Albin 25 Update 2 - Bow Thruster

[Sookelarry]

Wanted to share my experience of installation of Vetus Bow Thruster in my Albin 25. While I know bit of extravagant option but I'm mostly doing the helming and jumping ashore by myself so I was looking at options for a tighter seamanship evolution for very tight alongsides and contrary wind and current. While the large screw and good application of astern power will walk the stern in nicely....the addition of a bow thruster makes life easier....ok alot easier. So I removed the forward water tank and had all screws removed from the access panels. I then took boat to Jenkins Marine in Sooke BC and they did the work. Super impressed with everything about this yard. So she was on hard for about month. I took lots of pictures throughout the process. They built up the glass around the opening so the water flows past the thruster when motoring...this stops the water from going into thruster tube and rotating the prop. I placed the control just to left of helm and seems good location. Right hand on helm and left on thruster control. Suffice to say it is brilliant. Take off all lines, step onboard and walk bow out using thruster and engage main engine and away we go. Alongside in my marina is pretty tight....so again it was very nice coming alongside with this quite powerful Vetus system.

[TorreyWP]

Well done! Worth its weight in gold on our 27.

Not that these boats are difficult to handle but as you say; the thruster makes them a lot EASIER to handle. I encourage anyone considering the option as it is not just for you but it adds value to the boat.

What year is your 25?

[Sookelarry]

Hello. It's a 1978, hull number 2793....pretty close to end of production run for the vessel I believe.

[DesertAlbin736]

1978 close to end of production run? Agree. Although supposedly A25's were imported to North America up to 1980 I have never seen or heard of an Albin 25 newer than 1978 on this continent. The one exception was a 1984 Bonum 25 we saw in the San Juans in 2014. That was apparently a company that obtained Albin 25 hull molds & redsigned the wheelhouse, cabin tops, and deck mold. So for all intents & purposes the Bonum was an updated version of Albin 25.

As to bow thruster, nice job! Sometimes the end results are worth the extra expense of hiring a professional to do the work vs DIY. We're heading into our 9th year of ownership & cruising without a bow thruster. We almost never operate single handed, so with prop walk (right handed prop with the Yanmar), rudder kicks, & spring lines we get by. A bow thruster & electric anchor windlass would be nice too, but I've already "invested" so much money in repairs & upgrades to both boat & trailer over the years on top of the initial purchase price I'm reluctant to put significantly more money into a 52 years old boat we may only keep for a few more years.