Water pump thruster

[TROUBLEMONSTER]

I saw someone use a water pump for a bow thruster on the internet but can't remember where I saw it. The tug I am building already has a fiberglass tunnel in the hull and the water pump may work for me I am limited on space. Has anyone else seen this? I will be using 7.2V battery packs in my boat. Thanks

[toesup]

I saw someone use a water pump for a bow thruster on the internet but can't remember where I saw it. The tug I am building already has a fiberglass tunnel in the hull and the water pump may work for me I am limited on space. Has anyone else seen this? I will be using 7.2V battery packs in my boat. Thanks

I can see the idea behind using a water pump..

However...
The flow from a pump would have to be quite large to equal the flow out of a bow thruster.
Water pumps, like car washer pumps are bulky... unless you use the 'Micro' medical type pumps, which are VERY expensive.

Also, car washer pumps will flatten 7.2v batteries rather quickly.

If you can find the article, it may provoke some interesting discussion. :)

[Tugboat Andy]

I believe it was used on a scratch built anchor handling tug. I just saw it again within the past three weeks or so but I can't remember where either.

Many pumps are not meant to run longer than a few seconds or they will burn up.

[nick_75au]

Its linked from the X-bow thread, boat has 2 thrusters, so uses one pump for each thruster and each thruster operates one direction
Regards
Nick

[Umi_Ryuzuki]

Thats Peter's Abeille.. :cool:

http://picasaweb.google.de/Peter.S.aus.O/BauberichtABEILLEBOURBON02

[pusar]

That boat is amazing Umi. After taking a look at that boat I realize that everything that I built... that I thought was pretty good is pure sh :censored:

:D

Wow

Marty

[TROUBLEMONSTER]

Thanks I knew someone would remember. Some of the real thrusters are not as powerful as you may think. I have worked on some 1:1 scale OSV's that the tunnel thruster had to be full throttle and did very little. I have also worked on one that had eurodrive thrusters that were the same HP as the main engines that one had no problems turning circles on a dime. I think my model will be too small (26") to try something like that. I think the twin prop with 2 ECS's will be enough to make the boat handle well.