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346 Bow Thruster

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United States of America
g36
Admiral
Admiral
Posts: 1937
Joined: April 7th, 2014, 6:07 pm
Vessel Info: 1997 Carver 405
Location: Soddy Daisy TN.
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Re: 346 Bow Thruster

Postby g36 » February 2nd, 2015, 2:10 pm

i have wondered if sometimes a stern thruster would be more useful when you have the wind getting you on the side and have no forward momentem or room to do so
1997 Carver 405
Crusader xli
The Black Pearl
Soddy Daisy Tn.

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Canada
Lyndon670
Admiral
Admiral
Posts: 657
Joined: July 29th, 2013, 11:35 pm
Vessel Info: 2000 Carver 506
Volvo TAMD74EDC
Location: Georgian Bay
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Re: 346 Bow Thruster

Postby Lyndon670 » February 17th, 2015, 6:27 pm

Lads, I have to really bite my tongue here. I have a 506 that looks like an apartment building. It sits 21ft tall from the water line to the top of my radar arch and most of that is either gel coat or glass. There is so much sq footage of flat surface for the wind to catch.

I do not have a stern thruster. I do not need a stern thruster.

I am tied port side along a mooring wall. I have a boat in front and a boat behind. I put the port transmission in reverse and the starboard engine in forward. As the bow starts to move towards the port, I bump the bow thruster towards starboard. The boat moves sideways to starboard. When I come back to the dock, I do the exact opposite - and the boat moves sideways towards the mooring wall.

This happens with or without wind.
Lyndon,
2000 Carver 506
FOXY JOE
Volvo 7.4TAMD
Queens Cove Marina
Georgian Bay, Ontario

Topic author United States of America
jostephens
Scurvy Dog
Scurvy Dog
Posts: 12
Joined: January 24th, 2015, 2:31 pm
Vessel Info: 2002 346 Carver Twin MerCruiser MX 6.2 MPI (320-hp)
Fox Island, WA

Re: 346 Bow Thruster

Postby jostephens » February 18th, 2015, 1:46 pm

Hey Lyndon,

I agree, with twins, there is no problem with the stern, I am installing just the bow thruster due to wind docking, the bow gets a bit out of shape.
Jim
346 Carver Full Canvas

Topic author United States of America
jostephens
Scurvy Dog
Scurvy Dog
Posts: 12
Joined: January 24th, 2015, 2:31 pm
Vessel Info: 2002 346 Carver Twin MerCruiser MX 6.2 MPI (320-hp)
Fox Island, WA

Re: 346 Bow Thruster

Postby jostephens » February 18th, 2015, 1:49 pm

Anyone out there with a 346 or 366 that can send a picture of the bow thruster power head installed in the bilge.

thanks,

Jim
2002 346 Carver
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g36
Admiral
Admiral
Posts: 1937
Joined: April 7th, 2014, 6:07 pm
Vessel Info: 1997 Carver 405
Location: Soddy Daisy TN.
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Re: 346 Bow Thruster

Postby g36 » February 18th, 2015, 6:26 pm

i will disagree with there is no need ever for a stern thruster or for that matter a bow thruster on an aft cabin or any other boat. yes i agree with the operations of the shifters and how the bow moves. my boat does very good reacting to these controls. i feel over the last 25 years i have done my fair share of boating and docking never having a thruster. if pulling along side of a pier yes operating the shifters allows plenty of control either coming or going with the wind and some forward momentum. yes depending on rudder size and other factors you can even walk a boat sideways. however such as in my case i have a 13'10" beam and and barely a 15 ft wide covered slip. with wind abeam (which is most of the time) of me and having barely any forward movement i have to start at my slip by aiming at the ones beside me and judging the wind speed and guessing where i will be when the bow is entering the slip entrance. during this time with hardly any forward momentum it would be nice to be able to kick the stern over because as the bow is good now the stern is somewhere else. the approach angle to this is always a guess. i 've done without any thrusters never had them but i am sure there are times they would be very handy . i dont think i'm too good to not wish for help sometimes.
1997 Carver 405
Crusader xli
The Black Pearl
Soddy Daisy Tn.
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Canada
Lyndon670
Admiral
Admiral
Posts: 657
Joined: July 29th, 2013, 11:35 pm
Vessel Info: 2000 Carver 506
Volvo TAMD74EDC
Location: Georgian Bay
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Re: 346 Bow Thruster

