Bow and Stern Thruster Installations
At Stalham Marine Services, we install both bow and stern thrusters - please request a quote below for more information
How to install a bow or stern thruster
We install the tunnel deep enough into the hull to avoid sucking in air (cavitation) - but it also needs to be far enough forward to offer the best leverage. We use a pilot drill to create a small test hole in both sides of the hull to ensure alignment is perfectly level.
We then use a cutting tool that rotates around a centre point to ensure the hole is perfectly symmetrical - we then prepare the hole ready for bonding.
The GRP (Glass Reinforced Plastic) tube is inserted through the holes and is trimmed to fit as required.
The most critical stage of the install is glassing and filleting - we have to seal the gap between the tube and the hull with a thickened epoxy and multiple layers of fiberglass cloth are applied to bond the tube to the hull, making it a structural part of the boat.
We then have to prevent the tunnel from creating drag while the boat is moving forward by fairing the trailing edge of the tunnel into a slight bump (an eyebrow). This means the water will flow smoothly over it rather than swirling around inside it.
Interior Mounting - Bow and Stern Thruster Motor
How do you mount the gearbox in my thruster?
Once the tunnel is cured and we have applied internal gel coat, the gearbox needs to be bolted into the centre of the tube (or offset if it is a single propellor).
How do you mount the motor for my thruster?
Depending on access the motor is either stood up or leant over with a support.
How will you wire in my thruster?
We need to establish whether your boat’s current battery bank is adequate for the new thruster - this will depend on the location of the existing batteries and cable sizing within the boat. From there we can wire in the new thruster motors with adequate cable sizing and know whether we require an extra battery.
We are a Max Power Approved Installer
Stalham Marine Services is a Max Power Approved Bow Thruster Installer - Max Power design and manufacture quality bow and stern thruster motors and hardware.
