Bow thruster
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A bow thruster, also known as a tunnel thruster, is a thruster built into the bow of a ship to enhance its maneuverability. Usually, a bow thruster is just a tunnel below the waterline through the bow. An impeller in the tunnel can create thrust to both ways which makes the ship turn.
Ships equipped with bow thrusters have a sign above the waterline over each thruster on both sides. This sign symbolizes the thruster with a big white cross in a white circle.
Bow thrusters make docking a ship easier, since they can turn the ship even if it's not moving and in some cases allow a ship to dock without the otherwise required assistance of tugboats, saving the costs of such service.
[edit] External links
- 3 Example Photo : Bow thrusters in a bulbous bow
- Tutorial: How to Select a Bow or Tunnel Thruster
- Tutorial: How to Install a Bow or Tunnel Thruster
