FIRE UP
Well-Known Member
- Messages
- 159
- Reaction score
- 313
Well boys and girls,
After long deliberation, tormenting myself, putting up with all kinds of situations where something like this addition was drastically needed, I finally bit the bullet and purchased and installed the Sideshift stern thruster. Yeah, money doesn't grow on trees where we live so, this rather EXPENSIVE decision did not come easily or lightly. Soooo, I finally did it and, after our first day of trial and experimentation, I can say without a doubt, it is a SERIOUS addition to augment slow speed (for the most part, NO SPEED) handling where any set of conditions can inhibit your attempts at maneuvering.
The first thing I have to say is, Sideshift was/is a great company to deal with. I spoke with Jennifer in the onset and had a few questions about the product(s) and she came through with flying colors. She handled the purchase and managed somehow, to get mine shipped out a week earlier than it was supposed to. I had considered the BIG package of both the Stern and the bow thrusters but, I thought I'd go with just the stern thruster to accomplish my goal of increased boat manipulation in various conditions.
The second thing I need to mention here is, WOW, you folks should see the packaging these components came in. Every item in the package was very, VERY WELL protected against any turbulence in shipment. Heck, I don't even want to throw away the nice quality foam cut-outs each component was in. The next point is, ALL of these components are of TOP QUALITY to say the least. I'm very impressed with each and every component. That stern thruster is one heavy little motor! I ordered the thruster in the Yamaha blue so it would match the blue on my 5.3L 350HP F-350 engine. It's for the most part, a perfect match in color.
While the install is rated to be somewhat close to about a 4-hour install, I managed to drag it out to about 4 days, hahahah. I was in no hurry even though I passed up a couple of good days on the lake while dragging my feet. I'd red the instructions a few times so that I was familiar with each step and what was to be done next. The instructions are fairly straight forward. In all reality, there is no vague or questionable areas or circumstances. Many of us have purchased items or kits or whatever and were provided with way less than competent and complete instructions. It's happened many times. But these were/are downright perfect. I won't go through any of them here unless someone asks about something in particular.
Basically, you install the thruster (motor with prop on it) in the fashion they require. Then run the cables from that motor to a place in the boat where you now make all the necessary connections with all their components/parts. Like many of your Bennies, ours has two batteries, both AGM's, in the rear of the boat next to the engine. I have to say here, Bennington, did an OUTSTANDING JOB of keeping you from gaining access to those batteries from the engine area! I thought it was gonna be a cakewalk to run those thruster cables to the batteries before I actually attempted it. AIN'T HAPPENING! I exhausted every normal way and hit roadblocks at every turn. Talk about frustrating!
I finally drilled through a 1/4" thick aluminum cross beam that lead to the back edge of the fuel tank which, is also in the battery compartment. I had to drill a hole in the deck in that area so those thruster cables could come up through and over to the batteries. Oh, by the way, the thruster cables don't actually go to the batteries. It's just that the cables from the batteries enter the back seating area of the boat (at least on our '14 25RCL they do) through some formed plastic structure under the seat. And that's where you need to run the thruster cables to, to make all the connections. Now, once you have managed to get those thruster cables to the area where all the business is done, THEN and there is where all the electrical connections are made and the components are installed.
In the pics below, you see all of what's involved in the install. About the only thing they don't supply in the kit is the actual cable from the batteries to the battery switch and motor controller. Sideshift stipulates the use of 1/0 cable for this part of the install. Well, 1/0 cable is not something your local Autozone or Oreilies has in stock. And at the time of install, neither did our local West Marine. However, I did happen to have some Ought (0) gage cable hanging around. It was all black and no red but, that's what they make RED electrical tape for, which I also have some hanging around. Oh, by the way, to my amazement, being that you may need to cut the thruster cables to a length that satisfies your installation, AND, as stated, you need rather large battery supply cables from the batt(s) to the components, Sideshift supplies a battery cable lug crimping tool, how about them apples!
And it's a very good quality *hammer* style crimping tool. It works GREAT! We're talking *mega-amps* here in this operation so, GREAT quality cable lug crimping is IN DEMAND! Two more things and I'll shut up. One, they supply a *Joy Stick* for controlling that thruster to make the rear of your boat move right to left or, left to right and you mount it up near or in the dash or where ever your heart desires. The really good part about that joy stick, all you have to do is wire it to a CONSTANT 12V supply, not a key-switched supply. That joy sticks works with RADIO WAVES. There is a receiver that you wire in to all the components in the back, that receives those signals from that Joystick. And that receiver sends those signals to the motor controller. Pretty cool huh? And finally, Sideshift also supplies a REMOTE FOB for just in case someone wants to control the sideways direction from outside the boat. Also cool huh?
I finished the install this morning and we headed out to the lake, as in lake Havasu to be specific. I played with it in many situations and each time I was thoroughly satisfied with that 4,500 lb boat's reaction to that little stern thruster. About the only time it was less than great with performance was when I was steering the back of that directly into wind. That thruster worked even then but, at a diminished capacity. Ok, enough blabbing, that's all folks. Take a look at the pics. Any questions?
