Yikes! No Bow Thruster on R23D! Big Deal or Not?

[cruz-in]

Hi all,

Well we thought we found the perfect R23 for us. It is an R23D.

The pictures show it does not have a bow thruster. It appears this may have been an option (vice standard) for 2017.

Is not having a Bow Thruster a deal breaker?

Thanks for your thoughts and inputs.
Dan

 

[S. Todd]

If I am not mistaken that boat with the diesel is an inboard/outboard, also known as a stern drive. If that is the case, the lack of a bow thruster is in no way a deal breaker. I drove I/O stern drives in Sea Rays for decades in the 23 - 24 foot range and never had or wanted a bow thruster. I could dock the I/O without a bow thruster better than I can drive my inboard Ranger Tugs with both bow and stern thrusters.
Even if it was an inboard you could learn to drive it without a bow thruster. Fishing boats have been driven that way for a hundred years without thrusters, but I have to admit that it takes practice to do it well.
You can get automobiles today that parallel park themselves, but most of us have been parallel parking for lifetimes without that technology and would not consider it a deal breaker if we were buying an automobile.

 

[bob daily]

Not a deal breaker! Sailors have been docking boats since the beginning of time without them, hell Noah didn't have one on his arc! While it is nice to have one,too many people use them as a crutch and lack the seamanship to dock without one. With a little practice and knowledge as to wind and current along with prop walk you will be a pro at docking in no time! Best of luck BOB
P S if you don't buy the boat I will as I've bee. Looking for one!

 

[Firepara36]

I agree that it is nice but not a must have. I have a 31 that I always strive to maneuver with out the Bow or stern thruster because you never know when it is going to not work. The 23 should be even simpler to maneuver.

 

[dbsea]

You can also add a small bow thruster for about 8-10 boat dollars...

 

[Brian98133]

This is my first boat with a thruster of any kind. The first time I tried it after getting our R23, I actually felt embarrassed that others on the docks thought I was a novice. :mrgreen:

Now, I'm so over that feeling! 😀 It's pretty fun to use it from time to time.

This being said, I dock our boat 95% of the time without ever using the thruster... so I would not consider it a 'must have'. If I didn't have one, I would simply adjust my approach.

 

[cruz-in]

"P S if you don't buy the boat I will as I've bee. Looking for one!"


Yes they are rare. I feel fortunate to have stumbled into this one.

I contacted the broker about an outboard R23 they had advertised. He said it was sold. Then he went on to say he had this one that the client may be willing to part with. At first I was somewhat reluctant. Up until then I had only considered an outboard version. Did some research and made an offer. The owner countered with $5K above my offer.