Bow Thruster Install in 2003 400DB

[SR400DB]

I finally have "matured" and feel I want (read need) a bow thruster. Here are a few pictures of the bow thruster installation on my 400DB:


The yard doing the work let me run the cables/wires prior to the haul out.


Tipped the scales again at 33,250#'s


Ouch, this is painful for me. :wow:


Tube hole cut, close up of the lamination layers.


Bow thruster tube in place.


There she is, the 8hp Lewmar motor resting comfortably in place

I will add more photos as things progress.

 

[HUMPH]

Nice and thick on your hull! Are you installing all of the controls as well or just the wiring. I would be interested in the total cost when completed...

 

[dcpringle]

I wonder how much sweat was rolling off the guy drilling the hole...lol

 

[SR400DB]

Yes, I am going to install the control at the helm, the wire package has pre made ends, literally plug and play. I will also be installing the rf remote (mostly for fun), but figure it may come in handy when I single hand and need the bow brought over to the dock. The cost will be between 9 and 10 boat dollars. I saved 2.5 bucks by doing the cable runs. I chose Cap Sante Marine for two reasons: they have installed more aftermarket thrusters than anyone else west of the Mississippi (or at least that's their claim). The second reason, when I walked the yard prior to signing the contract, they had 13 boats getting thrusters installed. All at various stages, I was unable to find any significant installation deviation from one boat to the next. I had to book this install the first week of January to lock in the first week of March; almost all of the yard space is thruster install and/or major refits.

 

[SR400DB]

I wonder how much sweat was rolling off the guy drilling the hole...lol

Are you kidding, I start to sweat just looking at that one. My wife of course says "Well, I hope we don't sink now". That's helpful.

 

[my3sons]

Where are you putting the batteries? I do not like where Sea Ray put them, right smack in the middle of my access between the motors. I'm looking for relocation ideas. I saw a 400 DB with them in the same compartment as the thruster once, and Florida Bow Thruster shows installs with that set up on their website.

 

[SR400DB]

I am putting two agm batteries on a shelf under the forward bed.

 

[my3sons]

I am putting two agm batteries on a shelf under the forward bed.

Nice, out of the way and weight forward

 

[Ctsearay]

I hear ya SR, I'm NOT looking forward to the giant hole going in to mine either. But there is a cut out for it from SeaRay as it was an option so it wont be AS bad (I hope)

 

[my3sons]

Assuming that they did not cut your floor to make the install lower, interesting to see the difference in elevation of the tubes in relation to the hull strake.

 

[Gofirstclass]

When the yard in Portland put in my thruster they mounted the motor horizontally, directly aft of the thruster shaft. The batteries are on a shelf they built that sits behind and below the thruster motor so the wire run was very short. Here's a shot of the thruster motor from inside....

and from outside.

 

[dcpringle]

Are you kidding, I start to sweat just looking at that one. My wife of course says "Well, I hope we don't sink now". That's helpful.

Everytime you sleep out on anchor you'll be thinking about that hole directly below you... lol

 

[SR400DB]

Everytime you sleep out on anchor you'll be thinking about that hole directly below you... lol

I won't be, but she will I'm betting. I have faith things will be just fine.

 

[SR400DB]

When the yard in Portland put in my thruster they mounted the motor horizontally, directly aft of the thruster shaft. The batteries are on a shelf they built that sits behind and below the thruster motor so the wire run was very short. Here's a shot of the thruster motor from inside....
View attachment 34483
and from outside.
View attachment 34484

This looks similar to my install, excep the batteries are just forward and above the motor. We figure the cable length to be 4.5', short enough to make things "simple".

 

[SR400DB]

Assuming that they did not cut your floor to make the install lower, interesting to see the difference in elevation of the tubes in relation to the hull strake.

Was this a factory install or an aftermarket? It looks like your motor enters the tube from the front? I have two storage drawers that would have to be modified to make that work on my boat.

 

[Gofirstclass]

This looks similar to my install, excep the batteries are just forward and above the motor. We figure the cable length to be 4.5', short enough to make things "simple".

That's about the same length as my cables. There's a hatch in the floor above and directly behind the two batteries. That made the decision easy on where to put the batteries. If mine were forward of the motor I couldn't get my lard butt in there to do routine maintenance on the batteries. As it is, I drop down into the storage area. It's about 3.5' tall and about 5' wide and ~10' long behind the battery tray.

I just replaced those two batteries and having them right at the hatch makes it easy to undo the cables and lift them out.

 

[mjmason1]

Ok, here come questions. In your pictures, the 1st and 6th picture show a compartment. What compartments are they? Is the 1st pic the hold, aft of the main bunk?

 

[SR400DB]

Ok, here come questions. In your pictures, the 1st and 6th picture show a compartment. What compartments are they? Is the 1st pic the hold, aft of the main bunk?

Yes, the photos are of the storage immediately aft of the forward stateroom bed. The first is before any demo was done, the 6th is after the yard removed the carpet and prepped for the motor install.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

 

[BerettaRacer]

Can I ask what was the reason for going electric instead of hydraulic?

 

[my3sons]

Was this a factory install or an aftermarket? It looks like your motor enters the tube from the front? I have two storage drawers that would have to be modified to make that work on my boat.

Yes, factory. Don't let the tu-tone bottom paint fool you The pic is one that is from my purchase survey, apparently he PO ran a little short on bottom paint an slapped on a different brand for the last few feet of bow section. I don' know if Sea Ray does the install, or if they farm them out at the plant. It is on the build sheet that Sea Ray sent me when I was looking into the purchase. The tube is as far back in the compartment as it can be, the motor is on the front side of the tube. and there is a lot of room left in the compartment forward of the motor, maybe s much as 2 feet ?? That is why I was wondering about putting the batteries in the same compartment, plenty of room. Sorry, no pictures of the compartment.