bow thruster

[stevediebold]

Bought an 03 35 CB in April. Vetus thruster has been working fine...worked one morning and then crapped out backing in to my slip. Share pin is fine. Tunnel was heavily fouled with barnacles and it was initially hard to turn the prop during a short haul but finally turned. Mechanic took prop off and put back on and nothing. Engine works...you can manually turn the shaft...but can't spin prop. Yard says new lower unit necessary. Anyway have a cheaper suggestion? SOlenoid? Brushed? There was a small crack in the side of the prop.

[RicM]

There is a second pin on my Vetus bowthruster, just under the prop. The pin goes through the shaft, the prop goes on next and has a notch in it that fits over the pin, then a washer and a nut with a nylon insert to hold it together. If the pin is missing, or the notch on the back of the prop compromised, the motor and lower unit would spin, and the prop might spin when hauled and not under load, but then not do sufficient work in the water loaded.