southern boating

Docking is by far the most intimidating part of boating. Ask any

boater and they’ll tell you that it’s not weather, grounding or even a

man overboard situation that keeps them up at night, but rather a

safe landing at the dock, especially if there’s an audience. Bow and

stern thrusters have come to the rescue as these marine propulsion

units have proliferated on boats of all sizes, from superyachts to

tenders. Today, the telltale roar of a boat pushing sideways toward

a dock is heard in marinas worldwide and even with the advent of

pod drives with directional thrust coming from the engines, bow

thrusters still save the day in many situations.

Whether you already have thrusters, want to add them or think it’s

time to update or replace them, here’s how the world of pushing a

yacht sideways is changing.

What’s new

There are many manufacturers of marine thrusters including

Side-Power, ABT-TRAC, Wesmar, C Marine, Max Power, VETUS,

Lewmar and others. Thrusters may be either AC, DC or hydraulic

(for larger vessels) and approximately 60 percent of them are

installed by boat builders on new models while 40 percent are

aftermarket additions. As all marine equipment, they are an evolving

technology with innovation driven by boater convenience and

expectations.

• Proportional control—Proportional DC thrusters popped on
  the scene about fi ve years ago. Unlike traditional on/off switches,
  proportional thrusters add power the more the toggle is moved.
  “You only apply the power you need,” says Peter Nolet, product
  manager at Imtra Corporation, sole U.S. distributor of Side-Power
  thrusters. “The benefi t is smoother control, longer run time and
  limited heat generation.”


• Quieter operation—The noise heard around the marina
  is less the motor and more the cavitation of the propeller. It’s a
  sound most boaters would like to limit. One manufacturer, C
  Marine, touts quieter operation by design with a seven-bladed
  propeller. Bob Sentz, vice president of Wesmar’s mechanical
  division, advises that to minimize cavitation, thrusters must be

PROPULSION

2016 ANNUAL HAUL OUT GUIDE 66 • SOUTHERNBOATING.COM • MARCH 2016

Thunder from Down Under

Marine thrusters to the rescue