4100 SCA bow thruster

[Eamonn]

OK, just bought a 2000 Maxum 4100 SCA. Thinking about installing a bow thruster (my wife really thinks I need it even though I handled our previous boat a 39' aft cabin without one!) so of course I am going to have it installed. Has anybody on the forum done this yet? Tips, suggestions?

Looking forward to the boat and this forum.

[shrew]

Originally Posted by Eamonn

Thinking about installing a bow thruster ....................Tips, suggestions?

This job requires two tools:

1) Phone
2) Credit Card

This is not a DIY project.

[MichaelW]

Originally Posted by Eamonn

OK, just bought a 2000 Maxum 4100 SCA. Thinking about installing a bow thruster (my wife really thinks I need it even though I handled our previous boat a 39' aft cabin without one!) so of course I am going to have it installed. Has anybody on the forum done this yet? Tips, suggestions?

Looking forward to the boat and this forum.

Hello- Were you able to get a bow thruster installed? I was giving it a thought. We also have a 2000 4100 SCA.

[Phillbo]

I'd just get a new wife. Yours doubts you too much.

[Patrick Bodkin]

If you can figure out how to "Get a new Wife" without taking a financial hit, please clue me in to your method.

[Eamonn]

Yes I did manage to get the thruster installed. Did quite a bit of research on thrusters and settled on the Lewmar 185TT 5.0 kW model. Works really well, fairly quiet, and more than powerful enough for this boat. I had the tunnel installed professionally and did the rest myself. It fit perfectly in the middle storage locker under the front bed. If you put it as far aft in the locker as you can it will not cause a problem with the water drainage from the rode locker into the bilge. I did not want anybody else tearing apart the interior to run the cables etc. so I did it myself. A good days work, but at least I know it was done right. Had to disassemble the front bed, but if you take your time and figure it out it comes apart and reassembles fairly easily. I personally am not a big fan of dedicated batteries bow thrusters. I find them needlessly expensive and complicated, especially since they would need an upgrade or replacement to the battery charging system. So I relocated the house bank from the engine compartment (where it really should not be anyway) to below the floor under the stairs by the galley. 3 x 260 ahr AGM batteries will more than do the trick, and fit perfectly. The run from the bank to the thruster requires 2/0 cable, but cable is much cheaper than replacing a dedicated battery every few years.

[shrew]

Originally Posted by Eamonn

I personally am not a big fan of dedicated batteries bow thrusters. I find them needlessly expensive and complicated, especially since they would need an upgrade or replacement to the battery charging system. So I relocated the house bank from the engine compartment (where it really should not be anyway) to below the floor under the stairs by the galley. 3 x 260 ahr AGM batteries will more than do the trick, and fit perfectly.

I don't have a dedicated battery for my bow thruster. It runs off of the active battery which is being pushed by the alternator. My batteries are a few feet aft of midship. Provided you run a large enough gauge of wire for the round trip and the you don't have an issue with voltage drop, then it's fine.

If you did decide to add a dedicated battery, then a simply DC->DC charger off of the starting battery will work fine. It's doubtful you're running the thruster with the engine off. Alternator -> Starting battery -> DC/DC charger -> thruster battery.

[MichaelW]

Thank You for the update/information.

[Cruzinblue02]

My 4100 SCA has one as well!