Bow Thruster

[Tonyl]

Hi !,

 

Can anyone tell me, how long you can actually energise a Vetus Bow Thruster (sorry can't recall the model, possibly the 35kgf). Many people point out that if you use them "Too Much ?", the fuse will blow so far? ( I think it is 100Amp ). The unit is a 12volt device.

 

I have always been a bit paranoid when using it, and generally keep it to a few seconds at a time, and have never had the fuse blow. Can anyone give some of their experience with such devices. I know that they are not everyone's "cup of tea", and some would say "don't use it anyway" im sure, but my boat has one so "why not ?". One day, I will get the hang of steering and manourvering without it, I hope.

 

Regards

 

Tony

[Paul C]

My worry would be not the fuse blowing or the battery being damaged, but things like cables etc overheating if they are designed with intermittent use in mind.

 

I am neutral on bow thrusters (personally, I can't afford one, so have to do without) but what circumstance would need extended use of a bow thruster?

[Grace and Favour]

Hi !,

 

Can anyone tell me, how long you can actually energise a Vetus Bow Thruster (sorry can't recall the model, possibly the 35kgf). Many people point out that if you use them "Too Much ?", the fuse will blow so far? ( I think it is 100Amp ). The unit is a 12volt device.

 

I have always been a bit paranoid when using it, and generally keep it to a few seconds at a time, and have never had the fuse blow. Can anyone give some of their experience with such devices. I know that they are not everyone's "cup of tea", and some would say "don't use it anyway" im sure, but my boat has one so "why not ?". One day, I will get the hang of steering and manourvering without it, I hope.

 

Regards

 

Tony

 

I believe the recommendation is never use it for more than (an absolute maximum) of 30 seconds, and not for longer than 3 minutes in an hour

[Starcoaster]

Run it and time it till the fuse blows. Now deduct a few seconds and this is how long you should have run it for....

 

MB (etc)

[Tonyl]

My worry would be not the fuse blowing or the battery being damaged, but things like cables etc overheating if they are designed with intermittent use in mind.

 

I am neutral on bow thrusters (personally, I can't afford one, so have to do without) but what circumstance would need extended use of a bow thruster?

 

Ref the second point, prevailing winds maybe, pushing you towards iron pilings, fellow boaters, concrete edgings, running weirs, etc etc etc. I would say it is a "nice to have", but "not essential" bit of kit, just for those occasions.

 

Not sure I can accept the first point either, (wiring). Assuming a correct/good installation, the fuse should and would be the "weakest Link" in the chain (wiring chain). Not sure if Vetus would get away with inferior wiring, or cables not "Man Enough" for the job. I always the assumed the Fuse was rated to be very close to the absolute Max Current point, and any over-current due to say, weed blockage, would cause the fuse to blow, hence saving the motor damage, and of course the wiring, which again, wouldn't have thought comes into the equation, if correctly installed.

 

Regards

 

Tony

[Guest]

I dont have a bow thruster but would be pretty sure this is down to the design of the motor. "Intermittent Rating" is used where a device would not normally be expected to run for long periods. The unit is over rated, and will get hot quickly. The rest periods are required for the motor to cool down again. If run for too long over heating will cause damage!! A "Continuos Rated" motor would be much bigger, and more expensive, hence the choice to use intermittent. The fuse is unlikely to be a good protection. It will blow if the motor is stalled, but the motor is likely to suffer before the fuse goes if run continuosly.

 

HTH!!

 

John

 

Edited to fix typos discovered after having fist cup of coffee!

Edited July 1, 2012 by Floating Male

[mrsmelly]

Run it and time it till the fuse blows. Now deduct a few seconds and this is how long you should have run it for....

 

MB (etc)

 

:clapping:

 

Luv it.

 

Tim

[bigkicker]

Run it and time it till the fuse blows. Now deduct a few seconds and this is how long you should have run it for....

 

MB (etc)

 

 

This made me laugh !!!

[Tonyl]

Run it and time it till the fuse blows. Now deduct a few seconds and this is how long you should have run it for....

 

MB (etc)

 

Yep !, it rendered me "speachless" too. I cannot argue with that logic.

 

Regards

[tosher]

Run it and time it till the fuse blows. Now deduct a few seconds and this is how long you should have run it for....

 

MB (etc)

 

If adopting this approach bear in mind that replacement slow blow fuses cost about £10 each.

[the grinch]

We have one on Wiggonholt and its maximum use is 5mins in an hours. some of our lets say "less competent skippers" get close!! never use for more than a few seconds myself, but it does come in handy for winding at Loxwood when the wind is up (we don't allow bows on bank when winding) so a quick blasts of forward/reverse with a little help from the bow thruster gets her spinning nicely.

[Chertsey]

Ref the second point, prevailing winds maybe, pushing you towards iron pilings, fellow boaters, concrete edgings, running weirs, etc etc etc. I would say it is a "nice to have", but "not essential" bit of kit, just for those occasions.

 

 

Can't see that any of those would require more than 30 seconds - a quick blast to get the front out of trouble (if that is indeed your cup of tea) and then normal steering and use of engine to consolidate the movement you've started.

