We stock a selection of high-quality, Italian-made bow thrusters from Quick Nautical Equipment, with both single and double propeller options. We also sell stern thruster tunnels and bow thruster tunnels, as well as accessories such as bow thruster control cable extensions, bow thruster propellers, hand-held remote controls, thruster controllers & propeller anode kits. Replacement parts available include reversing contactor units, fuses, fuse holders, gaskets, elastic coupler joints & splitters.
Complete bow thruster kits are also on offer, including a single propeller bow thruster, tunnel, push-button controller, fuse holder & control cable extension.
A bow thruster is a propulsion device that provides lateral thrust to help with manoeuvrability. Bow thrusters push a boat’s bow or stern sideways in either direction through the water. Bow thrusters can come standard on a new vessel (usually larger boats) or be retrofitted on existing vessels, depending on their design & size.
Yes, you can add bow thrusters to an existing boat, but this is usually an expensive task to undertake, so you should carefully consider whether the benefits outweigh the costs & risks. This is especially true for smaller vessels, for which the benefits will be smaller.
The design & layout of your boat will determine if a bow thruster can be added, and if so, what type of thruster. For example, tunnel thrusters require a tunnel to be installed through the bow, below the waterline. If this is not physically possible, external thrusters may be used instead as they don’t require a tunnel. However, external thrusters increase drag on the boat and risk of snagging a buoy.
If you do decide that the benefits of adding bow thrusters to your boat outweigh the costs & risks, it is safest to get a qualified marine specialist to install them.
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Boat Length |
Quick Thruster Type |
Quick Thruster Series |
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4.8 - 30m (16-99 ft) |
DC Thrusters |
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7 - 21m (23-69 ft) |
Retractable Thrusters |
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7.9 - 30m (26-99 ft) |
DC-AC Thrusters |
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10 - 21.9m (33-72 ft) |
Hydro-Retractable Thrusters |
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18 - 47m (59-155 ft) |
AC Thrusters |
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10 - 57m (33-188 ft) |
Hydraulic Thrusters |
The addition of bow thrusters allows a boat to move to the side (port or starboard) without forward or backward thrust from the engine or rudder. Thrusters use suction to draw in water from one side of the boat and push it out the other side to move the boat in the opposite direction. Fitters install thrusters in through-and-through tunnels on either side of the boat or as external or retractable thrusters. The measure of a bow thruster’s power is in kilogram-force (kgf) which is a gravitational metric unit of force.
The three main bow thruster types are tunnel thrusters, external thrusters and retractable thrusters. You can add bow thrusters to an existing boat or buy a new boat with thrusters already installed.
Tunnel thrusters are the most common type of thrusters. The tunnel is installed through the bow and below the waterline. Made of composite material, the tunnel can protect the propulsion unit and concentrate the propeller’s thrust. When measuring to find the best location for the tunnel, keep in mind that the top of the tunnel should be at least 75% of its diameter below the waterline, but ideally 1.5 times its diameter. The fitter inserts the propulsion unit into the tunnel from inside the boat.
One of the biggest difficulties with tunnel installation is to create a radius at the end of the tunnel to allow it to suck water into the tunnel without it cavitating. If air bubbles hit the propeller blades, the thrusters become noisy and lose up to 25% of their performance. High-performance boats may use deflectors to minimise speed loss from turbulence.
Not all boats have enough hull space for tunnel or retractable thrusters, so external thrusters are required. They are easy to mount because external bow thrusters don’t require holes in the hull. The biggest downfall for external thrusters is the drag they can create which decreases the boat’s performance. The thruster is also at risk of snagging a buoy and being damaged.
As the name suggests, retractable thrusters can be moved back into the hull when not in use, so there is no risk of snags or unnecessary drag. Electric actuators extend and retract the thrusters. Retractable thrusters require more space for installation compared to the other two types.
Installing a bow or stern thruster requires both experience and technical competence. If it is done incorrectly, this can cause serious issues, including risking the safety of people aboard the vessel. It is safest to get qualified marine professionals (such as a boat builder & marine electrician) to install bow or stern thrusters on your boat.
Thrusters come with a detailed Installation Manual which covers:
Bow & stern thrusters are operated with the use of a controller. Controller options include push-button and joystick, with remote controls also available. They allow you to direct the thruster to help turn the boat the port or starboard. If you have two thrusters installed, double-joystick controllers are available.
If your boat has a flybridge, thruster controls can be installed there as well as in the main part of your boat, allowing you to operate the thruster from two locations.
Because bow & stern thrusters are quite expensive to purchase & install, you want to be sure that the benefits you will gain from installing one is worth the trouble & expense. Generally speaking, the larger the vessel, the more it will benefit from a thruster (and vice versa). Some boat owners believe that thrusters aren’t worth it for boats smaller than 33ft, however there are other factors to consider. These include the experience & capability of the skipper, the type of journeys they take, how much help they have on board and the environment/s the vessel is mooring or docking in.
An experienced skipper who regularly moors in the same place/s may not need a thruster, even if their boat is large & heavy. An experienced deck hand can be of great assistance to a skipper docking a large vessel in a tricky spot. However, a solo skipper, one who is new to boating, or who docks in lots of different places, may find a thruster makes mooring easier & provides them with extra safety & reassurance.
Thrusters can also add extra drag & weight to your boat, so it is worth consulting an experienced boat builder when making your decision.
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