Bow thruster opinions

Beamishken

Beamishken

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Thinking of fitting a bow thruster to our regal 3760 37ft sports cruiser around 8 tonnes
Seen a Quicke manufactured kit at a good price but never heard of them. Anyone any experience with them or alternative suggestion for a sensibly priced kit looking at a 185mm tunnel size
Cheers
Ken
 
Beamishken said:
Thinking of fitting a bow thruster to our regal 3760 37ft sports cruiser around 8 tonnes
Seen a Quicke manufactured kit at a good price but never heard of them. Anyone any experience with them or alternative suggestion for a sensibly priced kit looking at a 185mm tunnel size
Cheers
Ken
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I’d speak to Simon Blackaller from Sleipner (Sidepower). He’s a good bloke who’s given me great service and solved a few big issues at minimal cost. I’ll PM you his number.
 
If you want to know more about Quick bowthrusters issues you might see if there a Hanse owners site wher a psot might help as my recollection is that Hanse fit this make as standard (presumably as cheaper than Sidepower) .
 
The Quicke thruster is significantly cheaper than the sleipner. Couldnt find much negative on the hanse page apart from general repair stuff. Couldnt see anyone saying they were absolute garbage.
 
I have a Quick bow and stern thruster (and hot water tank and some other stuff) as fitted by the manufacturer of my Beneteau Swift Trawler 34. I did have a problem when the stern truster died (replaced under warranty) but if you read these pages that’s not unusual for any thruster. I don’t know what to say other than they work, and obviously I can’t say if another brand would be better.
Whatever you choose, choose the biggest you possibly can fit or afford
 
Bouba said:
I have a Quick bow and stern thruster (and hot water tank and some other stuff) as fitted by the manufacturer of my Beneteau Swift Trawler 34. I did have a problem when the stern truster died (replaced under warranty) but if you read these pages that’s not unusual for any thruster. I don’t know what to say other than they work, and obviously I can’t say if another brand would be better.
Whatever you choose, choose the biggest you possibly can fit or afford
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Hi thanks for that I guess there can be failures with any mechanical item so the odd failure is to be expected, id be concerned if you said you'd had several fail but id put 1 down to bad luck.
Can I ask you what size is fitted to your swift trawler? Although your slightly shorter id imagine your heavier and more forward windage too yours is probably a good guide to size required for my boat
 
Beamishken said:
Hi thanks for that I guess there can be failures with any mechanical item so the odd failure is to be expected, id be concerned if you said you'd had several fail but id put 1 down to bad luck.
Can I ask you what size is fitted to your swift trawler? Although your slightly shorter id imagine your heavier and more forward windage too yours is probably a good guide to size required for my boat
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I’m hoping to get to my boat tomorrow and will find the information as I’ve forgotten. They are 12 volt (the stern and bow are exactly the same, just the tunnel is different). I have enquired about upgrading my stern thruster as when the wind blows on my short but very tall boat it easily overcomes the thruster. But it’s a complicated and expensive procedure.
The bow of course moves much easier but come the end of season with a good slime buildup it still feels sluggish
 
Bouba said:
I’m hoping to get to my boat tomorrow and will find the information as I’ve forgotten. They are 12 volt (the stern and bow are exactly the same, just the tunnel is different). I have enquired about upgrading my stern thruster as when the wind blows on my short but very tall boat it easily overcomes the thruster. But it’s a complicated and expensive procedure.
The bow of course moves much easier but come the end of season with a good slime buildup it still feels sluggish
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Ok thank you the one I had in mind was the 3kw with the 185mm tunnel it is the smallest kw of the larger 185 mm tunnel size thrusters but ive seen several similar boats with only 140mm tunnels
Thank you for your help
 
Beamishken said:
Ok thank you the one I had in mind was the 3kw with the 185mm tunnel it is the smallest kw of the larger 185 mm tunnel size thrusters but ive seen several similar boats with only 140mm tunnels
Thank you for your help
Click to expand...

hey Ken.

The smaller the tunnel, the easier they get barnacled up and the noisier they are. So good choice so far.

I have sidepower. I fitted it myself, and the advice you will get from Mike at Osmotech (the sell them as well as fitting them) will resolve any issues you might have. He knows everything there is to know and is super helpful.

The downside with the sidepower it that it has twin props. They say it makes the thrust equal in either direction, but the problem is the area between the props gets barnacled and you can't easily take the prop off in the water. I've done it but its a pain. The barnacles absolutely kill its effectiveness. Thus I'd avoid a twin prop thruster if i was choosing again, but the sidepower is great quality kit.
 
Ok, went to the boat. It’s a Quick BTQ180, which I believe has been superceded by the BTQ185.
Here’s the installation

As you can see it’s quite tidy, two batteries in parallel (giving 12v) are close as possible to the thruster (as are the ones in the stern).
As said before they are perfectly adequate for the bow on a boat our size, but a little under powered for the stern.
I couldn’t find any information on the tunnel and I’m not due to take the boat out for several months
 
Last edited:
Additional information, it’s the 3.3kw model 2 counter rotating props
And the specs say 185mm tunnel
 
Bouba said:
Yes, I’m not endorsing Quick.
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Ok cheers for the info it seems I'm on the right track size wise. You say your not endorsing Quicke & I appreciate they may be at the budget end of the market & it seems sidepower are the rolls royce however this is a 13 year old boat & there is a large cost difference. I'm not bothered about it being the best it just needs to function.
We have used the boat without a thruster for several years without a major whoopsie however we had out two teenage kids with us primed & ready with a Ball fender if we got a little out of line (which we did occasionally) The two teenagers are doing their own thing now so dont come out so much hence thinking a thruster might be a good idea
 
Beamishken said:
Ok cheers for the info it seems I'm on the right track size wise. You say your not endorsing Quicke & I appreciate they may be at the budget end of the market & it seems sidepower are the rolls royce however this is a 13 year old boat & there is a large cost difference. I'm not bothered about it being the best it just needs to function.
We have used the boat without a thruster for several years without a major whoopsie however we had out two teenage kids with us primed & ready with a Ball fender if we got a little out of line (which we did occasionally) The two teenagers are doing their own thing now so dont come out so much hence thinking a thruster might be a good idea
Click to expand...
Yes, you right. I would fill my boat with the best of the best. But of course, I couldn’t afford it either. Beneteau have chosen these products, if the return rate was too high I’m sure they would have looked for an alternative arrangement. They work, but without a comparable boat to make a comparison I can’t judge them. On the plus side, it’s just an electric motor. What could possibly go wrong ;)
 
Bouba said:
Yes, you right. I would fill my boat with the best of the best. But of course, I couldn’t afford it either. Beneteau have chosen these products, if the return rate was too high I’m sure they would have looked for an alternative arrangement. They work, but without a comparable boat to make a comparison I can’t judge them. On the plus side, it’s just an electric motor. What could possibly go wrong ;)
Click to expand...
I guess the motor going wrong isnt the issue as much as the seals going wrong after you put a dirty great hole in the boat to install it.
My thoughts are if a major boat manufacturer is installing them they cant be too bad.
And no one's come on to say they are total junk
 
Hey Ken,
Just a side note, while you are fitting the thruster, wire up a remote control, I used a set up from RS, RF solutions kit, but any garage door opener types will work fine too. The marine types are just too expensive! Makes it a lot easier when single handing.
Regards Barry
 
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