Scott
After long deliberation, tormenting myself, putting up with all kinds of situations where something like this addition was drastically needed, I finally bit the bullet and purchased and installed the Sideshift stern thruster. Yeah, money doesn't grow on trees where we live so, this rather EXPENSIVE decision did not come easily or lightly. Soooo, I finally did it and, after our first day of trial and experimentation, I can say without a doubt, it is a SERIOUS addition to augment slow speed (for the most part, NO SPEED) handling where any set of conditions can inhibit your attempts at maneuvering.
The first thing I have to say is, Sideshift was/is a great company to deal with. I spoke with Jennifer in the onset and had a few questions about the product(s) and she came through with flying colors. She handled the purchase and managed somehow, to get mine shipped out a week earlier than it was supposed to. I had considered the BIG package of both the Stern and the bow thrusters but, I thought I'd go with just the stern thruster to accomplish my goal of increased boat manipulation in various conditions.
The second thing I need to mention here is, WOW, you folks should see the packaging these components came in. Every item in the package was very, VERY WELL protected against any turbulence in shipment. Heck, I don't even want to throw away the nice quality foam cut-outs each component was in. The next point is, ALL of these components are of TOP QUALITY to say the least. I'm very impressed with each and every component. That stern thruster is one heavy little motor! I ordered the thruster in the Yamaha blue so it would match the blue on my 5.3L 350HP F-350 engine. It's for the most part, a perfect match in color.
While the install is rated to be somewhat close to about a 4-hour install, I managed to drag it out to about 4 days, hahahah. I was in no hurry even though I passed up a couple of good days on the lake while dragging my feet. I'd red the instructions a few times so that I was familiar with each step and what was to be done next. The instructions are fairly straight forward. In all reality, there is no vague or questionable areas or circumstances. Many of us have purchased items or kits or whatever and were provided with way less than competent and complete instructions. It's happened many times. But these were/are downright perfect. I won't go through any of them here unless someone asks about something in particular.
Basically, you install the thruster (motor with prop on it) in the fashion they require. Then run the cables from that motor to a place in the boat where you now make all the necessary connections with all their components/parts. Like many of your Bennies, ours has two batteries, both AGM's, in the rear of the boat next to the engine. I have to say here, Bennington, did an OUTSTANDING JOB of keeping you from gaining access to those batteries from the engine area! I thought it was gonna be a cakewalk to run those thruster cables to the batteries before I actually attempted it. AIN'T HAPPENING! I exhausted every normal way and hit roadblocks at every turn. Talk about frustrating!
I finally drilled through a 1/4" thick aluminum cross beam that lead to the back edge of the fuel tank which, is also in the battery compartment. I had to drill a hole in the deck in that area so those thruster cables could come up through and over to the batteries. Oh, by the way, the thruster cables don't actually go to the batteries. It's just that the cables from the batteries enter the back seating area of the boat (at least on our '14 25RCL they do) through some formed plastic structure under the seat. And that's where you need to run the thruster cables to, to make all the connections. Now, once you have managed to get those thruster cables to the area where all the business is done, THEN and there is where all the electrical connections are made and the components are installed.
In the pics below, you see all of what's involved in the install. About the only thing they don't supply in the kit is the actual cable from the batteries to the battery switch and motor controller. Sideshift stipulates the use of 1/0 cable for this part of the install. Well, 1/0 cable is not something your local Autozone or Oreilies has in stock. And at the time of install, neither did our local West Marine. However, I did happen to have some Ought (0) gage cable hanging around. It was all black and no red but, that's what they make RED electrical tape for, which I also have some hanging around. Oh, by the way, to my amazement, being that you may need to cut the thruster cables to a length that satisfies your installation, AND, as stated, you need rather large battery supply cables from the batt(s) to the components, Sideshift supplies a battery cable lug crimping tool, how about them apples!
And it's a very good quality *hammer* style crimping tool. It works GREAT! We're talking *mega-amps* here in this operation so, GREAT quality cable lug crimping is IN DEMAND! Two more things and I'll shut up. One, they supply a *Joy Stick* for controlling that thruster to make the rear of your boat move right to left or, left to right and you mount it up near or in the dash or where ever your heart desires. The really good part about that joy stick, all you have to do is wire it to a CONSTANT 12V supply, not a key-switched supply. That joy sticks works with RADIO WAVES. There is a receiver that you wire in to all the components in the back, that receives those signals from that Joystick. And that receiver sends those signals to the motor controller. Pretty cool huh? And finally, Sideshift also supplies a REMOTE FOB for just in case someone wants to control the sideways direction from outside the boat. Also cool huh?
I finished the install this morning and we headed out to the lake, as in lake Havasu to be specific. I played with it in many situations and each time I was thoroughly satisfied with that 4,500 lb boat's reaction to that little stern thruster. About the only time it was less than great with performance was when I was steering the back of that directly into wind. That thruster worked even then but, at a diminished capacity. Ok, enough blabbing, that's all folks. Take a look at the pics. Any questions?
Scott
