old boat new idea -bow thruster

[seafever]

I wonder if anyone has ever cut in a cross hull tunnel and put maybe a minkota in the tunnel as a bow thruster. No need to pivot, just forward / reverse for docking and slow cross wind trolling?
It would need to be above the wet line when planing but should work great.....:facepalm:

 

[Bondo]

Re: old boat new idea -bow thruster

I wonder if anyone has ever cut in a cross hull tunnel and put maybe a minkota in the tunnel as a bow thruster. No need to pivot, just forward / reverse for docking and slow cross wind trolling?
It would need to be above the wet line when planing but should work great.....:facepalm:

Ayuh,.... On an 18' boat,.... use yer paddle,...

 

[m casey stock]

Re: old boat new idea -bow thruster

I don't know anyone that has done it, but it does sound like a good idea. A remote control set up would be nice for a small runabout like mine that is hard to get in and out of with the closed bow without wading in the water to get in from the side. If I am not alone then I just climb in before we back down the ramp and just ride it out when coming back up the ramp, not a problem, but if I'm by myself it's more of an issue. I don't mind getting wet, but this time of year it's not too desirable. I think I even remember seeing something on one of the Saturday morning fishing shows that had a setup that you could control a troller with your smart phone.

 

[seafever]

Re: old boat new idea -bow thruster

Ayuh,.... On an 18' boat,.... use yer paddle,...

Boat is 1974 Silverline Antigua 18T she is 18 ft LOA beam =88 inches and depth = 40 inches at the helm. She catches a lot of wind when slow trolling with 7.5 Merc along a shoreline or weedbed. I thought a small bow thruster would eliminate a lot of wheel work trying to hold course. Then it would also be neat for docking or approaching a trailer in our high prairie winds. At planing speed the thruster and tunnel would be out ot the water thus no drag.
BONDO my paddle? You obviously never spent hours trying to fish in a prairie wind following a shoreline. And look at the boat then imagine trying to paddle her - she has a high square bow and helm is way forward no way you can paddle, especially if you are at the helm. My 1947 Stinson seaplane was easier to paddle than this boat.
A theory anyway.....
BTW still looing for a stern drive kicker mount.

 

[Bondo]

Re: old boat new idea -bow thruster

View attachment 220058
Boat is 1974 Silverline Antigua 18T she is 18 ft LOA beam =88 inches and depth = 40 inches at the helm. She catches a lot of wind when slow trolling with 7.5 Merc along a shoreline or weedbed. I thought a small bow thruster would eliminate a lot of wheel work trying to hold course. Then it would also be neat for docking or approaching a trailer in our high prairie winds. At planing speed the thruster and tunnel would be out ot the water thus no drag.
BONDO my paddle? You obviously never spent hours trying to fish in a prairie wind following a shoreline. And look at the boat then imagine trying to paddle her - she has a high square bow and helm is way forward no way you can paddle, especially if you are at the helm. My 1947 Stinson seaplane was easier to paddle than this boat.
A theory anyway.....
BTW still looing for a stern drive kicker mount.

Ayuh,.... My Starcraft Islander, with my home made semi-rigid bimini is quite a Sail to control in the wind here on Lake Ontario too,...

You'd probably do Better by ditchin' the tiny kicker, 'n usin' yer main driveline,...
My 4.3LX/ Alpha 1 will troll down to sub-1 mph, with the trim tabs deployed, especially when I toss out the over-sized drift socks,...
I just bump the motor up to 'bout 1000 rpms, 'n I have Full control of the barge, to a point, wind or no wind,...

Bow-thrusters are for Dockin', Big hulls,...
I truly doubt it'd work the way ya Think it would,...

 

[GWPSR]

Re: old boat new idea -bow thruster

If you're going to use a MinKota at the bow and want to be able to use it as a thruster, why not just bow-mount the trolling motor and use it in it's original configuration? You can swing it up and out when cruising, or turn it 90 degrees to aid in docking or for bursts to correct in wind.

