Hi all, I find it hard to understand why vessels built the same have such different experiences. Some never leak and some cant stop leaking. However there may be a clue from many previous posts discussing how to get the right amount of lift by the electric retraction system. This seems to show an expectation that this motor will lift the thruster to its full retracted position allowing the insertion of the retaining pin. The retaining pin has a threaded adjustment so it can be made to suit where the motor has lifted the thruster to. However, the foam seals, to work, need pressure applied beyond that which the motor can achieve. (those who try may explain the number of burnt out motors). I have mine adjusted so the motor lift stops with the seals in contact. However at this point I have a "half hole" situation for the pin. I achieve the insertion of the pin by a strong sideways pull on the lifting cable and the tapered end of the pin assists this as I push it in. This results in good pressure on those foam seals. I have at times left a marina and motored down harbour with the thruster lifted but the pin not in and had significant leaking which immediately stops when I do the final lift and insert the pin. This confirms my experience that good pressure on the foam seals is needed for them to work. The lip seal is important too but without the foam seals working properly there is a huge hydraulic water pressure upwards as the boat pounds into a seaway that overcomes the lip seal. That's my take on this. Regards Danny SM 299 Ocean Pearl
toggle quoted messageShow quoted text
On 11 June 2019 at 03:29 Stephen Davis <flyboyscd@...> wrote:
Hi Jose,
I’d also be interested in some of these seals, as water intrusion in spite of good bow thruster maintenance has been an on going problem for us. On our 31 day passage from Panama to Hawaii we had fairly bad leakage, and I built a mountain of modeling clay I had on hand around the shaft to stop it. That will completely stop the inflow for about 10 days until the clay gets saturated, and you have to pull it off and put some more on. I’d recommend everyone keep some on board for emergency repairs on long passages, as it beats the heck out of bailing water several times a day. The best solution might be your new seals, and I’d love to give them a try.
Regards,
Steve Davis Aloha SM72 Ko Olina, Hawaii On Jun 10, 2019, at 9:59 AM, CW Bill Rouse < brouse@...> wrote: Jose,
I too am interested in the source and part number.
Best,
Bill Rouse
720 Winnie St. Galveston, Texas 77550 832-380-4970 Hi Jose,
In your original email you write of having bought two seals and " installing them". Presumably you only installed one, replacing the 60-80-12 that Amel fitted ?
Incidentally, to save you the hassle of buying a number of seals and then sending them on, I'm happy to buy direct, in which case could you let me have the part number ? Equally, I'm happy to add to your own order if that helps to speed up supply.
Thanks,
Ian and Judy, Pen Azen, SM 302 Greece
Hi Jose,
This solution sounds really useful. We are definitely interested. Please contact me on penazen@... so we can arrange payment and post.
Ian and Judy, Pen Azen, SM 302, Greece
Dear friends:
After I bought Ipanema 10 years ago we had two years of struggle trying to prevent the leak of water through the bow thruster. About 8 years ago we had a long discussion on this forum about the bow truster seals which I had changed several times following all the recommendations given by Amel, including adding a third bottom donut seal to increase the pressure. It was all at no avail. So, before our transatlantic on 2012 I came up with a brute force solution adding an extra removable sealing system that was wrapped around the shaft and had to be secured after the bow thruster was fully retracted. This worked very well during the trans Atlantic passage (not a single drop of water) and gave me the security of knowing that in addition of the sealing effect, the shaft was being held by one redundant mechanism. As we came back to Boston, we kept using the method but it became very inconvenient to mount and dismount the contraption every weekend when we left and came back to Constitution Marina. My interpretation of the problem was that due to uneven wearing of the surfaces that guide the bow thruster up and down motion, it resulted in a misalignment between the shaft and the sealing surfaces. This misalignment caused a small deviation of the shaft from the centerline which pushed the lip seal sideways and, because the Amel recommended seals are made of a hard material, it opened a point of water entry. I proceeded to test my hypothesis and ordered two special seals made of silicone from a soft seal manufacturer (SSP Inc). It took several months to get them due to the small number of units I ordered (just 2) but, after I installed them three years ago, I had no more leaks and my bilge has been dry ever since. The cost for the two seals was $72.50 and, more importantly I have not had to change them or the donut seals since I installed them. I have checked them and the donut seals and they are all still in good shape.
As I am preparing Ipanema for our long term cruise, I am ordering a few spares to carry with me and I will be happy to order some extra ones for any body that wants to try them.
I missed taking pix before installation but here are pictures of them installed, before and after adding the top donut.
