There was more to this message coming guys . . . fat fingered it again . . . some weird combination of keys sent it away . . . maybe when you reach a certain number of miss-spellings in a sentence Outlook gives up and just sends the darn thing. Anyway: (snip)From Aldrid When does an improvisation equal or better a purposebuilt design? (endsnip) Some very valid points Aldrid. Not arguing here . . . discussing . . . I would love a purpose built unit. In this case it is cost that would influence making the call I think . . . one of the few thrusters I have specs on uses hydraulic motor/pump/valve that are available commercially for about $350.00 total. I figure fabricating the bow tube (I have a steel boat and the insides are already out) would cost me about twenty bucks. Really. That leaves me trying to figure out where the other $3500 or so goes . . . all that is left is a gear box and prop. There are bound to be reasonably priced units out there . . . I am hoping someone on the list knows where they are. (snip) From Aldrid Cost of the actual thruster kit represented less than 20% of the total bill. (endsnip) Can you elaborate on the costs involved . . . most of the thruster guys that have bothered to respond are quoting $3500-$4500 for a kit for my boat (no tube). Up to $1000 more if they provide the tube (for a steel boat). Are you really indicating that installing one of these typically costs upwards of $20,000 . . . That will exceed the cost of the two new engines and drive trains for my boat. Admittedly I am doing all the labor . . . and my interior had to come out anyway so those costs for me are not attached to a thruster . . . but $3500 or so just seems excessive for the contents of a thruster. Wiring or hydraulic runs would all be on top of this cost. (snip) Now subtract the cost of manufacturing a special mount, a waterproof gland arrangement for the shaft/tube entry into the tube. and quite possibly shortening the shaft and internal wiring (endsnip) Yes to all that. Would have to be done. Also my initial biggest concern with the trolling motor idea is that the motor is always submerged . . . 24/7. Seems like a potential problem. But again for discussion, there are trolling motor arrangements that remote mount the motor. The gland is easy . . . commercially available (in bronze/stainless/whatever) compression-to-flange fittings would be appropriate. Looks like with a commercial unit I would already have to supply the tube and mount . . . but in steel that is easy and cheap. Anyway . . . In short I do not want to re-invent the wheel . . . but costs are a significant issue for some of us . . . and the thrusters seem extremely overpriced for what they are . . . so if it came to improvisation or nothing at all . . . I mean . . . somebody had to invent the thing in the first place . . . CUAgain, Daniel Meyer http://cuagain.manilasites.com