Lewmar or vetus bowthruster ?

[markhomer]

Looking like im going toihave to replace my QL BP900 bow thruster , dead and obsolete , around 95 kg thrust ,options seem to be , Lewmar or vetus lewmar being 1.5 K£ , Vetus 2.4K3 ,, I know theres also side power but 2.8K£ and thats for thruster only . any have experience , advice on this .... cheers .

Normally I would discount cheapest , but seem to be liked ?????? , cant find any comparison sites .

 

[vas]

sorry cannot help, but since I also have a BP900, interested on what happened and died and how dead it really is

V.

 

[markhomer]

Haven’t opened it up yet , but in august when last used it suddenly started squealing then grinding and lost all thrust , I checked props out later when in warmer waters , really noisy from inside when turning props , when out of water discovered I can turn props very easily independent of each other by hand ( didnt do that before ) and very noisy ,ie can turn one prop and other doesn’t . Described this to volvo specialist who said sounds like gearbox gone , ive discovered drive shafts are prone to break , of course all these parts obsolete . Fact that when I turn either prop you get noise inside indicates shear pins in props intact .
I will open up this weekend and maybe see something .
It also at same time developed sticking relay. I have the touch control , but would stick on one direction without havnt to sustain touch , to stop had to tap other direction . I also discovered cover for contacts in a locker and bunk board screws above had half screws missing , suggesting it’s been fiddled with before , we have had the boat one year , 2008 build , little use .

 

[fred247]

Neither! "sidepower"