Is a Bow Thruster the answer to my problem?

[Sundancejoel]

I have a Grady White 33' Express with twin Yamaha 250 HP four strokes. I'm having a hard time parking my boat in my boat slip. When tied up in my slip, my boat faces 210 degrees, South/South West. When the wind is out of the West, Southwest, or South as I'm backing my boat up and trying to line up with my slip the wind usually pushes me around so that I either bang into the piling or it pushes me broadside against the pilings. The slip is about 13' 6" wide, and my beam is 11' 7" so I don't have a lot of room to spare.

I used to have a 32' Topaz with inboards that I could park on a dime, and this situation is causing me a lot of anguish. Are Bow Thrusters the answer to my prayers?

 

[magicalbill]

I have never operated an inboard, but have been informed on this site that twin OB's don't have the close-quarter maneuvering capabilities that inboards have..

I continue to practice with my 232 Gulfstream..I would advise the same, and while your learning and gettin it down, line your dockside with fenders to protect your gel and rubrail.

I don't know if you can get an aftermarket install on a bowthruster or not..If you can, I certainly would think it would help..
Good luck, I feel your pain everytime the wind screws with me too...

 

[ElyseM]

yes and no.

the thruster will definitely make your life easier, it does for me. however, the boat can be handled well without it in not so great conditions (mostly not by me though).

the guys in my marina can put my boat in its slip with significant adverse current and wind conditions (without the thruster) but they do this stuff regularly and will muscle the boat in.

i'm trying to dock without the thruster when i can (read: when those conditions aren't present) in order to reduce reliance, but the ease of using it wiggles into the process too much.

how long have you been at the helm of the 33? maybe it's just going to take a little longer to get used to it and learn how to line up your docking in the adverse wind conditions. i'm only on my boat this season and my handling capabilities are noticeably improved (as validated by the dockhands who said: "hey, you're getting better at this").

there are other guys with 33's that will probably chime in. good luck, ron

 

[Fishermanbb]

I had a 330 for three years without a thruster.....No issues. However, a thruster will make it a LOT easier. First though, try rolling up your side windows before you get into the marina. This will slow down your drift by reducing your "Sail" area - Makes a HUGE difference. Back against the wind as much as possible - If the wind is on your starboard quarter back port to starboard..Etc.

 

[rorkin]

While it is a bit scary.. If the wind or current is pushing you around, you need to remember that the boat only goes where you want it when you are applying power to the engines. If you are too timid. the wind and current are going to overpower the force of the engines and push you where it wants to .. It is always preferable to try to work against the wind or current where possible. But just like getting to Carnigie Hall, the
secret is practice.

 

[richie rich]

Sundance, one way to do it is to come into your slip area perpendicular to the far piling and stop the boat about 2/3rds past the piling or 1/3 short of the engines. .....engage your engine closest to the piling forward and the other in reverse...slowly...I let the rub rail touch the piling and pivot around it while backing into the slip and once your in, neutral the forward motor and finish backing in on one motor. It takes a little getting use to and it helps having someone stand on the side of the piling to fend it off if you're too quick ...just ease in and kiss it and use it to pivot. Even with a bracket I'm able to pivot in.

 

[Grog]

Ditto on that, use the piling. Just watch it when the wind pushes you into towrds the piling before you're in position. My old slip was about a foot wider than the boat (at the beam) and trying to back in straight with ANY kind of wind was a chore.

 

[grady23]

Inboards DEFINITELY back better than outboards. This is because the props are usually much further apart. Try tilting your motors up SLIGHTLY as to drive the water passed the stern when backing. Just don't get them so high that the props suck air. This helps some on my Gulfstream. Keep up the prcatice as others have said. It takes time with the big guys to settle them down.

 

[wrobinson]

I debated over whether or not to add the thruster on my 33 and finally did it. No matter what the conditions or how tight the space is, you never even break a sweat. The only downside is you feel like you are cheating.

Florida Bow Thruster did mine. 1-866-thruster

Good Luck

 

[townvet]

I had a single prop Gulfstream that was a bit of a chore to dock in current and wind (our slip lies on one of the strongest tides in N. America) and now with my new Canyon 336 with twins AND bow thruster...docking is a breeze. Yes I know the bow thruster is "cheating" but with me making the payments on the boat...I will cheat in order to keep her off the wood any day. I vote yes for bow thruster.

 

[BobP]

A 33 is a big boat, you should be able to stop it in position (not necessarily the one you want, but nonetheless boat is stopped), then because it is so big, not move off too fast, not fast enough to bang up things. If you are banging into things while in gear, you need to practice stopping the boat. Essentially, the boat is out of control when you can't stop it.

I'm not talking in gale force.

And you have two motors that you can direct thrust on, way more capable than single inboards, there are many large single inboards out there, not just twins.

Nothing wrong with pivoting about a piling at the point of contact once you stop the boat before it nails it, and you DON'T expect it to stop it under speed. Too many try to park their boats at the dock like they do their cars in the garage - in all the same motion. Forget that.

If it's gale force, may have to dock elsewhere until it blows over. After a few attempts, you will know if you can or not.

Just like drivers, some become profficient at parking, others never.