for years. However, the content of these interviews does not imply any particular result on your boat nor extend our warranty in any way. Please contact us directly for specific project questions or bring your boat to the yard for a consultation.
Listen to “Dock like a pro with thrusters” now.
Thrusters can take the pain out of squeezing into a slip or let you handle a solo launch with remote control. Leif Erickson discusses key issues in thruster selection and installation.
Why install thrusters?
Anyone who has tried to get into a slip with a side wind blowing has probably wished for thrusters. On smaller boats with a single screw, it makes up for the disadvantage of not having two propellers to move the stern around. For solo launches, a remote control makes it a snap to undo bow and stern lines while keeping the boat against the finger pier. Electrical units are available for 30-50 foot boats; hydraulic power is usually reccomended for larger vessels.
How will it affect my hull?
Hull structures—whether steel, aluminum or fiberglass—must be reinforced during installation. We have to position the tubes so as not to compete with cabin space and to get proper placement: first, to get the right depth to avoid cavitation (sucking air); second, the best fore/aft position to get the right amount of leverage. Bow thrusters aren’t usually a problem, but space issues can be a challenge in the stern where there isn’t as much vee.
Electric or hydraulic?
Hydraulic systems are preferred, especially on larger boats, because they have more power and don’t heat up like electrical thrusters do. Electrical thrusters are an option for smaller boats that don’t have an existing hydraulic system. The installation will put dedicated batteries as close to the thruster as possible to reduce cabling and prevent voltage drop. Long cable runs can use a hybrid 12V/24V system using two batteries at the thruster.