Vetus bow thruster 5512A

[kowal_53]

My bow thruster runs, but there is no water moving. I have talked to Ventus and they recommended that I check the rubber coupling that attaches the motor to the tail piece. If it was loose that could be it. Other wise I need to replace the whole tail piece.

My rubber coupling was tight, and hand turning the shaft I can see that everything is moving. However I see in the parts diagram that there is a propeller pin. I had asked about this since I have heard of pin searing. He said there was not one. Does any one know differently?

[Russell]

Yes the pin labeled number 11 in the diagram must be there to make the propeller turn. It passes through a hole in the drive shaft and into grooves on the back of the propeller. It is not a shear pin because it is solid stainless steel and will not break easily.

[Jeremyvmd]

Is it possible the pin wasn't replaced? That's a pretty heavy pin and the prop is plastic...

[kowal_53]

I went to investigate the propeller to see if it was OK. It is nice to have the boat up on a lift. I tried to turn the rubber in the boat with an observer. No turning of the propeller was observed. One last try under power. The observer saw something move. It appears that the nut that holds the propeller has departed the shaft. The propeller was leaning and the pin could be seen in the tunnel. Closer inspection seems to indicate without my glasses, (I am floating on a paddle board in light chop) that the anode has disappeared too. Only the screws remain. How it disappeared I can't say given it was there two years ago, and the boat is up on a lift most of the time. Hard to imagine that there was electrolysis. The treaded shaft looked good.

I intend to order parts and and see what happens after that.

[kowal_53]

Anode is on. New propeller is on, everything works.

[No Bananas]

Sorry for the late reply. My 2005 just broke a shear pin. This 6mm shear pin drives the whole unit. Remove the motor (mine was two screws) and you will see a removable 1" collar that holds a shear pin. Look on the side of the motor for a serial # and call Mfg just to be sure.

[Cape Codder]

About 5 years ago, the bow thruster ran into some thick, floating weeds. The shear pin let go. The motor still turned (a lot quieter, because the prop isn't spinning).
Jamestown Distributers had a blister pak of them, removed motor, replaced pin.....still working!

[DougSea]

... It appears that the nut that holds the propeller has departed the shaft.

When you replaced the nut did you use a lock-nut? I'm wondering if the one that "departed" was just a standard (non-locking) nut and it just spun off once it worked itself a little loose. The nut on ours is a nyloc.

NylocNut.jpg

[kowal_53]

I am pretty sure that the old one was indeed a lock nut. The new one is. Perhaps the old one was used too many times.

[carolmarie]

I am pretty sure that the old one was indeed a lock nut. The new one is. Perhaps the old one was used too many times.

That's a good guess. The nylon lock nuts should only be used once. By the way, I also use a split washer lock nut under the nylon lock nut for good measure.
Don.

[Carl]

If you get your zincs from boatzincs.com, the new zinc come with two new screws and a new nylock SS nut.