Looking at bow thrusters for my Benford 38 Fantail Launch ( I'm getting older and lazier) I really like the idea of a belt drive thruster. Volvo has one but I will not buy Volvo products. Does anyone have any experience with "Yacht Thruster" ?
Our sidepowers have a rubber love joy flex coupling that is meant to give out before having a chance to wreck the gears. It can be changed in the water.
It doesn't look like changing a belt on the yacht thruster would be fun.
I had a close look at one at a boat show recently, didn't look too bad. Of course the safety cover would go right in the garbage as soon as it came out of the box.
Oh ok, it's hard to tell from the pic and o can't see what's down in the gear box. I would still look at the gear driven ones.
Most of us accept belts on our primary drive engines....Been there, done that, don't like them. It has always made more sense to me not to run power through 90 degree angles.
I am curious why you would want a belt driven model. I don't see any advantage but do see a disadvantage with having a belt.
Mike
Just yesterday, I changed the 4 blade prop on my SidePower SP55 in my old boat to the newer and much more advanced SidePower Q-Prop. I can't tell how much more thrust I gained ( I did gain some) but the reduction in the noise level is significant.I have previously had a gear driven thruster that was extremely noisy and the boat had to be pulled when the gears got damaged.?
I've had belt drive motorcycles and have a belt drive bicycle. smooth, more efficient than gears and much much quieter. I know that the efficiency issue is counter intuitive but studies have shown otherwise. I have previously had a gear driven thruster that was extremely noisy and the boat had to be pulled when the gears got damaged. You can change or adjust the belt without hauling the boat.
What disadvantage do you see ?
I'd really like to hear from someone who has one of these.