Abstract
Small motor boats are agile and responsive, but houseboats are heavy and lumbering. Maneuvering a houseboat can be a little like driving a double decker bus without brakes. Navigating becomes especially tricky once the wind starts to blow; it catches the broad side of the houseboat and forces the boat off course. Azimuth thrusters provide thrust vectoring for cruise ships, icebreakers, offshore oil platforms and the like, but have no significant history with respect to private and personal use. Therefore, the houseboat maneuvering weakness can be solved with a small azimuth thruster. The thruster design follows standard maritime design practices. Sound engineering analysis and methods drove the design process. The small azimuth thruster scores well in a ranked review of the quality requirements set forth.