Announcement

**Machog** · 06-25-2012, 02:59 PM

I've got a 4087 and would love a bow thruster, as you know they blow around like a leaf in the wind when docking. Any idea how much the unit costs? Couldn't see a price on the website.

Machog

**egbauman** · 06-25-2012, 07:24 PM

Machog wrote:
I've got a 4087 and would love a bow thruster, as you know they blow around like a leaf in the wind when docking. Any idea how much the unit costs? Couldn't see a price on the website.

Machog

Seems about $5-6k for the hardware. Not sure if this includes all the cabling and control stations, though. The good news is that installation is very inexpensive.

**Guest** · 06-25-2012, 10:35 PM

I have a retrofit dock on command system in my 4087. The bow installation is actually very simple. In the forward compartment is thruster itself, then batteries and 110 volt charger set up in the outboard compartment. It's clean and tidy and no mods necessary other than the tunnel of course.

I would imagine install and equipment north of 10 grand, but is a very nice addition to the boat. Lots of windage as said earlier. Don't cheap out. Do it right and you will get your investment back in time.

**egbauman** · 06-26-2012, 06:20 AM

J McCallum wrote:
I have a retrofit dock on command system in my 4087. The bow installation is actually very simple. In the forward compartment is thruster itself, then batteries and 110 volt charger set up in the outboard compartment. It's clean and tidy and no mods necessary other than the tunnel of course.

I would imagine install and equipment north of 10 grand, but is a very nice addition to the boat. Lots of windage as said earlier. Don't cheap out. Do it right and you will get your investment back in time.

John - I had a guy spec out a conventional tunnel thruster on my 4087 and said that it would require major woodwork under the front bunk to get the tunnel low enough such that it's below the waterline. Was this needed on your boat? Any chance you can send some photos of the install under the front bunk and the location of the battery and charger?

Thanks!

**Guest** · 06-26-2012, 09:53 AM

Somewhere in the Projects thread I put my installation of the Yacht Thruster bow thruster I had installed on my 3870. It was done in April, and I only wish I had done it earlier. It works great, no problems. The install is something that you can do yourself, if you trust yourself drilling holes in your hull. I had it done in Everett by Maverick Port. PM me if you want his number, as he is a dealer for Yacht Thruster. The whole package, including the install, was $6800. It can be done on a one day haul-out.

The only real concern I have with this package here in the PNW is the logs that are ever-present. However, because I tend to cruise at 8 Knots all the time, I am not too worried, and so far I have not had any problems. I did pay an extra $300 for the remote controller, so I have control from anywhere on the boat / dock. I have the 230, which requires 24V, but the install included a 12V-24V charger & two batteries, which are installed under the fwd stateroom bed. They are sealed type, to preclude venting problems.

All in all, I think that this is a good alternative to a standard "in-hull" thruster, and at about half the cost. With my enclosed fly-bridge, I have real windage problems docking when the afternoon 20 Kt. breeze blows in Everett. This thruster has made it much easier.

**Guest** · 06-26-2012, 01:20 PM

If she's for sale, don't invest more $$ into her, as your not going to get it back. I saw that same article, and thought it a good alternative to the Tunnel. Looks like it would work fine. Next time I'm in a yard I'll ask the managers if they've installed any yet, and will let you know what I learn.

**Guest** · 06-30-2012, 09:56 AM

egbauman wrote:
John - I had a guy spec out a conventional tunnel thruster on my 4087 and said that it would require major woodwork under the front bunk to get the tunnel low enough such that it's below the waterline. Was this needed on your boat? Any chance you can send some photos of the install under the front bunk and the location of the battery and charger?Thanks!

Sure. See the picture attached. The batteries and separate charger are in the next compartment aft.The thruster motor is mounted as far back in the compartment as it can be, with solenoid switch mounted on the side. Tunnel is difficult to see in the picture, but it is obviously right below the thruster motor.The thruster itself has been fairly low maintenance, but you are seeing a buildup of carbon in that compartment from the brushes - it may be time for a service.I would strongly suggest doing it right rather than an outside mount system. Look at ANY factory install - they do it this way rather than retrofit an outside of the hull motor, gear and drive. I appreciate the cost savings, but to me, there is only one way to do this.

http://baylinerownersclub.org/media/...0043.jpg[/img]

**Guest** · 06-30-2012, 11:10 AM

John, the thruster Evan is speaking about is a new invention/product designed to compete with the convential ones. You might start seeing them on new boats if anybody ever starts building them again. Time will tell.

**Guest** · 06-30-2012, 12:09 PM

We just had a fellow bring in a pump from a very old 40' (ish) boat for repair at our shop. Seems the pump pulls raw water, and "jets" it to one or the other of two bow (port starboard) fittings near the waterline, at the very front of the boat. I would think the controls would be on/off port, and on off starboard. Such a pump (his was power take off from the engine with a clutch being the on off) could also be used as an emergency bilge pump with another three way valve. Also could be used as a fire pump!

