Antares 30 stern thruster

[Sydneysider]

Hi All,

I am finally getting around to installing a stern thruster to my Antares 30. I have chosen the Sidepower SE 40.
Thanks to the helpful people on this forum the installation seems somewhat straight forward and proven
For those that have one or driven a boat with one installed, do you use both stern and bow at once or jockey the boat using one then the other?
Do you feel they are well matched, as the bow would have a 60 max power and the stern a 40 sidepower?

Anders , I am also looking at putting 45m of 8mm chain in the anchor locker as you have, has this worked well for you?

Also I am looking to put sat dome on the rear arch, but there are concerns about interference by the factory bimini (that I leave folded and stored in its sock most of the time) has anybody done this or have any thoughts?


Thanks in Advance Scott

 

[Elessar]

Hi All,

I am finally getting around to installing a stern thruster to my Antares 30. I have chosen the Sidepower SE 40.
Thanks to the helpful people on this forum the installation seems somewhat straight forward and proven
For those that have one or driven a boat with one installed, do you use both stern and bow at once or jockey the boat using one then the other?
Do you feel they are well matched, as the bow would have a 60 max power and the stern a 40 sidepower?

Anders , I am also looking at putting 45m of 8mm chain in the anchor locker as you have, has this worked well for you?

Also I am looking to put sat dome on the rear arch, but there are concerns about interference by the factory bimini (that I leave folded and stored in its sock most of the time) has anybody done this or have any thoughts?


Thanks in Advance Scott

I have fitted them and driven at least 4 of these boats with them fitted quite extensively, and a couple without.

The installation is anything but straightforward, but it is proven.

The boat won't go sideways with both on, no. The bow is way more powerful because its more powerful motor with bigger props and is better positioned, plus the bow has less lateral resistance in the water so pushes more easily.

Docking technique is to leave the helm central, and use the thrusters to position the bow and stern laterally, I use them one at a time so my brain can keep up. Use the bow to do any turning, and the bow and stern in dabs to keep the boat aligned. Though one to port and one to starboard is a nice little spin on the spot party trick

The boat is simply transformed with a stern thruster. It's huge prop wash makes it a tricky little thing without one, with it it is completely de-stressed. One of the very few boats that needs one IMHO.

 

[Anders_P42]

Scott,

I'm not sure which sidepower stern thruster I have, it does have the 'ears' fitted on thruster tunnel. I do find the boat goes quite well sideways. For example to leave a hammerhead pontoon if boats are close front and rear, I use both on at once to clear before using engine. I'm sure it's not a very purist way of departing, but it gets the job done.

Yes 45m chain has worked well, you will find it piles up if you let a lot of chain out, so it needs pushing over with boat hook now and again. But probably a good idea to have someone up front any way and it's not too much aggro. I've started dropping a waypoint when I anchor and then once the boat has settled, you can plot a route to the way point - it draws a line and calculates approx. distance to where the anchor is sitting. Handy when you come to leave as you know where anchor is lying (assuming no anchor drift).

Anders

 

[Sydneysider]

Anders, When you are using both thrusters at once do you find that the bow overtakes the stern? - Not that it would matter much- You seem to have the Se 40 according to the photo you sent (many thanks!!)
Are the ears necessary? I have seen installation with and with out
I was thinking to put the dual joystick where the water gauge is and moving the water gauge to where the single thruster was - Can anybody see any probs with this?

 

[Firefly625]

not sure if this control would be compatible, but its what we have on our Mitchell... links both to one controller which makes operating both simultaneously very easy..

http://www.vetus.com/boat-instrumen...ng-system-for-thrusters-incl-time-delay.html#

 

[Anders_P42]

Anders, When you are using both thrusters at once do you find that the bow overtakes the stern? - Not that it would matter much- You seem to have the Se 40 according to the photo you sent (many thanks!!)
Are the ears necessary? I have seen installation with and with out
I was thinking to put the dual joystick where the water gauge is and moving the water gauge to where the single thruster was - Can anybody see any probs with this?

Can't say I've noticed bow overtaking stern much, but then I'm only using both thrusters in a short blast 2-3 seconds to leave hammerhead pontoon. If I get out this weekend I'll run a more extended test. I'm not sure how crucial the ears are, but my installer has a good rep in the UK and they chose to include them.

Here's my thruster controls set up at lower helm. They managed to interface factory supplied 'Quick' thruster with sidepower dual control and it covered the old thruster control hole in GRP.

 

[Sydneysider]

Tidy install Anders,

I was considering putting the double joystick where the existing one was extending upwards, as i do not have anything else to put into the existing thruster hole and I do not have the third gauge on the right as you do.
I saw one installed on the net this way and it looked alright

Regards Scott

 

[baldyash]

I've also taken the decision to have a stern thruster fitted after 5 years of struggle! Waiting for my quote to arrive currently. Any heads up on what it may be?