Cheers,
Jose Gabriel Venegas Ipanema SM2K 278 Boston
<UNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_17976.jpeg><UNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_17977.jpeg>
|
|
Danny,
I believe that yours is adjusted and operated perfectly.
Best,
Bill Rouse
720 Winnie St. Galveston, Texas 77550 832-380-4970
toggle quoted messageShow quoted text
On Mon, Jun 10, 2019 at 2:54 PM Danny and Yvonne SIMMS < simms@...> wrote:
Hi all, I find it hard to understand why vessels built the same have such different experiences. Some never leak and some cant stop leaking. However there may be a clue from many previous posts discussing how to get the right amount of lift by the electric retraction system. This seems to show an expectation that this motor will lift the thruster to its full retracted position allowing the insertion of the retaining pin. The retaining pin has a threaded adjustment so it can be made to suit where the motor has lifted the thruster to. However, the foam seals, to work, need pressure applied beyond that which the motor can achieve. (those who try may explain the number of burnt out motors). I have mine adjusted so the motor lift stops with the seals in contact. However at this point I have a "half hole" situation for the pin. I achieve the insertion of the pin by a strong sideways pull on the lifting cable and the tapered end of the pin assists this as I push it in. This results in good pressure on those foam seals. I have at times left a marina and motored down harbour with the thruster lifted but the pin not in and had significant leaking which immediately stops when I do the final lift and insert the pin. This confirms my experience that good pressure on the foam seals is needed for them to work. The lip seal is important too but without the foam seals working properly there is a huge hydraulic water pressure upwards as the boat pounds into a seaway that overcomes the lip seal. That's my take on this. Regards Danny SM 299 Ocean Pearl On 11 June 2019 at 03:29 Stephen Davis <flyboyscd@...> wrote:
Hi Jose,
I’d also be interested in some of these seals, as water intrusion in spite of good bow thruster maintenance has been an on going problem for us. On our 31 day passage from Panama to Hawaii we had fairly bad leakage, and I built a mountain of modeling clay I had on hand around the shaft to stop it. That will completely stop the inflow for about 10 days until the clay gets saturated, and you have to pull it off and put some more on. I’d recommend everyone keep some on board for emergency repairs on long passages, as it beats the heck out of bailing water several times a day. The best solution might be your new seals, and I’d love to give them a try.
Regards,
Steve Davis Aloha SM72 Ko Olina, Hawaii On Jun 10, 2019, at 9:59 AM, CW Bill Rouse < brouse@...> wrote: Jose,
I too am interested in the source and part number.
Best,
Bill Rouse
720 Winnie St. Galveston, Texas 77550 832-380-4970 Hi Jose,
In your original email you write of having bought two seals and " installing them". Presumably you only installed one, replacing the 60-80-12 that Amel fitted ?
Incidentally, to save you the hassle of buying a number of seals and then sending them on, I'm happy to buy direct, in which case could you let me have the part number ? Equally, I'm happy to add to your own order if that helps to speed up supply.
Thanks,
Ian and Judy, Pen Azen, SM 302 Greece
Hi Jose,
This solution sounds really useful. We are definitely interested. Please contact me on penazen@... so we can arrange payment and post.
Ian and Judy, Pen Azen, SM 302, Greece
Dear friends:
After I bought Ipanema 10 years ago we had two years of struggle trying to prevent the leak of water through the bow thruster. About 8 years ago we had a long discussion on this forum about the bow truster seals which I had changed several times following all the recommendations given by Amel, including adding a third bottom donut seal to increase the pressure. It was all at no avail. So, before our transatlantic on 2012 I came up with a brute force solution adding an extra removable sealing system that was wrapped around the shaft and had to be secured after the bow thruster was fully retracted. This worked very well during the trans Atlantic passage (not a single drop of water) and gave me the security of knowing that in addition of the sealing effect, the shaft was being held by one redundant mechanism. As we came back to Boston, we kept using the method but it became very inconvenient to mount and dismount the contraption every weekend when we left and came back to Constitution Marina. My interpretation of the problem was that due to uneven wearing of the surfaces that guide the bow thruster up and down motion, it resulted in a misalignment between the shaft and the sealing surfaces. This misalignment caused a small deviation of the shaft from the centerline which pushed the lip seal sideways and, because the Amel recommended seals are made of a hard material, it opened a point of water entry. I proceeded to test my hypothesis and ordered two special seals made of silicone from a soft seal manufacturer (SSP Inc). It took several months to get them due to the small number of units I ordered (just 2) but, after I installed them three years ago, I had no more leaks and my bilge has been dry ever since. The cost for the two seals was $72.50 and, more importantly I have not had to change them or the donut seals since I installed them. I have checked them and the donut seals and they are all still in good shape.