 

[kfa4303]

Re: old boat new idea -bow thruster

There are through-hull bow thrusters on the big "white boats" (i.e. offshore yachts and fishing boats) down here in FL, but they cost more than your and my house combined :/ For such a small boat, I'd keep it simple and just use the motor as intended and/or get a push pole. They'll get you into/out of more spots than you can think of. Another option are the fancy GPS ipilot tolling motors which automatically keep you fixed on a wave point. They can even take you from point to point on autopilot. Best of all they're controlled from a little remote control/fob you wear around your neck.

 

[seafever]

Re: old boat new idea -bow thruster

Well it was a thought. The problem with a bow mount minnkota or what ever is the bow rail is so high out of the water I dont think an electric would even get wet.
As for trolling/fishing with the main engine, this is a 302 V-8 and the tank only holds about 16 gallons, plus it is very noisy. An expensive way to fish compared to the 7.5 hp merc.

 

[m casey stock]

Re: old boat new idea -bow thruster

The waypoint trollers are "way" cool LOL :facepalm: That would be my choice. Surely you could figure a way to mount it. To have something you could program and keep your hands free would be great.

 

[jbcurt00]

Re: old boat new idea -bow thruster

As for trolling/fishing with the main engine, this is a 302 V-8 and the tank only holds about 16 gallons, plus it is very noisy. An expensive way to fish compared to the 7.5 hp merc.

This is what leads many to be a 2 boat family. Very hard to have 1 perfect do all that I need/want boat.

Your bow area is pretty narrow, but you still might be able to mount a removeable trolling motor mount sideways & get a long leg (they even make a 50") motor. At least you won't have to remove a handrail or anything other then the horn to have as much area as possible to try & mount it.

 

[pckeen]

Re: old boat new idea -bow thruster

Impractical - the size of the propeller will mean that your hole has to be close to the keel, so the top of the prop will be out of the water, not to mention....where would the motor go, the shaft go, the controls go....what about the boat's structural integrity....removing the floor...replacing the foam underneath the floor. Sounds like a lot of work for no real benefit, when an $18 paddle would do just as well.

Interesting idea though.

 

[Scott Danforth]

Re: old boat new idea -bow thruster

oooh.... and then come up with a custom bracket........

sideshift has been doing the same concept for years


Sideshift Bow Thrusters and Stern Thrusters

 

[seafever]

Re: old boat new idea -bow thruster

There is what I like about this forum!!!! I never heard of the sideshifter before but instead of cutting a tunnel in the hull the lower unit of the minkota electric could be mounted on a bracket on the bow and the controls remoted to the helm station. My only fear with the external thruster would be hitting something like a subsurface rock or when beaching. Maybe another linear actuator to raise and lower the minkota power pod. Back to the drawing board, since I have a minkota with a busted shaft.
Yup kind of a McGiver DIY guy, I have a fair shop of tools including plasma cutter, MIG welder, oxy-acetylene, grinders, recipsaw, hydraulic porta power even a sewing machine to do my upholstery.

 

[seafever]

Re: old boat new idea -bow thruster

just a thought, the sidethrusters take 300 amps at 12 volt - WOW! would need welding cable to feed it and a battery bank. Lets see ((300 X 12))= 3600 watts / 746)= 4.8 horsepower. Not in my boat thanks!

 

[maryhannaj]

Re: old boat new idea -bow thruster

I think it's a great cool idea. If you could make it work, it would definatly be worth the time and effort to you right? That's just my opinion. I hope you try it. Not that i want to see you cut into your boat, but I think it would make a great thread and everyone could learn and even add something of value.
Just do us a favor and post lot's of good pics.

 

[Scott Danforth]

Re: old boat new idea -bow thruster

just a thought, the sidethrusters take 300 amps at 12 volt - WOW! would need welding cable to feed it and a battery bank. Lets see ((300 X 12))= 3600 watts / 746)= 4.8 horsepower. Not in my boat thanks!

your run of the mill 100# trolling motor take about 100 Amps. 300 Amp would be #4 cable if short, and 0000 cable if long. (just like starter cable)