Thanks for all the great feedback guys........it is interesting to see others have thought about this and a few have even done it..........I don't know if I will actually go for it in a 35' but it is worth some investigation......

Rob........like anything else in boating it comes down to the compitance of who ever is doing the job.......If I were to do this I will be doing some very thorough investigation..........

The Cult strikes again You guys are sooo mean

I would think that if the tube was installed correctly that the front of the boat would be stronger. The only thing to worry about for some of us is beating the thruster motor to death. If you are a constant stick bender in rough water that unit would get the holy heck pounded out of it!

They flair out the hull to flow water away from the thruster tube nd motor and the motor is mounted deep in the hull.

It is interesting to look at it, once you see it, you will know htat there are no issues with it.

I have the fourth one installed in a 46 Black Thunder. Will not own another boat without one because I live in windy conditions. They actually have the mfg. fly in to the BT factory and install it. It does require a very large electrical line with isolator (so you don't fry your engine electronics). I've had friends run next to me and say in larger waves that water shoots through the bow thruster tube. Maiden voyage was with 11 other BT's to Key West. They all laughed at me until we docked at Key West. Then they started asking the owner of BT about installing one in their boats. They are expensive. Needed for long and tall boats. Don't know if I'd put one on anything 38' and shorter though.

You have been known to lend a hand on occasion

The install looks great. Do you have a pic. of the control stick on the dash ?
I took a test ride in 06 on the 48 EC Fountain that Excursion was referring to at Bluewater and that thruster was worth the cost.

This pic is not mine but similar. Mine also has a large toggle switch next to it to turn the main solenoid on. It's not a stick but just left and right buttons (bottom left in pic). They also make numerous sizes with different size motors.

That looks like the one that was on the Fountain. Very simple to use which is good when things get chaotic around the dock sometimes.

once you use them you will not want to dock with out it. I think anything that is an aid is a good thing, if it is something you want, makes things easier then go for it