This is no-nonsense guide to the best bow thrusters, with quick recommendations so you can choose the bow thruster that suits what you’re looking for the best.
| Editor’s Award | Winner |
|---|---|
| Best Bow Thruster | Yacht/Boat Dual Thruster Bow/Stern |
| Best Single Bow Thruster | Yacht/Boat Single Thruster Bow/Stern |
| Best Tunnel Bow Thruster | Lewmar 140TT 2.2 Kw 3HP Gen2 12v Bow Thruster Composite Hub |
| Best Yacht Thruster | Yacht Thruster Stern Ex–turn |
Click to jump straight to each topic.
The Best Bow Thrusters Reviewed
Best Bow Thruster: Yacht/Boat Dual Thruster Bow/Stern
Best Bow Thruster
Yacht/Boat Dual Thruster Bow/Stern
Two thrusters to allow ultimate maneuverability. Includes a full installation manual and mounting kit.
The dual thruster was designed to be the best of the best and has on average triple the operating time of comparative boat thruster systems. The test on the thruster also show the water-resistance under power is less than .09% (nine hundredths) power loss, under sail is .05% (five hundredths) loss under sail compared to a tunnel thruster at 10% sail handicap, and equivalent to the drag of only a folding propeller.
- Quick and easy to install and no cheap fiberglass
- A Quality Product with German engineering and Swiss Precision
- Extreme runtime along with low power draw and a completely sealed unit
- Requires no maintenance and runs silent/quiet
- Complete with 2 years warranty
Yacht Thrusters also offer a installation tutorial on their website.
Check the latest price on Amazon.
Best Single Bow Thruster: Yacht/Boat Single Thruster Bow/Stern
Best Single Bow Thruster
Yacht/Boat Single Thruster Bow/Stern
A single version of our choice for best thruster suitable for smaller boats or yachts that won’t need the power of the dual thruster.
The Yacht products are all made from Hi-tensile aluminium which makes the products incredibly durable and strong. installation is simple and done with a 50mm diameter hole for the mounting bracket and wiring and use of Yachts easy to follow installation video.
- High Quality Combination of Swiss + German Engineering
- Waterproof and Sealed unit to ensure long life
- Very small battery draw which allows for a long runtime
- No need for maintenance
- 2 years warranty
Check the latest price on Amazon.
Best Tunnel Bow Thruster: Lewmar 140TT 2.2 Kw 3HP Gen2 12v Bow Thruster Composite Hub
Best Tunnel Bow Thruster
Lewmar 140TT 2.2 Kw 3HP Gen2 12v Bow Thruster Composite Hub
Lewmars thrusters make docking simple and do so with the revolutionary design of the TT propeller. This custom made thruster solution is a great pick for any boat and will have you docking like a pro in no time.
The Lewmar has given the 140TT a new composite motor gearbox that features a sleek new hydro-dynamic design, with added reinforced sections all over the stainless steel body to increase durability.
- All orders are shipped the same day!
- The Lewmar offers the best value/performance against the same thrusters in its class.
- Offers the choice of joystick or touch panel controls
- High performance 5 blade propellers give equal thrust in both directions.
- Lewmar is a trusted brand with 15 years of experience as a premium thruster manufacturer.
- Great warranty/after-sales service all you need to do is ask and Lewmar will take care of it.
Check the latest price on Amazon.
Best Yacht Thruster: Yacht Thruster Stern Ex-turn
Best Yacht Thruster
A Sleek and modern designed thruster with all the tech that comes with it. To be externally mounted to sailboats or power boats to allow for complete maneuverability
The compact thruster is controlled by the I-box an innovative system control center. The I-box monitors solenoid functions and reduces the chance of solenoid lock-ins. It also features an auto-stop on the thruster in the rare case of a solenoid that does get locked in.
- Provides 80% noise reduction due to design
- Features and extremely compact design
- Designed with a hydrodynamic shape that reduces water resistance
- Gives 40% high efficiency due to shorter transverse channel
- Watercooling allows for a long runtime compared to traditional bow/stern thrusters
Check the latest price on Amazon.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a bow thruster?
Bow thrusters are a great addition to any boat regardless of size for a ton of reasons but the main ones are.
- Strong thrusters help counter strong side currents which make docking a nightmare.
- Allows you to position the boat with ease which makes getting into a perfect fishing spot a breeze.
- Bow thrusters are a sought after addition to boats and hold value extremely well for when it comes time to sell.
- Incredibly easy to use and with little practice you will a docking pro in no time.
How do you use bow thrusters effectively?
So the easiest way to learn how to use your bow thrusters is to watch a few videos on it which will give you a visual aid which works much better than a written one in this case.
The above video will show you how to effectively use the best bow thrusters to dock like a pro.
What is the purpose of bow thruster?
The purpose of bow thrusters are to allow the bow or stern of a ship to have increased movement in the water to help with delicate boat positioning. This can be used while fishing to get into the perfect spot but will mostly be used when docking. Bow thrusters are so effective that some seamen considering them cheating.
How do bow and stern thrusters work?
Bow and stern thrusters are placed in tunnels are the stern and bow of the ship. The thrusters create suction and either end and throws it out the other side, this creates movement and pushes the ship in the opposite direction. All of this can be used to position the ship exactly how you want it for any docking procedure.
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