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Bow thrusters on 26 hps


Jeksnk

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Ok Ok, i know it sounds dumb, but hear me out. i love my pathfinder but whem im docking i find that in reverse the boat doesnt like turning itll just turn and then go straight so it makes docking pretty hard especially when im trying to spin the nose of the boat. i can still manage it though i just wanted to see if anyone has put bow thrusters on their 26.

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Sorry, I can't comment on bow thrusters. But most small boats have the same issue when trying to maneuver at low speeds or approaching the dock. Remember, your boat will turn sharper when turning left or to port, and that is because of the rotation of your prop. When turning right or to starboard, you boat will not turn as sharp and will tend to slide sideways instead of turning right. 

Occasionally, when the wind is strong or the waterway is narrow and I want to turn right, I will bypass my slip, turn around and approach for the opposite direction so that I can turn left or to port to enter my slip. 

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Wind and current (and single screw) are the bane of every boaters existence.  It just takes practice.  In addition to what was stated above, I'd highly recommend finding a calm day with no wind and little current.  Spend an hour (that's a long time!) just working on docking the boat.  Come in from different angles/directions and play with the throttle and steering.  Very quickly you'll become comfortable whipping the boat in.  From there, with wind and current, all it takes is a little more throttle and maybe some steering adjustment.  Also, don't forget that the pilings are your friend for boats our size.  Use them to spin the boat around.

Years ago (many), I upgraded from a 21' Privateer to a 58' Hatteras (56 tons!).  Had a lot of experience on the water, but NO experience with a boat that size.  My wife and I hired a captain for a week to show us the ropes.  When it came time to bring the boat into her new berth, I was pretty comfortable navigating, but still a novice at docking.  Captain says, "Remember, the pilings are your friends."  I proceed to drift the Hatteras into one of the outer pilings to spin the boat around and ...... SNAP........drifted too fast and boat snapped off the piling like it was a toothpick!  LOL  I laugh now, but was devastated at the time!  

Practice makes perfect!  I have another docking story I'll save for a later date.

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I do not know if it would make a difference on an HPS with that setback, but on my boat and boats I have had in the past with a Pocket or a Hydro Step some call it at the transom,  I trim the motor up a bit and get better control in reverse. Seems the pocket deflects the prop thrust in reverse when not trimmed.

Hey you could just put an auto deploy trolling motor on the bow, that would be more cost effective.

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19 hours ago, jh141 said:

I do not know if it would make a difference on an HPS with that setback, but on my boat and boats I have had in the past with a Pocket or a Hydro Step some call it at the transom,  I trim the motor up a bit and get better control in reverse. Seems the pocket deflects the prop thrust in reverse when not trimmed.

Hey you could just put an auto deploy trolling motor on the bow, that would be more cost effective.

I have a 23 HPS, and this is T.H.E. way to grab more bite and maneuverability while backing mine. 

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