Bow Thruster Completed

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Seon
Posts: 266
Joined: Wed Sep 17, 2014 6:35 am
Location: Lake Camanche, CA

Bow Thruster Completed

#1 Post by Seon » Sun Oct 25, 2015 7:06 am

I finally completed my Bow Thruster project last month. With the exception of the new linear actuator, I bought from craigslist a very used MinnKota 70# thrust trolling motor and the aluminum material for the housing and mounting bracket were bought from a recycling yard. I did a trial run on the water last week and was very impressed making port and starboard turns but most impressive were the 360-degree circles. Unfortunately I wasn’t able to record it at the time. I’ll video record and post the Pontoon in motion in the upcoming weeks.

Here’s a short video of how the thruster is lowered and raised.

1989 28' Tracker Party Hut
115 hp 4 stroke Yamaha
Sacramento, Ca

RcgTexas
Posts: 2656
Joined: Wed Jun 18, 2014 6:37 am
Location: Texas

Re: Bow Thruster Completed

#2 Post by RcgTexas » Sun Oct 25, 2015 8:22 am

:thumbsup I'm assuming it rotates 360 right?
1995 beachcomber conversion to tritoon with Honda 135 ,

Link to rebuild [url=http://www.pontoonforums.com/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=19016][Knot Normal][/url]

God Bless America

Seon
Posts: 266
Joined: Wed Sep 17, 2014 6:35 am
Location: Lake Camanche, CA

Re: Bow Thruster Completed

#3 Post by Seon » Sun Oct 25, 2015 8:28 am

Using the thruster and main motor, the toon rotates 360-degrees. :wink:
1989 28' Tracker Party Hut
115 hp 4 stroke Yamaha
Sacramento, Ca

RcgTexas
Posts: 2656
Joined: Wed Jun 18, 2014 6:37 am
Location: Texas

Re: Bow Thruster Completed

#4 Post by RcgTexas » Sun Oct 25, 2015 9:06 am

In both directions ?
1995 beachcomber conversion to tritoon with Honda 135 ,

Link to rebuild [url=http://www.pontoonforums.com/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=19016][Knot Normal][/url]

God Bless America

Seon
Posts: 266
Joined: Wed Sep 17, 2014 6:35 am
Location: Lake Camanche, CA

Re: Bow Thruster Completed

#5 Post by Seon » Sun Oct 25, 2015 10:06 am

RcgTexas wrote:In both directions ?
Yes. I wired the motor to operate reversible.
1989 28' Tracker Party Hut
115 hp 4 stroke Yamaha
Sacramento, Ca

RcgTexas
Posts: 2656
Joined: Wed Jun 18, 2014 6:37 am
Location: Texas

Re: Bow Thruster Completed

#6 Post by RcgTexas » Sun Oct 25, 2015 2:44 pm

OK that makes sense ! good job. :thumbsup

I was wondering if you were just going to do left turns like nascar. :biggrin2
1995 beachcomber conversion to tritoon with Honda 135 ,

Link to rebuild [url=http://www.pontoonforums.com/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=19016][Knot Normal][/url]

God Bless America

margaritaman
Posts: 6078
Joined: Tue Feb 16, 2010 3:37 pm
Location: Florida

Re: Bow Thruster Completed

#7 Post by margaritaman » Sun Oct 25, 2015 5:51 pm

Nice project. :thumbsup :thumbsup :thumbsup
Cruising the salt waters of East Florida.

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LittleRiver
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Location: Nixonton NC / Elizabeth City NC
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Re: Bow Thruster Completed

#8 Post by LittleRiver » Thu Oct 29, 2015 7:12 pm

awesome. :thumbsup
[i][color=#0000BF] ...08 24' Party Barge "Tiggers Toy" 50hp..[/color][/i]
[i][color=#0000BF] ..Triton TR21X 250 V-Max "Yellow Bullet".. [/color][/i]
[i][color=#0000BF] .. Little River Motorsports Top Dragster T/D[/color][/i]
[i][color=#0000BF] ..Dodge and Ford truck, but still race a Chevy[/color][/i]

TDJ2591
Posts: 358
Joined: Mon Jun 02, 2014 4:33 pm
Location: Smith Lake, AL

Re: Bow Thruster Completed

#9 Post by TDJ2591 » Sat Oct 31, 2015 6:30 pm

I want one! Can you post more pics of the installation? I would love that set up with the ability to remotely control the trolling motor for fishing and docking. How much more difficult would that be?

Have you seen the thruster that BobG built? Check out the microcontroller that tells him the position of the motor. You guys need to combine forces and market this. Here are links to Bob's thruster.

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=18526&p=154078#p154078
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=20726
[color=#4000FF]2005 Crest Caribbean 25'
2006 Honda 135hp 4 stroke[/color]

Seon
Posts: 266
Joined: Wed Sep 17, 2014 6:35 am
Location: Lake Camanche, CA

Re: Bow Thruster Completed

#10 Post by Seon » Sat Oct 31, 2015 7:16 pm

Yes I've read Bobs posts and picked up several great info via pm's with him.

As for electronics, that's way over my pay grade :lol3 . My objective was to be able to get my 28' Party Hut in the slip when the Delta wind is blowing 15+mph and as you see, I've accomplished that. Now I just want to kick back and enjoy taking the Toon out with the kids, grand kids and great grand kids, regardless of wind or no wind :wink: .
1989 28' Tracker Party Hut
115 hp 4 stroke Yamaha
Sacramento, Ca

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BobG
Posts: 1842
Joined: Mon May 14, 2012 6:24 am
Location: Gilpin County, CO

Re: Bow Thruster Completed

#11 Post by BobG » Mon Nov 02, 2015 12:06 pm

Seon wrote:As for electronics, that's way over my pay grade
Yeah, but it's a lot of fun for me! I used to be an electronics engineer, but I've been a computer programmer since the 80's. I'm a true hack when it comes to the mechanical stuff, but I seem to manage, most of the time.
2012 Tahoe 24' Fish-n-Fun Tritoon, with Mercury 115 HP 4-Stroke
"Trine SS Cape" (Trying 2S Cape)
Add a battery: viewtopic.php?t=13546&p=105893#p105893
I'm not a liberal, but I play one on this site.

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