Bow Thruster Covers?

[Pgitug]

What do others use to protect their thrusters from fouling sea growth that seems to fill the blades with sea growth in just a few weeks?

 

[CPseudonym]

I can not find the photograph now but a member here made one out of two buckets and some pvc pipe. He cut the bottom few inches off two buckets and somehow attached pvc pipe to the center of them. He then fabricated what can best be described as large "hairpin" out of pvc pipe with a couple of 90 degree elbows. He installed it from the dock under the pulpit and tension from the hairpin kept the buckets in place.

I'll try finding the picture later. I promise it was an ingenious idea and far simpler than I described it.

 

[Shoalwaters]

That was me and it is still working well. I can't search for my post as the Android tablet app doesn't appear to have a search function. The desktop version does, and I will post later if somebody else doesn't beat me to it.

 

[Donna]

I have divers go down once a month in the warmer water and every 6 weeks in the cooler water. Some may find this excessive, I call it prevention.

 

[ranger58sb]

In the meantime... (and I don't have thrusters, so just guessing)... would it help to just run them with a few blasts in the slip once/week or so?

-Chris

 

[Capt.Bill11]

In the meantime... (and I don't have thrusters, so just guessing)... would it help to just run them with a few blasts in the slip once/week or so?

-Chris

Yes

 

[Shoalwaters]

Below is a link to my bow-thruster covers.

The ice-cream containers lasted about a year due to sunlight/UV degradation. I have since used the old containers as molds to make fiberglass versions. Very easy if you have some minimal experience in fiberglass work. Well worth the effort if your boat spends as much time as mine does parked in a high-fouling environment.

http://www.trawlerforum.com/forums/s6/bow-thruster-covers-6280.html

 

[CPseudonym]

Thanks for digging that up Mike. June of 2012 is the thread date, I've seriously gotta get a life

 

[Ski in NC]

I run mine once a week, five sec each direction. Seems to help. Immature barnacles get kicked off. So the theory goes. Reminds me to do it now.

 

[cafesport]

If you are going to let the boat sit unattended for long periods of time without use you can get three years out of prop speed.