As I am preparing Ipanema for our long term cruise, I am ordering a few spares to carry with me and I will be happy to order some extra ones for any body that wants to try them.
I missed taking pix before installation but here are pictures of them installed, before and after adding the top donut.
Cheers,
Jose Gabriel Venegas Ipanema SM2K 278 Boston
<UNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_17976.jpeg><UNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_17977.jpeg>
|
|
Thank you Bill. It seems to me there is a lot of misunderstanding about how the system works. Like many things if we don't follow the right process we get difficulties that are seen as design faults. Regards Danny SM 299 Ocean Pearl
toggle quoted messageShow quoted text
On 11 June 2019 at 08:10 CW Bill Rouse <brouse@...> wrote:
Danny,
I believe that yours is adjusted and operated perfectly.
Best,
Bill Rouse
720 Winnie St. Galveston, Texas 77550 832-380-4970
On Mon, Jun 10, 2019 at 2:54 PM Danny and Yvonne SIMMS < simms@...> wrote: Hi all, I find it hard to understand why vessels built the same have such different experiences. Some never leak and some cant stop leaking. However there may be a clue from many previous posts discussing how to get the right amount of lift by the electric retraction system. This seems to show an expectation that this motor will lift the thruster to its full retracted position allowing the insertion of the retaining pin. The retaining pin has a threaded adjustment so it can be made to suit where the motor has lifted the thruster to. However, the foam seals, to work, need pressure applied beyond that which the motor can achieve. (those who try may explain the number of burnt out motors). I have mine adjusted so the motor lift stops with the seals in contact. However at this point I have a "half hole" situation for the pin. I achieve the insertion of the pin by a strong sideways pull on the lifting cable and the tapered end of the pin assists this as I push it in. This results in good pressure on those foam seals. I have at times left a marina and motored down harbour with the thruster lifted but the pin not in and had significant leaking which immediately stops when I do the final lift and insert the pin. This confirms my experience that good pressure on the foam seals is needed for them to work. The lip seal is important too but without the foam seals working properly there is a huge hydraulic water pressure upwards as the boat pounds into a seaway that overcomes the lip seal. That's my take on this. Regards Danny SM 299 Ocean Pearl On 11 June 2019 at 03:29 Stephen Davis < flyboyscd@...> wrote:
Hi Jose,
I’d also be interested in some of these seals, as water intrusion in spite of good bow thruster maintenance has been an on going problem for us. On our 31 day passage from Panama to Hawaii we had fairly bad leakage, and I built a mountain of modeling clay I had on hand around the shaft to stop it. That will completely stop the inflow for about 10 days until the clay gets saturated, and you have to pull it off and put some more on. I’d recommend everyone keep some on board for emergency repairs on long passages, as it beats the heck out of bailing water several times a day. The best solution might be your new seals, and I’d love to give them a try.
Regards,
Steve Davis Aloha SM72 Ko Olina, Hawaii On Jun 10, 2019, at 9:59 AM, CW Bill Rouse < brouse@...> wrote: Jose,
I too am interested in the source and part number.
Best,
Bill Rouse
720 Winnie St. Galveston, Texas 77550 832-380-4970 Hi Jose,
In your original email you write of having bought two seals and " installing them". Presumably you only installed one, replacing the 60-80-12 that Amel fitted ?
Incidentally, to save you the hassle of buying a number of seals and then sending them on, I'm happy to buy direct, in which case could you let me have the part number ? Equally, I'm happy to add to your own order if that helps to speed up supply.
Thanks,
Ian and Judy, Pen Azen, SM 302 Greece
Hi Jose,
This solution sounds really useful. We are definitely interested. Please contact me on penazen@... so we can arrange payment and post.
