bow thruster prices - oh dear!

[howardclark]

I'm negotiating to but a long keel, heavy displacement boat and want a bow thruster fitted. In a year old catalogue a 4hp Vetus thruster was quoted at £900. When I phoned up to confirm the current price it has gone up to £1500!!!
What is going on?
Is there a reasonable alternative to Vetus?

 

[david_bagshaw]

will a 4hp be big enough, then add same again for fitting. I know a very competitive supplier in the netherlands, if you want to go down this route

David
www.yachtman.co.uk

 

[Boathook]

Not to sure what model the 4hp is but I have just purchased a Vetus 55 Kg thrust model for just under £1000. I still have to buy the battery and battery cables which is another £100. Looking through some old Vetus catalogues I thought that the prices had remained fairly stable for the last years.

Does anyone have ideas on the fibreglassing - like how many layers of fibre matt are needed and the area to be covered on the tube and hull. The tube is 160mm diameter.

 

[Guest]

I have one from Volvo-Penta's QL product range - bow thruster has worked without any problems so far...

 

[Guest]

The Vetus 55kgf is equivalent to 4hp. I have just fitted that model to my long keel yacht. A very important point to note about fibreglassing new to old is that the old fibreglass must be thoroughly roughened (with 80 grit) and cleaned, otherwise the join is very suspect. I first filleted the tunnel to the hull using a thickened epoxy resin mix. To ensure a matching thickness to my half inch thick hull, I cut a number of matchsticks to half inch lengths and stuck them at the hull/tunnel junction, at an estimated bisecting angle. You need patience for this, as the matchsticks had to be continually adjusted until the epoxy hardened. Once this was done, I applied successive layers of fibreglass, tapering them into the hull and tunnel, until the matchsticks were covered. Finally adding a few more layers for luck.