Has anybody fitted a bow thruster to a Fiesta Vee 242

FJ96

Hi!
I purchased my FV242 last year and would like to install a bow thruster.
Looked at a lot of picktures from other FV242s, but only found one with a bow thruster installed.
Does anybody have a BT in his 242? I would like to know which is the best position for the tunnel.
Thanks
Frank

McGarnicle

Have you driven your boat yet? Curious on why you feel a bow thruster is necessary. My very first boat was a Chaparral 260 sig and with absolutely no experience I was able to maneuver it with one engine no problem. 

FJ96

Thanks for your question. No, I didn't drive it yet. But I had an other 24 feed boat before and we've tiny harbours and a lot of wind in Germandy and Croatia. Therefore I've purchased one already. Now I'd like to see which is the best position to install the tunnel.

Cheers
Frank

LaRea

@FJ96 - I hope you get a reply, but I don't recall ever hearing of a 242 with a thruster.  Most of the people on this forum are from the US where it's uncommon to put a BT on a boat that size (because slips and fairways here are relatively wide).

Are you saying you already bought the thruster?  If not, have you looked at external thrusters such as Sideshift?

aero3113

There was a member that was installing one about a year or two ago. I can't remember if it was a 242 or a 270. I think he was from Sweden? I'll try to find the post.

skennelly

This was it.  A 270

https://rinkerboats.vanillacommunities.com/discussion/4465/where-to-place-a-bowthruster-on-fw-270-02/p1

aero3113

WoW, that was over 3 years ago, time fly’s!

aero3113

Actually now that I think about it, that’s a different post than what I’m thinking of. There was a member that was installing one himself.

FJ96

Hi guys,
thanks a lot for your comments.
I've bought one already and it arrived today.
The weather is still bad so I have to wait a bit and will find out where it fits best.
In the meantime I will go on with the other tasks (aligning the engine, connect engine, ...)
Cheers Frank

LaRea

Take pictures and post them here please!

FJ96

I'll do!

mark_uitermarkt

Dear FJ96,
Did you already installed a bowthruster ?
I want to install it as well.
can you send Some pictures.

FJ96

Dear Mark,
sorry for my late reply.

Yes, I installed the bowthruster in Mai. It was a Sidepower SE40S.
I used a 125mm diameter tunnel and placed it under the table stand area in the cabin.

Here are some picktures. Since I'm in a hurry, I just put some short comments...

My chief engineer cutting the hole to inspect the space...








Tested the right position with a model of the tunnel


drilled the holes from inside


borroed a special tool from the dealer, which is put through the holes on both sides.


big holes


Cutting the tunnel, leaving a few centimeters for the spoiler


getting rid of the gelcoat


Microfiber to glue the tunnel


tunnel is installed





view from inside


the microfiber for the glue


460gramm 


and again the engineer


a couple of layers inside


testing if the thruster fits and cutting the holes in the tunnel


build the spoiler




cables with 70 square mm diameter because of >7m lenth


Cheers Frank