Damaged bow thruster tunnel

Keith-i

Keith-i

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A bit of advice required here please. I decided to give the bow thruster a proper looking at as I'd never gone further than checking the motor unit in the last 14 years of owning our boat and seeing as it's an old Vetus unit I didn't really know what state the gearbox was in beneath all the years of grime and antifoul. Although I'm rather glad I did it has set me back a little bit as I now have a tunnel to fix. Basically, the gearbox unit just pulled through the tunnel as I tried to prise the mounting/base plate off. I guess years of sideways thrust has fractured the grp.

So the question is, is this repairable or should I be getting a new tunnel fitted? I'm going to get a new thruster with a matching tunnel size spec, probably a Max-Power unit as they claim to be maintenance free.

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Can't give any real advice ref tunnel repair, but if it were my boat I think I'd want it replacing given the consequences of a future failure, assuming the current tunnel can be removed without causing too much damage.

With respect the MaxPower thrusters, I have one and it has proven to be totally relaible and maintenance free, sealed drive and not even an anode needed as a composite leg, but you do need to check and replace the prop drive pin as it will fail with time, as I found out earlier this year.
 
Most GRP damage is repairable, but I have always thought these tunnels to look pretty thin at the outset, so not sure if I would be comfortable with a spot repair of the damage unless it was done professionally and with guarantee... which probably makes it equally as pricey as glassing a new tunnel in....

In addition I'd also be worried about deeper (hidden) de-lamination which may have occurred as a result of water ingress and subsequent reaction witht he resin...
 
Keith-i said:
A bit of advice required here please. I decided to give the bow thruster a proper looking at as I'd never gone further than checking the motor unit in the last 14 years of owning our boat and seeing as it's an old Vetus unit I didn't really know what state the gearbox was in beneath all the years of grime and antifoul. Although I'm rather glad I did it has set me back a little bit as I now have a tunnel to fix. Basically, the gearbox unit just pulled through the tunnel as I tried to prise the mounting/base plate off. I guess years of sideways thrust has fractured the grp.

So the question is, is this repairable or should I be getting a new tunnel fitted? I'm going to get a new thruster with a matching tunnel size spec, probably a Max-Power unit as they claim to be maintenance free.

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Replace the tunnel. You will need to strengthen it for peace of mind. Laminating behind the tunnel with confidence is very difficult. And the bit where the gearbox goes can’t be made thicker.
Cutting the holes in the hull is the hard bit they are oval and one has to take real care. Measure 10 times cut once. That’s done for you, a new tunnel is less than £100 and the labour is the same or less to put a new one in.
Think no more about it!!
 
Thanks all for the comments and advice. Having thought a little more about it anything but a new tunnel would be foolish. I just wish Jersey labour rates matched Elessar’s budget!
 
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