Bow thruster

[islandguy5]

Hello,
Great forum. This is my first time posting.
I have a 2000 TE28. My bow thruster had been working fine until I sheared the pin on the motor this year. I replaced the pin but after a few times I sheared the pin again. The right angle gear moves freely. The prop had a nick in it so I am going to replace the prop. Vetus sent me a 6 blade replacement but it looks to be larger in diameter. I don't want to haul out the boat unless I have the right prop.
Can anyone tell me what is the diameter of the prop is? The one they sent is over 7". Need sugestions.
Thanks, Ray

[mhanna]

Is the 6 bladed prop only slightly larger ? I had the same issue when I got the 6 bladed one, it would not fit. I ended up making a simple jig and using a file took down the diameter (by less that 1/4")
He is a post that shows a larger jig with a press.
http://albinowners.net/aog/viewtopic.ph ... prop#p5405

I think many thrusters where put together slightly off center.
Matt

[johnmurray]

Two Points:
1. When I started using my bow thruster (Vetus) I sheared the pin several times. Someone advised me that it is very easy to shear the pin if you change the direction of the thruster very quickly. It is important to ensure that the thruster motor has fully stopped from going in one direction before you switch to the opposite direction. After receiving that advice I have avoided quick direction changes and I have not had a shear since.
2. When I changed out my thruster prop for the six-bladed version I found the new one to be slightly over-sized so I sanded it down a bit to make sure that it turned freely in the truster tunnel. This is very easy to do and I don't think you need to worry much about balance because the thruster prop is used very little as compared with the much larger main engine prop.

[Yearwood]

I was at Vetus in Baltimore after shearing a pin years ago and the tech said it was probably due to quick reverses of direction. I said a "time delay" would be nice and, guess what, Vetus sells a time delay (about a second). Bought it, installed it (simple) and have been going about eight years with shearing a pin.

[RobS]

Ray,
I too have a 2000 28TE and mine is equipped with the 50kgf thruster by Vetus. The 6 blade prop is part number VET-SET0088 and measures 7-9/32" in dia.

Whether or not it will fit is determined by how well centered your gear unit is within the thruster tunner. Mine fit with no issue but you can see she rides closer on one side. Others have had to shave the prop a bit due to the unit being off-center in the tunner.

Just be ready when you short-haul it in case you have to sand down the blades a bit. The best way is if you can spin the prop on a drill press and hold a sanding block against the edges of the blade.

What is your hull number? Maybe we have sisters. Mine is # 208, The hull number is digits 6, 7 and 8 in the VIN minus 100.

[islandguy5]

Ray,
I too have a 2000 28TE and mine is equipped with the 50kgf thruster by Vetus. The 6 blade prop is part number VET-SET0088 and measures 7-9/32" in dia.

Whether or not it will fit is determined by how well centered your gear unit is within the thruster tunner. Mine fit with no issue but you can see she rides closer on one side. Others have had to shave the prop a bit due to the unit being off-center in the tunner.

Just be ready when you short-haul it in case you have to sand down the blades a bit. The best way is if you can spin the prop on a drill press and hold a sanding block against the edges of the blade.

What is your hull number? Maybe we have sisters. Mine is # 208, The hull number is digits 6, 7 and 8 in the VIN minus 100.

Thanks for all your help. I will check that #