 

[Dinks66]

My sternthruster bust a shearpin a few months ago somehow and the guy needed to be a contortionist to change it !! Mine is also a Sidepower with same set up as Anders. My bow definitely overtakes the stern but it isn't really an issue. I have no idea how people can handle these boats without one in even a moderate breeze. I definitely need both thrusters and with them I can get into any space no matter how little clearance I have. Should be fitted as standard IMHO as they are on the Swift Trawler !!

 

[novanta]

Make sure to fit a seperate battery for the sternthruster, we normaly fit a Optima RedTop.

 

[clwlaptop]

Why?? Thanks

 

[Sydneysider]

Why?? Thanks

To extra battery or Stern thruster in general?

 

[clwlaptop]

To extra battery or Stern thruster in general?

apologies, I meant the extra battery. I have a stern thruster on my Merry Fisher 10. It doesn't have its own battery. So was interested in why it was said it must have its own. To understand any risk with my set up. For info :On the merryfisher, the batteries are in the stern.

 

[Sydneysider]

Hi All,
I am going well with the stern thruster install - I have put the sidepower SE40 in the back and have an existing Maxpower thruster in the bow.
I have chosen the Maxpower double joysticks as they are most compact and i have the Maxpower thruster in the bow.
With regards to wiring, the bow unit is like make to the joystick so it is plug and play, but the Sidepower unit control wire is 5 wire and the maxpower joystick is 6 so how should this be wired?
Thanks Scott

 

[Sydneysider]

For those that might be interested here are some pics of the Stern thruster install;
The boys in the yard did a nice job as making the install look like part of the boat.
I have had it for about 12 months now (site did not allow me to post pics prev) and was worth every cent.
A big thanks to everybody who assisted, as I would not have undertaken the project without the information given.
We used the maxpower joystick (See pic) which was a bit of a challenge; We had to add a relay to the lower station at the bow to action the stern, all works as before, except the stern button is inoperable. I think it is better this way as when the bow is activated the stern is automatically as well, a further relay could be added to make both buttons operable but do not think it is really required. But I wanted the maxpower joysticks as it has the smallest mounting plate and it could be retained in its original position on the dash.
If anybody needs pics or info let me know

 

[Anders_P42]

For those that might be interested here are some pics of the Stern thruster install;
The boys in the yard did a nice job as making the install look like part of the boat.
I have had it for about 12 months now (site did not allow me to post pics prev) and was worth every cent.
A big thanks to everybody who assisted, as I would not have undertaken the project without the information given.
We used the maxpower joystick (See pic) which was a bit of a challenge; We had to add a relay to the lower station at the bow to action the stern, all works as before, except the stern button is inoperable. I think it is better this way as when the bow is activated the stern is automatically as well, a further relay could be added to make both buttons operable but do not think it is really required. But I wanted the maxpower joysticks as it has the smallest mounting plate and it could be retained in its original position on the dash.
If anybody needs pics or info let me know

Nice job Scott. Glad I specced mine from day one.

I hope they replaced prop anode before she went back in water.

Anders

 

[Sydneysider]

Anders,

The transom anode had hardly consumed after 12 months so the yard suggested to take the anode from the prop and put it further up the shaft to give the transom one a bit more action. The two button ones on the rudder were removed. After two years the original transom anode became about 25% consumed, I replaced it with a new one. The new anode had consumed about 10% after 12 months, I will be interested to see the consumption rate after 2 years which will be in October, The shaft anode had consumed more than 50% each year as the prop anode also had in that first year.
Do you and other owners have a similar pattern on your boat?

 

[Anders_P42]

Anders,

The transom anode had hardly consumed after 12 months so the yard suggested to take the anode from the prop and put it further up the shaft to give the transom one a bit more action. The two button ones on the rudder were removed. After two years the original transom anode became about 25% consumed, I replaced it with a new one. The new anode had consumed about 10% after 12 months, I will be interested to see the consumption rate after 2 years which will be in October, The shaft anode had consumed more than 50% each year as the prop anode also had in that first year.
Do you and other owners have a similar pattern on your boat?

View attachment 59939

I also find the transom anode stands up well, but the prop and rudder anodes take a beating. The bow thruster anode look fine after two years, but I replaced that anyway on the two year inspection.

The rudder has a lot of wiring earthed to it, I'm not sure I'd run mine without rudder anodes as they do fizz away a lot. I think anode consumption is effected by other boats with potential wiring / earthing issues, so anode consumption can vary marina to marina.

 

[Sydneysider]

Hi Anders,

Primarily the rudder, prop strut, exhaust outlet and tabs if fitted, and various engine parts are all "bonded" to the transom anode. This makes all these bonded items like one metal, so if for example the rudder becomes under attack the most less noble metal the anode will be consumed first. A probable reason that this anode is not being consumed quickly is that the underwater metals rudder, prop strut ect are noble (durable) and are not attracting a lot of attack.