Postby Lyndon670 » February 18th, 2015, 10:52 pm

Your Carver 405 - gas or diesel?
Lyndon,
2000 Carver 506
FOXY JOE
Volvo 7.4TAMD
Queens Cove Marina
Georgian Bay, Ontario
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United States of America
g36
Admiral
Admiral
Posts: 1937
Joined: April 7th, 2014, 6:07 pm
Vessel Info: 1997 Carver 405
Location: Soddy Daisy TN.
Has thanked: 7 times
Been thanked: 586 times

Re: 346 Bow Thruster

Postby g36 » February 19th, 2015, 8:09 am

i have a gas 405. i've learned to deal with this docking issue without any thrusters but sometimes..... sure would be nice and while docking i do take some pride in appearing that i am in complete control.
diesel boats are less common in m area.
1997 Carver 405
Crusader xli
The Black Pearl
Soddy Daisy Tn.
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Canada
Lyndon670
Admiral
Admiral
Posts: 657
Joined: July 29th, 2013, 11:35 pm
Vessel Info: 2000 Carver 506
Volvo TAMD74EDC
Location: Georgian Bay
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Re: 346 Bow Thruster

Postby Lyndon670 » February 20th, 2015, 2:05 am

Going from the gas powered Silverton 42 to the diesel 506 was like going from a pickup truck to a freight train. When I put the boat into gear, it goes - NOW. Nothing stops it, wind, current - nothing. The torque and thrust is unreal. My wife has almost fallen off the swim platform in the locks when I bump it in or out of gear.

My point was, with a bow thruster - one can very easily crank the rudders opposite lock and use the trannys with the thruster and bump the stern in, boat sideways. If I had a bow thruster only on my boat (gas or diesel), I wouldn't waste the money on the stern thruster. If your 405 doesnt have a bow thruster, than obviosly not going to walk sideways. My 42C did not have a bow thruster either - and I could not walk it sideways. I could do a pretty damn good job, but there were some days with the windw howling that brought some f-bombs out of my mouth.
Lyndon,
2000 Carver 506
FOXY JOE
Volvo 7.4TAMD
Queens Cove Marina
Georgian Bay, Ontario
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waybomb
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Vessel Info: 1995 Boston Whaler Rage15
1987 3697 Carver Mariner
1988 Cougar 46 Kevlar Vee offshore
1969 15' Glasspar / 1967 Johnson Electromatic 85
1996 Boston Whaler Rage 15
Location: Saint Joseph,Mi
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Re: 346 Bow Thruster

Postby waybomb » February 20th, 2015, 12:23 pm

OT....

Tell me some more about losing the wife off the platform - I may be able to use that someday....

Back to topic at hand.
Thanks
Fred
1969 Glaspar Avalon /1969 Johnson Electromatic 85
1987 Carver Mariner
1988 Cougar Kevlar 46' with triple blown 572 ci
1995 Boston Whaler Rage
Past - 1988 2807, 1989 4207 Aft
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Canada
Lyndon670
Admiral
Admiral
Posts: 657
Joined: July 29th, 2013, 11:35 pm
Vessel Info: 2000 Carver 506
Volvo TAMD74EDC
Location: Georgian Bay
Has thanked: 124 times
Been thanked: 138 times

Re: 346 Bow Thruster

Postby Lyndon670 » February 20th, 2015, 7:29 pm

Hahahaha......trick is to get her to old the cinder block!
Lyndon,
2000 Carver 506
FOXY JOE
Volvo 7.4TAMD
Queens Cove Marina
Georgian Bay, Ontario

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