Bow Thruster Advice/Experiences?

[Jeffrey Hare]

Hello,

I would appreciate hearing from anyone who installed a bow thruster aftermarket.  

For background, we've been docking in a complicated reversing tidal river current (0-3kt) for 20 years or so with our C320. It had an elliptical rudder and even with its linear drive AP it was highly responsive both foreword and in reverse and can pivot in just over her own length, whereas the C355 is a whole different beast for being only a couple feet longer.  It just doesn't do tight turns like we need sometimes.  ie: on an incoming current, crabbing down the fairway pointed downriver, then spin to point upriver and into reverse to come into our dock. The precise moment to turn hard to line up with our slip and also into reverse to prevent hitting the dock due to incoming current was no big deal in the C320, but in the C355, that pivot takes much longer so we have to be far more precise.

A bow thruster would help get the bow around sooner and also assist when the wind is not being our friend.

So, any feedback from owners with bow thrusters would be greatly appreciated, especially related to installers, issues, what to watch out for, etc...

Thanks!!

-Jeff Hare

2011 #17 Solstice