Electric bow thrusters can be fitted to either a new boat or as a retro fit. Typically, electric bow thrusters can be installed on any boat from 20ft to 100ft. Today most pleasure craft over 35ft have a bow thruster as standard which will normally meet the expectations of most customers when using the boat under normal weather conditions. The size of the thruster will vary depending upon the boat’s intended usage, whether the boat is to be used in more demanding conditions or whether there is a strong current in the home marina. The DC thrusters take up less space, are easier to install and can be a cost efficient alternative to hydraulic thrusters.

In light weather conditions, powerful single speed thrusters can be a bit difficult to use as they sometimes push the boat too fast. The ideal solution is to fit the latest Side-Power DC Power Controller unit, enabling the use of proportional speed control the DC electric thruster. Users have found that by accurately controlling the thruster’s power, you get much more precise handling of the vessel according to the conditions.

DC Speed Control systems have been built with exactly the same high safety standards as every other Side-power product. The focus on safety is a totally integral part of the product design so that everything from build quality to ease of installation is thought of to ensure long term reliability.

The thrusters used in a speed control system is almost identical to the familiar SE range of DC thrusters, the only difference being the addition of a temperature sensor and a new electronic control box. All mechanical and main electric parts are from the well proven thruster range produced by Side-Power for many years. All Side-Power 12 & 24 volt DC electric thrusters can be enabled for DC Speed Control by Osmotech, even the older models.

The DC Power Control unit is controlled by S-link and monitors important parameters as temperature in both controller and thruster as well as thruster voltage.

The Control Panel for the Proportional Joystick features a Back-lit LCD which gives instant feedback to the user. The system status, amount of thrust plus the direction of thrust are all shown in real time on the display, additionally the thruster temperature and remaining run time is shown. As part of the alert system, important visual and audible warnings will be given.

Main advantages include:

• Round, compact and waterproof connectors with unique keying and colour coding to avoid faulty hookup
• Unlimited number of commands or information transferred on a single cable
• User feedback at panel
• Intelligent troubleshooting