Ian and Judy, Pen Azen, SM 302, Greece
Dear friends:
After I bought Ipanema 10 years ago we had two years of struggle trying to prevent the leak of water through the bow thruster. About 8 years ago we had a long discussion on this forum about the bow truster seals which I had changed several times following all the recommendations given by Amel, including adding a third bottom donut seal to increase the pressure. It was all at no avail. So, before our transatlantic on 2012 I came up with a brute force solution adding an extra removable sealing system that was wrapped around the shaft and had to be secured after the bow thruster was fully retracted. This worked very well during the trans Atlantic passage (not a single drop of water) and gave me the security of knowing that in addition of the sealing effect, the shaft was being held by one redundant mechanism. As we came back to Boston, we kept using the method but it became very inconvenient to mount and dismount the contraption every weekend when we left and came back to Constitution Marina. My interpretation of the problem was that due to uneven wearing of the surfaces that guide the bow thruster up and down motion, it resulted in a misalignment between the shaft and the sealing surfaces. This misalignment caused a small deviation of the shaft from the centerline which pushed the lip seal sideways and, because the Amel recommended seals are made of a hard material, it opened a point of water entry. I proceeded to test my hypothesis and ordered two special seals made of silicone from a soft seal manufacturer (SSP Inc). It took several months to get them due to the small number of units I ordered (just 2) but, after I installed them three years ago, I had no more leaks and my bilge has been dry ever since. The cost for the two seals was $72.50 and, more importantly I have not had to change them or the donut seals since I installed them. I have checked them and the donut seals and they are all still in good shape.
As I am preparing Ipanema for our long term cruise, I am ordering a few spares to carry with me and I will be happy to order some extra ones for any body that wants to try them.
I missed taking pix before installation but here are pictures of them installed, before and after adding the top donut.
Cheers,
Jose Gabriel Venegas Ipanema SM2K 278 Boston
<UNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_17976.jpeg><UNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_17977.jpeg>
|
|
Danny, I understand very well how the system SHOULD work and, if everything is new, the seals should work as designed. Unfortunately, wear can change the system and, in my case nothing worked to stop the leak, including several adjustments of cable tension, and increasing compression by the pin. As I said in my previous e-mails, I believe the problem occurs because the wear of the surfaces between the hull and the thruster that guide its motion result in a misalignment between the trunk and the seal, causing a lateral force on the lip seal which makes it incompetent allowing water intake. The misalignment also results in the sealing surfaces between the donut seals and the hull are no longer parallel affecting its sealing action. Following Amel instructions and wasting seals, money and time I realized that the problem could be corrected by designing a seal that would be made of a softer material and have lips that could maintain the seal in the presence of misalignment. That solved the problem 3 years ago and I have had a dry bilge ever since.!! In my design, I used two seals in series: a silicone wiper below and a silicone u-cup on top. This results in a slight protrusion of the seal above the horizontal fiberglass surface, as it can be seen in the pix I sent before. I used silicone glue to secure the seals in place and was planning to add washers to secure them to the fiberglass, but after several months of procrastination, I realized that the glue was sufficient to keep the seals in place. 3 years later, using the thruster twice per week, almost every week during 6 months each summer, including a Marion to Bermuda race the seals are still working as new. Since I add silicone grease to the trunk every year and, given the number of times (~50/year) that I use the thruster, I am expecting that they will last a very long time. So far I have serviced the thruster every year but have decided not to change any of the seals, including the donut seals, which looked in excellent condition. I just received the quote from the seal manufacturer and it is as follows:
10 pcs. Silicone wiper $ 31.65ea.
10 pcs. Silicone u-cup $ 32.50ea.
This it will be about $65 per set plus shipment and It will take 14-17 business days to ship from the order
so far I have received requests from: Bob Ross, sv Nomad, Trinidad (1 set) Ian and Judy, Pen Azen, SM 302, Greece (?sets)
Chuck_Kim_Joy (? sets)
Steve Davis Aloha SM72 Ko Olina, Hawaii (? sets) Mark, Cream Puff - SM2K - #275 (? sets)
Dan Taylor (2 sets)
Gerald Bassin Jetlag, SM113 (2 sets)
Since I want to place the order this week I will appreciate if each of you can e-mail me directly with your e-mail, the number of sets you want and the address two where it should be shipped. We still need to figure out the cost of shipping to each one of you and how you will transfer me the money, but given that is something we can figure out later.
Jose Ipanema SM2k 278, Boston
|
|

karkauai
Hi Jose, Please add me to your list. I’d like 2 sets, too. I’ll be in Maryland USA until November.
