My bowthruster doesn't thrust my bow...

[jellyellie]

So previous owner installed a bowthruster, a new Vetus 75kgf, around 2007.

Bought the boat (Colvic Victor 34), bowthruster worked fine.

A couple of months ago bowthruster started working in one direction only, with a mechanical clunk noise heard when trying to get it to go the other way.

Now it doesn't work in either direction; press the buttons and nothing.

What's wrong with it? A couple of people have said the solenoids; likely? How can I fix it? (My dad will help - he's good with electrics and mechanical stuff.)

As an aside, bowthruster also needs a name. Any suggestions welcomed.

 

[fireball]

As an aside, bowthruster also needs a name. Any suggestions welcomed.

Sir Shuvalot ...

or
Mr Aboutturn

?

 

[jellyellie]

I am definitely liking 'Sir Shuvalot', but will have to fix it first before I can call it that!

 

[jordanbasset]

Similar to what happened to mine, turned out to be the the solenoid. Just a question of taking it apart and cleaning up around the contacts. When putting it back together had to be careful to make sure the contacts were correctly seated

 

[robp]

Justin
Fido

 

[Bav34]

As an aside, bowthruster also needs a name. Any suggestions welcomed.

David.








Bowie

 

[Twister_Ken]

As an aside, bowthruster also needs a name. Any suggestions welcomed

Jason (Leonard) one of England's best prop forwards (geddit?) and nice bloke too.

 

[Huttoft]

Shock tactics

Have had the same sort of symptoms with mine. Found that it was the mechanical parts of the solenoids were sticking. Stripped them down, cleaned them up, (including contacts) re-assembled and left running OK. When it happened first time with me I was in a tight spot manouvering in a strange to me marina so I asked my daughter to "shock" the thruster into obedience by hitting the tops of the solenoids with the wooden shaft of a hammer. Sounds a bit drastic but worked until I had time to strip the job down and overhaul.

 

[jellyellie]

Thanks @jordanbasset and @Huttoft, will try and give that a go with the help of mon pére. (The solenoid cleaning, not hitting with a hammer!)

@Bav34, that's rubbish, and far too obvious

I wish I was more of a rugby fan though, as 'prop forward' is genius...

 

[lustyd]

How about Bowser?

 

[prv]

Arnold Sideways.

Pete

 

[Greenheart]

Sir Shovalot?

Shouldn't that be Sir Senokot?

Oh!! No, that's a bowel-thruster, isn't it. At least, so I'm told.

 

[lustyd]

Or how about Sulu? As in ""Mr. Sulu, prepare to engage thrusters"

 

[Cymrogwyllt]

Scottie (as in "More thrust Scottie")

 

[jellyellie]

And you ever wondered why there aren't more young females on these forums?

 

[Greenheart]

Great heavens alive! You mean that...you're a...a woman?

I thought the name was that of your boat.

I thought these fora were gents only.

 

[lustyd]

Great heavens alive! You mean that...you're a...a woman?

I thought the name was that of your boat.

I thought these fora were gents only.

Are women even allowed to go yachting these days? <ducks>

 

[Greenheart]

I believe someone in London, in the 'twenties, did design a 'divided skirt' to enable ladies to bicycle and suchlike. But at sea?

 

[Terra-Loon]

Thruston Blumenthal

Or Burndt Out

 

[sarabande]

Vlad (the bow impeller) ?