Jeanneau 57 Bowthruster question

[Zanshin]

I need to get a replacement shear pin before returning to my boat in 2 weeks, but I cannot find the manual in my PDF collection so I don't know which model of Vetus is installed. Does anyone here know which model was factory-installed by Jeanneau?

[loredo]

Dec 27, 2023 7:41:53 GMT Zanshin said:

I need to get a replacement shear pin before returning to my boat in 2 weeks, but I cannot find the manual in my PDF collection so I don't know which model of Vetus is installed. Does anyone here know which model was factory-installed by Jeanneau?

Mine is a Quick "BTQ250".  Yours is a Vetus???

[Zanshin]

Hmm... I just assumed it was a Vetus! I think you are correct, that is what I have. And it looks like instead of a cheap shear pin it has a "clutch" assembly that is probably broken and that's going to be pricey. I'll wait to get back to the boat and see which part broke.

[loredo]

Having replaced the propellors this summer, I can assure you that there's no shear pin.  Clutch? Ehmmm.... which clutch? There's none. You downloaded the installation manual for the BTQ series? It has exploded views and part numbers.

[loredo]

Here is the link to the BTQ series installation manual link to BTQ

[Zanshin]

I did download the exploded parts diagram, but my version is FR/DE/ES and no English so I translated the German "Halbkupplung" to "clutch". It seems that part FVSGG2501919A00 is called a "coupling" in English and with that plastic inner part looks like the most likely place for a shear break to occur. The only other likely candidates are the 3 keys (one on the shaft and one each per propeller.

[loredo]

The upper and the lower discs of the coupling are in metal (bronze?) the disc inbetween them two is rubber. Look closely how the thing works, hard to believe it failed. Are you sure your props are a OK instead?

[Zanshin]

I'm a couple of thousand miles away right now, but hope to be at the boat in 2 weeks if my hand heals sufficiently.

The props were encrusted with growth when I pressed the bowthruster button while docking. I had a second or so of normal noise, then I heard the electric motor start whining at high speed with no sideways thrust. After haulout the bowthruster blades looked good after they'd been power-washed and I only had an hour to get the boat ready before I had to depart, so I didn't get a chance to look further.

But if the motor is working without resistance, and the blades aren't turning there aren't too many places to look and I'd expect that the design is such that an inexpensive component is designed to fail before a more expensive one does...

[loredo]

Gotcha!  I don't think the pins on the props could be it.  Although they look small in the diagram, they're +/- 10cm long in the real world.  I'm going off of my memory, the one on the shaft is much shorter.  Maybe 3-4cm? Be prepared that you need to take the motor off of the tunnel to get to the coupling and / or the pin on the shaft.  Getting the motor back on is a BEAR. The trick is to turn the motor shaft while trying to fiddle it back onto the BT shaft.  There is a bolt on the top of the motor shaft (fixes the ventilator disc) that you can use to turn the shaft.  Let's hope its something inexpensive and simple to fix!

[Zanshin]

loredo - Do you know which BTQ-250 model is installed? There are 3 models to choose from - BTQ 250-120, BTQ 250-140, BTQ 250-240?

[loredo]

Good question!  I have no idea... The thing is, all 24V BTQ250's are the same exept for the motor which can be 6.5-8-10KW.

Everything else that is underneath the motor is the same.  I think the version installed in the J57 is the 8KW one but need to check this. I replaced the motor with the 10KW one and am not sure if the original was the 6.5 or the 8KW version.  I have the old motor sitting in my shop and will be there a little later. I'll let you know ASAP.  Anyhow, for anything else except the motor there is only one part number = they're all the same.

[Zanshin]

I checked on the spare parts site and the shear pin is indeed the same for all the 25cm diameter models. What is confusing is that in my technical documentation for the J57 it states "16HP bowthruster" in 2 different places; but the quick models are shown in Watts of "KgF" and none of those equate to a 16HP model. I think that the "real" J57 was delivered with a smaller bowthruster than the documentation shows.

Thanks, I'm ordering 2 of the pins and hope that this will get my bowthruster spinning again. I only dock 1-2 times a season, but use my bowthruster on occasion to move the bow to pick up a mooring while I have no boat speed or to tighten a turn in a crowded anchorage.

I'm going to add "give bowthruster a burst in both directions" to my pre-departure checklist. That should keep barnacles from clogging it up again.

[loredo]

Here is a pic of the original 8KW motor where you can see where the shear pin in located (Zip tied)

[loredo]

And since a pic says more than a thousand words, here's a pic of the most important tool you'll need to get the motor off of the tunnel.

[loredo]

My boat has the "skipper cabin" in the fore peak.  Means, the BT motor is under the sink.  That in turn means that the only way to get to the bolts is with two long extensions on the ratchet. (Of course, after the sink and all its related parts are gone.) The bolts are 10mm allen head. Thus the need for a 10mm "Inbus" insert.  Just in case that it would be wiser to bring the needed tools with you should you not be able to find them on the island....Be prepared, it IS a big project.  If you need anything else, just ask.

[Zanshin]

loredo - After talking with a J53 owner and seeing that he's got a "Max Power" I started to get a bit worried. I went through my photo collection of the factory tour, commissioning and more - around 1100 photos. It seems I've got everything on camera except that bowthruster compartment

But I did find a clue here, from when I was installing a dimmer in the cockpit:


So it would seem that my J57 has a Max Power as well, not a quick bowthruster. Most likely they changed suppliers sometime during production. Mine is Hull #68.

[loredo]

Max Power? Could very well be that they changed supplier.  Mine is hull 3hundredandsomething. Yet... the control buttons on my '06 SO49 were labeled Quick and identical to yours labeled Max Power. Hmmmm...

So the hunt is on, which Max Power is installed in your boat?  At this point just guessing but I think it's a 250mm tunnel also since the contour around the tunnel is molded into the hull.  What about asking Max Power directly? Maybe they still have memory of what was delivered when and where?

[Zanshin]

I've ordered the Max Power shear pins (they fit on the inside of the propellors) and will order the Quick shear pin just to be on the safe side. I'd ask the yard to check for me, but the forward cabin is filled with my genoa at the moment, making access difficult at best.