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When maneuvering a vessel at low speed, the required control of the movements of the boat, especially those of the bow, is extremely difficult to achieve. In such cases, a bow thruster is the solution to the problem. Even when the boat is not under way, complete control of the movements of the ship's bow can be achieved.
A bow and/or stern thruster will considerable enhance the maneuverability of a vessel in strong weather conditions enabling superior control in environments such as marina's, docking stations and water locks |
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It is the thrust of a bow propeller, not the output of its electric motor (in kW or hp), which determines its effectiveness. This thrust is the result of the following combined factors: power of the electric motor, the propeller (shape, dimensions and number of revolutions) and the efficiency losses in the tunnel.
A bow thruster delivers a side-directional thrust force. In order to ensure the best performance under all sorts of weather and water conditions, the bow thruster should be able to provide a thrust force which is suitable, or rather sufficient for the boat in which it has been installed. The applied moment of the result force - which means to say: the position of the tunnel in the bow - is of prime importance for the bow thruster's efficiency. The further forward the bow thruster is positioned, the greater will be the turning moment.
The force applied by the wind onto the boat is determined by the factors: wind speed, angle of wind attack and the lateral wind-draft area of the boat. Always bear in mind that the effective performance of a bow thruster will vary with each particular boat, as the displacement, the shape of the under-water section and the positioning of the bow thruster will always be variable factors. |
