Where to place a bowthruster on FW 270 -02

Handymans342

Mark, they usually get all corroded up

MarkB

Even the new ones?

Handymans342

Well they would have to have some coating to prevent fouling

diggin2day1

I just watched one of the installation videos and it shows that you should prime and anti-foul paint it. Just wonder how much drag it would create while cruising. 

rasbury

Man, I would think a normal bump to the nose would just cave it in...does not seem to be enough meat there on a 270...and I would love to have it. As mentioned above, I got bandged up pretty bad but that was probably 35 mph cross winds we dealing with...it was awful and got worse that night..

TonyWalker

swede,  Welcome to the forum.  Could you write a paragraph or two about your boating, how often, how far for trips etc?  I am sure all of us here stateside and other places would enjoy what you could tell us about boating in Sweden.

 

Tony

Salt Shaker 342

swede

Mark B

Yes it looks intressting do you know the price for these dont look good but ok.

swede

The yachtthruster is not cheap around 4500 dollars

Bow thruster i can get for 1500 dollars if i do it my self.

Handymans342

Is Sweden a socialist country Swede?

swede

No

Handymans342

I heard it was. No offense. I love to learn about other countries.  

craigswardmtb

I have a sideshift unit on my 360.  It works well although I wish I went with their largest size offering.  In a heavy wind it helps but is not as effective as other tunnel thrusters I have used.  I agree I do not like the looks of it, however you don't see it when the boat is in the water.  Once on plane it is completely out of the water so drag is less than a regular tunnel thruster.  The thing is pretty darn durable.  My biggest complaint was they provide two bolts that get epoxied into you hull because 9 times out of 10 you won't have access to the head of a typical bolt.  These last 3 months for me before they loosened up.  I ditched them and bought standard stainless bolts.  I was able to fish them through the bow with some wire and pull them through.  I then dremeled a slot on the end of the bolt so I could hold it in place with a flat head while I tightened the nut down.  Now its sturdy as nails...  Other complaint is I don't think they did a good job painting it.  The antifouling flaked off the aluminum motor half way through the first season.  So I had to do a good job of prepping and painting it the next season.  All that being said it is an inexpensive do it yourself thruster that is easy to install and does help a lot in hairy situations.  In the beginning when I wasn't too experienced I used it a lot.  Now I barely use it aside from in nasty winds or to help with moving the bow around so the admiral can fasten lines on pilings.

MarkB

Swede yes $4500. But then you don't pay for all that fibreglass work and compromise the hull. If you are doing the fibreglass work yourself it will obviously be cheaper but you can't do anything about compromising the hull.

TonyWalker

https://sweden.se/p5/  The official website of Sweden.  Looks like a mighty pretty place to live and boat.

Michael T

We had a very lengthy discussion on this topic a while back. I have seen two bow thrusters installed.  For appearance I don't like external bow thrusters.  IMO they look stupid Am's make the boat look crappie.  To see an "internal"  bow thruster installed you may wish to google Hurst Marina, go to their service site and click on the video of a bow thruster installation. That's what I'd have done! I would think you could find an appropriate unit and someone to install it. 

swede

Now the work has started looks to be good.

TonyWalker

Beautiful work!  What is all that white stuff?

diggin2day1

It's like a locomotive that floats(noticed the tracks underneath... Sorry. Lol!!).... That's awesome, please post as many pictures(inside and out) as the work progresses... INQUIRING MINDS WANT TO KNOW!!!

Glassguy54

@TonyWalker, The white stuff that has you mystified is something that we in the northern latitudes call snow!Lol. And the native peoples that live even further north, nearer the Arctic Circle have perhaps dozens of words for the stuff, for example-
Kriplyana: snow that looks blue in the early morning.
Ontla: snow on objects.
Intla: snow that has drifted indoors.
Tlamo: snow that falls in large wet flakes.
Tlaslo: snow that falls slowly.
Kripya: snow that has melted and refrozen.
Tlun: snow sparkling with moonlight.
Fascinating, no? Makes you want to relocate from beautiful, warm, sunny, Florida doesn't it? My wife is in Sarasota at this very moment while I am in Iowa. It's a gal-pal thing, men not welcome. Brutal!!!

Michael T

Beautiful work,  so much better imo than one of those add on units! 

swede

Thanks. Yes much better than the addons units.

Its to cold here in sweden to do the plastic jobb yet maybe in middle of april .

Its have to be 15* c. just now its -1*c. More pitcures to come.

Michael T

Pictures would be great. BTW two of my friends had the front bow thrusters installed - like you are doing -  and both said the install completely changed their boating experience for the better -  best $$$ they ever spent! 

swede

Some pitcures offert the Work. 
The tunnel outside is painted 1time whith epoxyprimer maybe have sanding of a little so i can have smoother surfsce. Some says it doesnt ned to sanding it down.  Maybe the epoxyprimer hides more. What are you thinking? 


The Wall is modyfied shold be strong enough i think.  Its going to be painted white. 

aero3113

Looking good! I would sand down more for a smoother finish.

swede

Iam going sanding it a little for a smoother finish so i can be satisfied 

swede

Now its looks much better  and i am satisfied

aero3113

Yes!

jme097

Wow. Looks good. Any idea of when you plan on getting it finished for a launch?

swede

Maybe end of next week 

Michael T

@Swede, nicely feathered edges!