Being able to place the outlets further forward would help less power have more effect, but I imagine this system would have less overall thrust. Otherwise I would think this would be used over a conventional thruster. Might be a great alternate to having a football bolted to the front of the boat, or the ones bolted to the front of the boat from above (sideshift?)

Anyone have working experience with a pump based thruster system?

Cheers Steve

**Guest** · 06-30-2012, 01:22 PM

pika steve wrote:
We just had a fellow bring in a pump from a very old 40' (ish) boat for repair at our shop. Seems the pump pulls raw water, and "jets" it to one or the other of two bow (port starboard) fittings near the waterline, at the very front of the boat. I would think the controls would be on/off port, and on off starboard. Such a pump (his was power take off from the engine with a clutch being the on off) could also be used as an emergency bilge pump with another three way valve. Also could be used as a fire pump!

Being able to place the outlets further forward would help less power have more effect, but I imagine this system would have less overall thrust. Otherwise I would think this would be used over a conventional thruster. Might be a great alternate to having a football bolted to the front of the boat, or the ones bolted to the front of the boat from above (sideshift?)

Anyone have working experience with a pump based thruster system?

Cheers Steve

One of my fellow Club members has an olders (early 80's) SeaRay Trawler. It has a similar set of "water jets" to what you mension. Not very effective, but I'm sure in there day were state of the art. Solenoids open and close valves that allow for a jet of water on 4 points in the boat. Part of the problem was the direction of the thrust on the bow. The further forward, its push was more "up" than right or left, again because it came out of the hull, rather than a tunnel running perpendicular to the hull's line of travel.

As for the thruster. To me it is a cheap replication of the right way. You get what you pay for. You can only service that bolt on when the boat is out of the water, and given the need for seals etc, I can't imagine it is simple. I'm a traditionalist at heart and doubtful about the option.

**Pacrimrat** · 07-02-2012, 02:33 PM

pika steve wrote:
We just had a fellow bring in a pump from a very old 40' (ish) boat for repair at our shop. Seems the pump pulls raw water, and "jets" it to one or the other of two bow (port starboard) fittings near the waterline, at the very front of the boat. I would think the controls would be on/off port, and on off starboard. Such a pump (his was power take off from the engine with a clutch being the on off) could also be used as an emergency bilge pump with another three way valve. Also could be used as a fire pump!

Being able to place the outlets further forward would help less power have more effect, but I imagine this system would have less overall thrust. Otherwise I would think this would be used over a conventional thruster. Might be a great alternate to having a football bolted to the front of the boat, or the ones bolted to the front of the boat from above (sideshift?)

Anyone have working experience with a pump based thruster system?

Cheers Steve

I was watching these jet thruster for years. Waiting to get real in service information on them. The concept looked good.

But it looks like the company (Willdo) went out of business.

I have their brochure but don't see how I can attache a PDF file. Is it possible?.

**Guest** · 07-02-2012, 05:33 PM

Hello. That name does not ring a bell perhaps I should start a separate thread? Is this hijacking? With the correct caption on the thread, we might get folks that know about these things. The pump was a very simple bronze end suction pump. It needs to be below waterline to flood the suction. I really like the ease of install and ability to just route the discharge to the front of the boat. If hose size was a to routing, then two smaller hoses could do the job of sending water to a three way valve up front. Angle will reduce efficiency slightl for sure. So will the fact that this uses a small high pressure jet of water. A bigger propeller on a tunnel thruster is I am sure more efficient, but that's not to say that one of these might not work very well when a tunnel is out of the question. Both the side thrust and bolt on thrusters seem available to being damaged or plain ripped off in the pacific northwest.

Steve

**Pacrimrat** · 07-02-2012, 08:07 PM

Steve,

There's a company called Holland Marine that makes them.

HugeDomains.com

http://www.jetthrusters.com/

Willdo made smaller units and were located in Europe.

Chris

**baylineguy** · 07-05-2012, 04:03 PM

J McCallum wrote:
Sure. See the picture attached. The batteries and separate charger are in the next compartment aft.The thruster motor is mounted as far back in the compartment as it can be, with solenoid switch mounted on the side. Tunnel is difficult to see in the picture, but it is obviously right below the thruster motor.The thruster itself has been fairly low maintenance, but you are seeing a buildup of carbon in that compartment from the brushes - it may be time for a service.I would strongly suggest doing it right rather than an outside mount system. Look at ANY factory install - they do it this way rather than retrofit an outside of the hull motor, gear and drive. I appreciate the cost savings, but to me, there is only one way to do this.

http://baylinerownersclub.org/media/...0043.jpg[/img]

John, It appears from your picture that the thruster installer cut out a portion of the bottom of the storage area to install the tunnel low enough. There must be a void area between the hull and the bottom of the storage area. I think I can also see the edges of the piece that was cut out in the picture. Is that right?Thanks, Cliff3587 Bayliner,Port Orchard, WA

Announcement

Experience with bow thruster from Yacht Thruster company?-gctid394719

Experience with bow thruster from Yacht Thruster company?-gctid394719

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment