Author Topic: Bowthruster.  (Read 5226 times)

Nicho

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Bowthruster.
« on: May 28 2020, 14:28 »
Bavaria 34. Tunnel done, motor to be fitted today. Neat job inside.

PEA-JAY

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Re: Bowthruster.
« Reply #1 on: May 28 2020, 20:47 »
Impressively neat job! Where was it done? Please keep us posted.
Raph.

artemis

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Re: Bowthruster.
« Reply #2 on: May 29 2020, 06:47 »
Smashing job I've the Exturn thruster on a B34 love it also makes life a lot easier.

Mike
Artemis

Nicho

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Re: Bowthruster.
« Reply #3 on: May 29 2020, 13:01 »
Madge Marine in Port Solent. They do a nice job (not connected, or I’d get a smaller bill😀)

paulemeier1

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Re: Bowthruster.
« Reply #4 on: May 31 2020, 17:08 »
what kind of topcoat bilge paint did you use? Where to buy it?

PEA-JAY

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Re: Bowthruster.
« Reply #5 on: May 31 2020, 18:53 »
Yes that seems to be a very good finish and looks like a great "wipe clean" surface.
I wouldn't mind treating my cockpit lockers to that finish.
My lockers are a little tacky, it seems like something went wrong when they were painted originally by Bavaria
Raph

Stevie H

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Re: Bowthruster.
« Reply #6 on: May 31 2020, 23:17 »
I would also recommend Madge Marine -they did an insurance repair on my topside when I dinged it on the corner of the pontoon (the corner I kept saying to myself I must fit a dock fender on !!). Excellent quality work and very good colour match on a 2000 B36.

Nico -can I ask roughly what the cost is as I keep thinking about having a thruster installed as it would make life so much easier for myself and my crew due to advancing years and normally sailing short handed

Nicho

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Re: Bowthruster.
« Reply #7 on: June 01 2020, 09:23 »
I would also recommend Madge Marine -they did an insurance repair on my topside when I dinged it on the corner of the pontoon (the corner I kept saying to myself I must fit a dock fender on !!). Excellent quality work and very good colour match on a 2000 B36.

Nico -can I ask roughly what the cost is as I keep thinking about having a thruster installed as it would make life so much easier for myself and my crew due to advancing years and normally sailing short handed

Have PM’d you Stevie

Nicho

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Re: Bowthruster.
« Reply #8 on: June 01 2020, 09:32 »
what kind of topcoat bilge paint did you use? Where to buy it?

Sorry Paul, I did not do it. Madge Marine could tell you. Mike N

Symphony

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Re: Bowthruster.
« Reply #9 on: June 01 2020, 10:18 »
I think that looks like flowcoat which is a variation on gel coat and commonly used for the last coat of new laminations inside lockers or in bilges. Can be used to coat existing grp to give a smooth surface, but is messy to use. Perhaps better to use one of the dedicated locker paints such as International Danbolin or Hempel Locker paint.

I used the latter in the bow locker of my 37 when I replaced the water tank. Available in white or 2 different shades of grey. It is a high density paint so covers well and easy to apply.

Nicho

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Re: Bowthruster.
« Reply #10 on: June 01 2020, 10:41 »
Yes, I remember now, they told me, it’s Flowcoat

Nicho

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Re: Bowthruster.
« Reply #11 on: June 03 2020, 15:29 »
Finished. Back in the water Friday, just as the weather breaks down

Symphony

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Re: Bowthruster.
« Reply #12 on: June 03 2020, 15:57 »
Very neat. You won't regret your decision. Did you get the wireless remote as well? Reminded yesterday how useful it is when the bow blew off just as I was walking forward to pick up the bow line. Quick squirt using the remote got the bow back against the pontoon.

Nicho

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Re: Bowthruster.
« Reply #13 on: June 03 2020, 18:05 »
No, the old savings account took a big enough bash as it is! I can definitely see the merit of the remote version though.

Clivert

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Re: Bowthruster.
« Reply #14 on: June 03 2020, 18:18 »
Had a 2001 Bav 34 for seven years and never needed a bow thruster.
Should I get to an age ( I'm 75 ) when I think I need one I would fit an external one ala Tom Cunliffe, as it sits lower in the water and it only needs two bolts to fit.

Symphony

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Re: Bowthruster.
« Reply #15 on: June 03 2020, 18:38 »
If you can manage without it, fine, but it really depends on your circumstances and not really directly related to age (I am only 74). The key thing is to look at what is important to you to make your sailing possible, and what are the barriers. For me, as I sail mostly on my own, the biggest barrier is the ability to get in and out of my berth on my own. I discovered this when I brought my 37 back from Greece, where lack of a bow thruster was just not an issue. I got to use the boat less and less because of the difficulty of getting in and out. so when I changed to the new 33 a bow thruster was high on the list, influenced by both my neighbours with similar size boats having one fitted.

Four years on and very happy with my decision but appreciate they are not for everyone.

Not sure which thruster Cunliffe has fitted, but the Sidepower tunnel thruster is well suited to the shape of the Bavaria hull.

Salty

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Re: Bowthruster.
« Reply #16 on: June 03 2020, 18:46 »
No, the old savings account took a big enough bash as it is! I can definitely see the merit of the remote version though.

You don’t have to use the bow thruster manufacturers remote control, or even a dedicated marine version both of which tend to be very expensive. You can instead, for example, purchase through eBay for under £10 in the UK remarkably reliable remote radio control systems that fit easily to the directional control Solenoid for your bow thruster and which has a range of around 15 metres. I have one to control my windlass, while a friend has three used to control individually his windlass, his bow thruster and an electrically operated cabin top winch.
The one shown below actually has two transmitters included in the price, so the savings account won’t get quite so much of a bashing !!
The system I have on my boat for my windlass has been in use for several years and works remarkably well.
In the attached copy of an eBay advertisement, the grey wire attached to the radio receiver is its antenna, the black and red leads are for the 12 volt power supply to the receiver, these would be connected to your switched power supply to the thruster motor, while the white and yellow wires would connect one each to the port and starboard direction solenoids, and that’s it, simples !!
Oh, and ask her indoors for a splash or two of her red and green nail varnish so you can paint over the “in” “out” buttons to show which way the thruster operates when the appropriate button is pressed, or you could make some boring written labels.

Rampage

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Re: Bowthruster.
« Reply #17 on: June 03 2020, 19:55 »
I’ve been using one of the eBay remotes on my windlass for the last 8 years or so. Totally reliable and cheap as chips.

Nicho

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Re: Bowthruster.
« Reply #18 on: June 04 2020, 07:58 »
Had a 2001 Bav 34 for seven years and never needed a bow thruster.
Should I get to an age ( I'm 75 ) when I think I need one I would fit an external one ala Tom Cunliffe, as it sits lower in the water and it only needs two bolts to fit.

Looked at those, but they are hugely expensive compared to the tunnel type. On the other hand, fitting costs could be reduced.

Nicho

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Re: Bowthruster.
« Reply #19 on: June 04 2020, 08:07 »
No, the old savings account took a big enough bash as it is! I can definitely see the merit of the remote version though.

You don’t have to use the bow thruster manufacturers remote control, or even a dedicated marine version both of which tend to be very expensive. You can instead, for example, purchase through eBay for under £10 in the UK remarkably reliable remote radio control systems that fit easily to the directional control Solenoid for your bow thruster and which has a range of around 15 metres. I have one to control my windlass, while a friend has three used to control individually his windlass, his bow thruster and an electrically operated cabin top winch.
The one shown below actually has two transmitters included in the price, so the savings account won’t get quite so much of a bashing !!
The system I have on my boat for my windlass has been in use for several years and works remarkably well.
In the attached copy of an eBay advertisement, the grey wire attached to the radio receiver is its antenna, the black and red leads are for the 12 volt power supply to the receiver, these would be connected to your switched power supply to the thruster motor, while the white and yellow wires would connect one each to the port and starboard direction solenoids, and that’s it, simples !!
Oh, and ask her indoors for a splash or two of her red and green nail varnish so you can paint over the “in” “out” buttons to show which way the thruster operates when the appropriate button is pressed, or you could make some boring written labels.

That’s very interesting, I’ll have to look into that. Age wise, I am 77 and wife 74. She has Sjogrens disease, which is an auto immune problem in that her immune system attacks her own body, especially joints, and she does suffer from knee problems, so is less agile on deck than she used to be, and doesn’t feel confident on the helm.  Hoping the bowthruster will help in close quarters, not having to spring off etc - we are used to mobos, with twin engines and a bowthruster, so going back to single engine was a bit of a challenge.

tckearney

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Re: Bowthruster.
« Reply #20 on: June 04 2020, 15:09 »
Brilliant Salty thanks for that .  Just ordered one for my windless £12.49 ebay

Nicho

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Re: Bowthruster.
« Reply #21 on: June 04 2020, 16:37 »
Brilliant Salty thanks for that .  Just ordered one for my windless £12.49 ebay

Just done the same from Amazon!

tckearney

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Re: Bowthruster.
« Reply #22 on: June 11 2020, 13:25 »
Hi salty  good job you Gave a description of the wring.  Mine has just arrived from China ( virus free I hope) with no instructions or diagram.   I guessed the Grey wire was antenna purely by the fact it has not been stripped back, but you could easily get confussed.  I assume that inside this just swithes the +red to either yellow or white

tiger79

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Re: Bowthruster.
« Reply #23 on: June 11 2020, 16:44 »
I assume that inside this just swithes the +red to either yellow or white

Yes, that's what they do.  I fitted a similar one for my thruster and it's been useful.  My only reservation is that there's a momentary delay on switching off.  Nothing too extreme, but it's noticeable.

Salty

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Re: Bowthruster.
« Reply #24 on: June 11 2020, 21:14 »
.......................I assume that inside this just swithes the +red to either yellow or white

Sorry, can you explain “swithes” ??
Also can you confirm what colour wires you have fitted to the receiver, thanks.