[the grinch]

Can't see that any of those would require more than 30 seconds - a quick blast to get the front out of trouble (if that is indeed your cup of tea) and then normal steering and use of engine to consolidate the movement you've started.

have you not had the experience yet of being pinned to the bank by the wind (Wyrley & Essington in my case)where it was near on impossible to get moving as the wind was forcing us into the bank Luckily the towpath side must have taken at least 25 minutes to crawl along the bank to a bridge hole before getting enough power to keep out in the channel

[Paul C]

have you not had the experience yet of being pinned to the bank by the wind (Wyrley & Essington in my case)where it was near on impossible to get moving as the wind was forcing us into the bank Luckily the towpath side must have taken at least 25 minutes to crawl along the bank to a bridge hole before getting enough power to keep out in the channel

 

Only once, and I tried for 30 secs then tried a different tactic - of springing the stern out. No bow thruster required.

[the grinch]

we tried everything that day including reversing off without success 70ft of empty working boat takes a lot of shifting in a severe gale!

[robby]

Hi !,

 

Can anyone tell me, how long you can actually energise a Vetus Bow Thruster (sorry can't recall the model, possibly the 35kgf). Many people point out that if you use them "Too Much ?", the fuse will blow so far? ( I think it is 100Amp ). The unit is a 12volt device.

 

I have always been a bit paranoid when using it, and generally keep it to a few seconds at a time, and have never had the fuse blow. Can anyone give some of their experience with such devices. I know that they are not everyone's "cup of tea", and some would say "don't use it anyway" im sure, but my boat has one so "why not ?". One day, I will get the hang of steering and manourvering without it, I hope.

 

Regards

 

Tony

tony run the B/t for 10 seconds then have a feel of the cables and the fuse if every thing is still just warm then try 20 seconds and so on i have got one and agood friend it is, at times a 20 second burst seemes a long time and i dont think i use mine longer than that, in theory if cables and fuse is the right size you should not have a problem

[RLWP]

we tried everything that day including reversing off without success 70ft of empty working boat takes a lot of shifting in a severe gale!

 

And if you had had one, I guess a bowthruster would have been about a foot out of the water

 

Richard

[Guest]

we tried everything that day including reversing off without success 70ft of empty working boat takes a lot of shifting in a severe gale!

 

how did a working boat cope when it was a 'working boat' if you get my drift..?

[Timleech]

I dont have a bow thruster but would be pretty sure this is down to the design of the motor. "Intermittent Rating" is used where a device would not normally be expected to run for long periods. The unit is over rated, and will get hot quickly. The rest periods are required for the motor to cool down again. If run for too long over heating will cause damage!! A "Continuos Rated" motor would be much bigger, and more expensive, hence the choice to use intermittent. The fuse is unlikely to be a good protection. It will blow if the motor is stalled, but the motor is likely to suffer before the fuse goes if run continuosly.

 

HTH!!

 

John

 

Edited to fix typos discovered after having fist cup of coffee!

 

There ought to be a thermal overload device within the motor, it it's rated for intermittent use, as the fuse must be rated to carry the full load current & won't really protect it against being run for too long. I haven't a clue whether they do have such things, though. Never noticed one.

 

Tim

[ditchcrawler]

I am sure you will find it in the Vetus specification, I know I have read it.

 

Edit because I have just found it.

It's 4 min per hr. see the Vetus web site at http://www.vetus-shop.com/vetus-bow-thruster-55kgf-3kw-4hp-12v-p-52.html

 

If yours is a different model then just look for that.

Official

Edited July 1, 2012 by ditchcrawler

[bizzard]

I am sure you will find it in the Vetus specification, I know I have read it.

 

Edit because I have just found it.

It's 4 min per hr. see the Vetus web site at http://www.vetus-shop.com/vetus-bow-thruster-55kgf-3kw-4hp-12v-p-52.html

 

If yours is a different model then just look for that.

Official

So if your marina's laid out like Hampton-court maze and your moorings right in the middle it could take you four days to get out, that's if you know the way.

[wrigglefingers]

Cobbett's bowthruster runs for hours and hours. Ask Richard how he knows.....

[mrsmelly]

have you not had the experience yet of being pinned to the bank by the wind (Wyrley & Essington in my case)where it was near on impossible to get moving as the wind was forcing us into the bank Luckily the towpath side must have taken at least 25 minutes to crawl along the bank to a bridge hole before getting enough power to keep out in the channel

 

 

The problem is, believe it or not that the vast majority of narrowboat owners try to get the front of the boat away from the bank first whilst leaving the prop stuck at the bankside in shallow water and mud !! The correct and easiest way is to us a bow spring, or simply steer into the side whilst powering the arse end off and then reversing and swinging the front away from the side with power and correct use of tiller/engine. We never push the bow off first. Simples.

 

Tim

[nb Innisfree]

We just push the stern out, wait for suitable angle from bank, maybe reverse a bit, then steer stern towards bank, bow pivots into centre of canal and away we go.

[Paul C]

We just push the stern out, wait for suitable angle from bank, maybe reverse a bit, then steer stern towards bank, bow pivots into centre of canal and away we go.

 

The problem is in a strong wind pushing the boat back onto the bank, no matter how hard you push, or how quick you can do it then get back on, the boat will have come back to the bank by the time you're on board. So a different technique is needed - eg mrsmelly's suggestion of using a bow spring. Or a bow thruster.