Bow Thruster. (Girlie button)

[Nightwatch]

I was speaking to a nice lady this morning as she confessed to me that she has just purchased a boat from Nice Tim at Braunston.

Her pride and joy has a girlie button that her surveyor says works but the on site crew, Nigel, says it doesn't. She is experiencing difficulties getting this rectified. 

Anyway. She believes it electrical rather than hydraulic as there's a battery at the bow. 

Question. If the battery is duff or is low on power would this suggest that is the reason for the intermittent operation? Any other suggestions. 

Just for my own satisfaction as I have waved Cherio to her. Or should that be Von voyage?

[zenataomm]

I think it's Von Boyage.

[junior]

Tell her they are completely unnecessary anyway and to save money by not getting it fixed.

[Nightwatch]

9 minutes ago, junior said:

Tell her they are completely unnecessary anyway and to save money by not getting it fixed.

I agree,but she wants it working. 

[WJM]

Most of them are electric. So there is a battery up front that then needs to be supplied by the alternator to keep it charged. If it works for a while and then dies then check the battery. If it works intermittently then the thruster itself or it's wiring may be at fault.

[Nightwatch]

Mr Tim says the surveyor said it works. End of story.

[Farey]

I've got a Vetus bow thruster (12 years old now). One problem I've had is the brushes sticking causing a poor contact with the commutator. You can take the brushes out and clean them up, whcih solves the problem. Or the brushes could be worn and need replacing, but even after 12 years mine don't show much sign of wear. To check the battery you could check whether the voltage drops under load.

Edited July 6, 2017 by Farey
typo

[dmr]

Leave it not working for a year and learn how to handle the boat correctly, then get it fixed if it is felt necessary.

We were very nearly hit hard a couple of weeks back by a boat that came out of a lock very fast and headed directly towards us, he then relied entirely on the bow thruster to steer round us, why on earth he didn't use the tiller I just don't know.

............Dave

[mrsmelly]

4 minutes ago, dmr said:

Leave it not working for a year and learn how to handle the boat correctly, then get it fixed if it is felt necessary.

We were very nearly hit hard a couple of weeks back by a boat that came out of a lock very fast and headed directly towards us, he then relied entirely on the bow thruster to steer round us, why on earth he didn't use the tiller I just don't know.

............Dave

Reverse parking sensors have the same effect on drivers ability, when they fail the driver is useless at reversing and hits the wall. Same with the latest car gimmick where some cars brake for you on approaching an obstacle/car in front, you then lose ability to judge speed and distance and !!

I suggest she does what young Maffi has just done with his boat after years of ownership he can now handle the boat and has had the silly thing removed and the tube welded up thus removing the weak point in his hull.

[mross]

Well, if I bought a boat fitted with a bow thruster, I'd want it working.  It's not really for others to tell OP not to use it!  It's up to each of us whether to fit them or not.  One day it will come in useful.

[pete.i]

4 minutes ago, mross said:

Well, if I bought a boat fitted with a bow thruster, I'd want it working.  It's not really for others to tell OP not to use it!  It's up to each of us whether to fit them or not.  One day it will come in useful.

I agree wholeheartedly. It is so nice to be on a forum where there are so many "fantastic experts" in the art of driving a boat. I do hope you all realise the sarcasm in this post.

[Bettie Boo]

 

45 minutes ago, junior said:

Tell her they are completely unnecessary anyway and to save money by not getting it fixed.

This ^^^ is what we did when ours stopped working 6 months after buying the boat.

I do admit there have been a couple of days when winding on blustry days that it would have come in useful.  Other than that we haven't missed it at all.

But as someone else said or implied...to each their own. 

Hope she enjoys her new boat

Edited July 6, 2017 by Bettie Boo
missing ^^^

[reg]

15 minutes ago, mross said:

Well, if I bought a boat fitted with a bow thruster, I'd want it working.  It's not really for others to tell OP not to use it!  It's up to each of us whether to fit them or not.  One day it will come in useful.

Fully agree. I don't have one and dont want one, doesn't  mean others should not. Same goes for trad style, boatman cabins, tug decks, engine rooms, pump out toilets, Rosie and jim etc, etc. Each  to their own. 

[mrsmelly]

4 minutes ago, reg said:

Fully agree. I don't have one and dont want one, doesn't  mean others should not. Same goes for trad style, boatman cabins, tug decks, engine rooms, pump out toilets, Rosie and jim etc, etc. Each  to their own. 

I like Rosie and Jim............you can keep the rest...............

[reg]

2 minutes ago, mrsmelly said:

I like Rosie and Jim............you can keep the rest...............

As I said each to their own. You have an absolute right to be wrong about this 

[Nightwatch]

27 minutes ago, mross said:

Well, if I bought a boat fitted with a bow thruster, I'd want it working.  It's not really for others to tell OP not to use it!  It's up to each of us whether to fit them or not.  One day it will come in useful.

Can the OP make it crystal that the OP hasn't got a girlie button and has no intention of ever having one as the OP is quite capable of mis-manoeuvring his boat without.

Martyn (the OP)

[mrsmelly]

2 minutes ago, reg said:

As I said each to their own. You have an absolute right to be wrong about this 

[Machpoint005]

1 hour ago, Nightwatch said:

her surveyor says it works but the on-site crew says it doesn't

Surely it can't be that difficult to find out whether it is working or not. Try untying the front line and pressing the button?

[Nightwatch]

I agree.

i haven't met the boat. It's in Braunston I'm not. Apparently it once made a noise,now it don't. Why I thought it may be low/duff battery.

[Machpoint005]

1 minute ago, Nightwatch said:

Apparently it once made a noise

Perhaps it shouldn't have!

[GUMPY]

Is it just my warped mind that brings up a completely different meaning for the words "girlie button" ?

Second thoughts most people on here are male and wouldn't know where to find one.

[reg]

3 minutes ago, Machpoint005 said:

Surely it can't be that difficult to find out whether it is working or not. Try untying the front line and pressing the button?

Hate trying to find intermittent faults, always seem to work when you did out all of your tools and meters but fail when you are using the equipment in anger. 

 

[Machpoint005]

Quite so, but an intermittent fault is still a fault.

[Nightwatch]

1 minute ago, Machpoint005 said:

Quite so, but an intermittent fault is still a fault.

...........and should,in my view, be investigated,perhaps by the recent,three days ago, seller.

[Bewildered]

1 minute ago, reg said:

Hate trying to find intermittent faults, always seem to work when you did out all of your tools and meters but fail when you are using the equipment in anger. 

 

Even worse is when you work as a repair technition, find an intermittent fault, tinker with it, get it working, can't duplicate the fault again and have seemingly repaired it without knowing how.