Stern Thrusters

[Tireless]

Folks;

My boat currently has a Volvo Penta QL Bow Thruster and I am still researching stern thrusters. I have a large rock shelf on the port side of my boat slip that gives me a bit of stress on a windy day, as the wind has a tendency to push the stern over. I have been fine so far, but I just think a stern thruster in addition to my bow thruster would be really handy. Cost has been a big factor in this decision, but the search still goes on.

I have been looking at two types so far.

The Side Power stern thruster attaches to the transom above the water line and is wireless to the helm switches. It can also thruster to wireless that will work with their dual joy sticks as well as a wireless remote. I can install this unit myself and they suggest it will take 6-8 hours.

The other one is more common and made by Side Power. This unit has the motor mounted inside the boat and a tunnel on the outside below the water line. This requires a number of holes (10) to drilled through the transom under the water line. The installation of this unit would be a bit more complicated and may require the assistance of a professional. The struggle would be ensuring there is sufficient room on the inside of the transom for the motor. This unit also has a dual joystick that will operate the QL.

Both units are approximately the same dollar value, however, if you add professional installation you are double the cost, which makes me wonder if it is worth it in the end.

I posted this to see if anyone has any experience with either of the products and offer an opinion to assist me in making the best decision.

Thanks in advance.

Greg

[bud37]

A friend had both of the thrusters from Side shift/bow and stern. Now I know the bow does not apply to you, but he was thrilled with both....they were operable from the joystick at the helm and the fob which could be used from anywhere on the boat /dock or dink.

As to the install, he had them/Pat do it from what I remember. They may be looking for business as we get frequent e mails from them offering deals of all sorts.

[Midnightsun]

I would go with the Sideshift stern thruster due to ease of installation not to mention they have a dual joystick with remote available that can control any brand so integrating your Volvo thruster should be straight forward.

Remote Control Upgrade. https://shop.sideshift.com/collections/ ... -thrusters

Thruster. https://shop.sideshift.com/collections/ ... thruster-2

[Viper]

Personally I prefer the motors on the inside of the boat. I've seen a couple of Sideshift motors fail recently from leaks even after their improved seals. Also not crazy about wiring on the outside exposed to critters that love chewing on stuff like that. If you're aware of critters in your area or heard of guys getting their gear chewed up like bellows or trim lines, I'd think twice. They have come a long way though and they're handy for applications where a traditional in-hull unit can't be installed. They're also great for a DIY install but a stern Side-Power install isn't all that difficult for the average person with some DIY skills. I don't know they're failure rate but I've been around a few that have failed for various reasons from seal leaks, wiring, and perhaps the least problematic was a solenoid failure which was an easy replacement. If you want to install on the outside, check the external pods on the market too before making a decision. They are self contained sealed units with no exposed wiring that bolt on the outside of the transom. Like the Sideshift install, it's a few small holes and you're done.

Here are examples:
https://www.yachtthruster.com/
https://side-power.com/produkt/20485/ex70c-external-stern-thruster-24v/

What ever you do, don't put a pod on the bottom of the hull.

[bud37]

One thing I forgot to mention....for me the Side shift products are Canadian as far as I know.

[Midnightsun]

I've seen a couple of Sideshift motors fail recently from leaks even after their improved seals.

I had a Sideshift unit on a previous boat and sure enough the seals went after about 8 years. I now tell everyone to replace the seals every 5 years as preventative maintenance if you do not want to dish out the cost of a new motor which by the way is almost the cost of the entire kit.

[Tireless]

Guys, thank you very much for the responses. I was at my boat today and had a closer look at my transom. Due to the design of my boat with the cockpit, I will not be able to mount anything above the water line, so everything will have to be mounted below the water. In addition, my transom is not flat, as it is “V” shaped and slanted towards the aft.

So no matter what I install I will require require a special bracket that conforms to the shape of the transom.

All of the concerns raised in relation to the exterior unit are excellent thoughts, and to be honest I did not consider. Because I must go with an under water mount anyway, then the SidePower unit, with the mechanical workings inside, makes sense. Time to get in there and take some measurements to see if there is room for that on the inside of the transom.

I will have a look at recommendations by Viper. Not in a rush here and will continue to look at all options. The irregular shaped transom is going to be an issue. Need someone who has a Carver 444 CMY, with a stern thruster to jump in and tell me how they did it and what they used. Pictures would be good if you’re still on the hard.

Greg

Greg

[Tireless]

I found a picture of the transom of a Carver 44 CMY to show what the challenges are for mounting a stern thruster to the transom of my boat. Most transom are vertical and flat, this clearly is not.

Need to figure out how to mount a stern thruster here. This may limit my options. Also wonder how something mounted on/under the cockpit/transom would impact performance.

Thoughts

Greg

[JohnS]

I have bow and stern thrusters on our 350 Mariner, it takes all the stress out of docking. With that being said I really don't use the stern thruster much at all but the bow thruster is the game changer.