stern thruster

[TOB]

does anyone,or has anyone seen a stern thruster on a duffy boat, Im curious,,I know they have them for the bow,i just never saw one for the stern, if so, who makes them? or installs them? THANK YOU

 

[F/V First Team]

you have 3 options
1) external thruster
2) retracting thruster
3) jet thruster

I'll install one for you

 

[TOB]

Ok thanks,F/V First Team, i havent actually seen one on a boat or pics of one i just heard there out there, do you have any pictures of what they look like on the boat ? in reference to the 3 options,? thank you

 

[F/V First Team]

External type:

Retractable type:

Jet type:

 

[F/V First Team]

little better detail on the retracting one

 

[TOB]

Ok well thats great information, now i have something to look at, i need to get a visual of on on a boat, and see what would be the best for my boat, i had no idea there were 3 types , thank you very much for the information

 

[F/V First Team]

But why do we need a stern thruster? Why not just use the prop to walk it into areas?

 

[TOB]

im just knocking around ideas,and things i may want to have put into my boat,or may not want, Im just seeing whats out there, thank you for the information,

 

[BillD]

little better detail on the retracting one

[/QUOT
How's the "mean time to failure rates" on these units??

 

[F/V First Team]

As long as you aren't engaging the delivery system to level up your boat on the trailer or on blocks in the yard I think they hold up pretty well. The majority of the time they are tucked back up inside after all.

 

[8943post]

When we built our Duffy 33 I was offered the option of adding thrusters. I figured they're just another maintenance item and also add weight to the boat.

We previously owned twin-engine boats where docking was simply done with the gears. Needless to say my first few weeks with the single engine Duffy were comical when it came to putting the boat into either of our slips. With some practice and added time on the boat I;m starting to figure it out and like the fact that I didn't spend the extra money for a thruster.

 

[TOB]

yes thats my biggest fear, all my boats befor were twin engines, and that makes it alot easier to dock,,Im definately going with the bow thruster no matter what, i fish alot of tournaments and some of the marinas in nj ,the current flows very fast, and even with the twin engines ,sometimes it take a few turns,

 

[BillD]

When we built our Duffy 33 I was offered the option of adding thrusters. I figured they're just another maintenance item and also add weight to the boat.

We previously owned twin-engine boats where docking was simply done with the gears. Needless to say my first few weeks with the single engine Duffy were comical when it came to putting the boat into either of our slips. With some practice and added time on the boat I;m starting to figure it out and like the fact that I didn't spend the extra money for a thruster.

I WILL install a bow thruster !

 

[8943post]

you'll find the deep keel and lower profile without a flybridge helps a lot. At this point I'm glad i spent the $$ on a nice Furuno setup and not a thruster, but to each their own.

 

[CEShawn]

I think if you have current in your slip a thruster is a great idea. On my 40ft HH no problem she stayed where you put her.

Turn to my gm26 and tried a slip on the river last year. The slip was just off parralel and was ugly to dock with the tide. That tide would grab the keel as you tried to slow down for the approach. That was bass river by the bridge. Almost wonder if a thruster would have cut it though.

 

[pjitty]

Had problems docking my boat with a single engine, docks in New York are tight. I could get the stern of the boat any where I needed but with a little wind and current I hd no control over the Bow. I installed a Bow Thruster, and took a little ribbing from the guys at the dock, but I can dock this boat on a Dime, Best money I ever spent...

Joe D

 

[TOB]

yes ,,lol thats what i was thinking as well, hell i have seen bow thruster on a few sportfish boats with twin engines,, every little bit helps, and what i was thinking about this will be my first down east boat, im sure the current can grab that keel at times ,and make things hairy,, I dont really give a dam about what the guys on the dock say, im concerned about doing damage to my boat or someone elses, it can happen that quick, If you travel to different marinas ,like i do fishing tournaments and just visitting different places, you will run into places where the current roars,and you need to be ready, i would say most people who have these boats use them commercialy,,,they go in and out of the same spot all the time,, that makes a difference,

 

[CEShawn]

I was looking back in 2002, I do not remember the size but think it was like $5-6K total job. I've heard install prices have come down? ? ?

I always think its funny to see a GW26 or so with twins and a bow thruster but I can tell you its another tool and probably saved many a gelcoat scratch.

 

[pjitty]

I installed mine myself. I bought the Lewmar 185T, my boat is 25'. At the time I think I spent around $1500.00. I cut the floor in my cabin, cut the holes for the tunnel, Epoxied everything in, and ran the wires. The whole install took 2 1/2 days...

Joe D

 

[CEShawn]

Sweet, definitely saved some money there. How many horsepower was that?