Choosing Your Max Power Thruster

Selecting the Right Thruster Solution

Positioning thrusters is often as important as choosing the right thrust output when seeking maximum maneuvering performance for your yacht.

Thruster turbines need to be placed one full propeller diameter under the water line to achieve optimum thrust. The thruster must also be positioned as far forward in the bow or as far back in the stern as possible. A thruster stepped back from the bow (or stern) would need to be more powerful than one mounted further forward (or back), to achieve the same turning effect on the yacht.

Most motor yacht designs are well suited to fixed tunnel thruster installations. However, the above-described constraints (depth and positioning) often contradict each other, especially in modern sailing yachts.

Although some sailing yachts can achieve good results with tunnel thrusters, most modern designs would work better using a retractable solution.

Tunnel Thruster Sizing Chart

Retractable Thruster Sizing Chart