Thank you for doing this. If they can ship directly to me the address is 7025 Thorneton Rd Easton MD 21601
If you take the whole shipment and ship them yourself, don’t estimate the cost of shipping...I made that mistake with the door handles :-) Kent Robertson S/V Kristy SM 243 USA cell: 828-234-6819
toggle quoted messageShow quoted text
On Jun 13, 2019, at 1:32 PM, Jose Venegas via Groups.Io < josegvenegas@...> wrote: Danny, I understand very well how the system SHOULD work and, if everything is new, the seals should work as designed. Unfortunately, wear can change the system and, in my case nothing worked to stop the leak, including several adjustments of cable tension, and increasing compression by the pin. As I said in my previous e-mails, I believe the problem occurs because the wear of the surfaces between the hull and the thruster that guide its motion result in a misalignment between the trunk and the seal, causing a lateral force on the lip seal which makes it incompetent allowing water intake. The misalignment also results in the sealing surfaces between the donut seals and the hull are no longer parallel affecting its sealing action. Following Amel instructions and wasting seals, money and time I realized that the problem could be corrected by designing a seal that would be made of a softer material and have lips that could maintain the seal in the presence of misalignment. That solved the problem 3 years ago and I have had a dry bilge ever since.!! In my design, I used two seals in series: a silicone wiper below and a silicone u-cup on top. This results in a slight protrusion of the seal above the horizontal fiberglass surface, as it can be seen in the pix I sent before. I used silicone glue to secure the seals in place and was planning to add washers to secure them to the fiberglass, but after several months of procrastination, I realized that the glue was sufficient to keep the seals in place. 3 years later, using the thruster twice per week, almost every week during 6 months each summer, including a Marion to Bermuda race the seals are still working as new. Since I add silicone grease to the trunk every year and, given the number of times (~50/year) that I use the thruster, I am expecting that they will last a very long time. So far I have serviced the thruster every year but have decided not to change any of the seals, including the donut seals, which looked in excellent condition. I just received the quote from the seal manufacturer and it is as follows:
10 pcs. Silicone wiper $ 31.65ea.
10 pcs. Silicone u-cup $ 32.50ea.
This it will be about $65 per set plus shipment and It will take 14-17 business days to ship from the order
so far I have received requests from: Bob Ross, sv Nomad, Trinidad (1 set) Ian and Judy, Pen Azen, SM 302, Greece (?sets)
Chuck_Kim_Joy (? sets)
Steve Davis Aloha SM72 Ko Olina, Hawaii (? sets) Mark, Cream Puff - SM2K - #275 (? sets)
Dan Taylor (2 sets)
Gerald Bassin Jetlag, SM113 (2 sets)
Since I want to place the order this week I will appreciate if each of you can e-mail me directly with your e-mail, the number of sets you want and the address two where it should be shipped. We still need to figure out the cost of shipping to each one of you and how you will transfer me the money, but given that is something we can figure out later.
Jose Ipanema SM2k 278, Boston
|
|
Hi Jose,
I’d like to get 2 sets. Thanks again for doing this for the group. When you figure out how you would like to be paid, let me know.
Regards,
Steve Davis Aloha SM 72 Ko Olina, Hawaii
toggle quoted messageShow quoted text
On Jun 13, 2019, at 12:32, Jose Venegas via Groups.Io < josegvenegas@...> wrote: Danny, I understand very well how the system SHOULD work and, if everything is new, the seals should work as designed. Unfortunately, wear can change the system and, in my case nothing worked to stop the leak, including several adjustments of cable tension, and increasing compression by the pin. As I said in my previous e-mails, I believe the problem occurs because the wear of the surfaces between the hull and the thruster that guide its motion result in a misalignment between the trunk and the seal, causing a lateral force on the lip seal which makes it incompetent allowing water intake. The misalignment also results in the sealing surfaces between the donut seals and the hull are no longer parallel affecting its sealing action. Following Amel instructions and wasting seals, money and time I realized that the problem could be corrected by designing a seal that would be made of a softer material and have lips that could maintain the seal in the presence of misalignment. That solved the problem 3 years ago and I have had a dry bilge ever since.!! In my design, I used two seals in series: a silicone wiper below and a silicone u-cup on top. This results in a slight protrusion of the seal above the horizontal fiberglass surface, as it can be seen in the pix I sent before. I used silicone glue to secure the seals in place and was planning to add washers to secure them to the fiberglass, but after several months of procrastination, I realized that the glue was sufficient to keep the seals in place. 3 years later, using the thruster twice per week, almost every week during 6 months each summer, including a Marion to Bermuda race the seals are still working as new. Since I add silicone grease to the trunk every year and, given the number of times (~50/year) that I use the thruster, I am expecting that they will last a very long time. So far I have serviced the thruster every year but have decided not to change any of the seals, including the donut seals, which looked in excellent condition. I just received the quote from the seal manufacturer and it is as follows:
10 pcs. Silicone wiper $ 31.65ea.
10 pcs. Silicone u-cup $ 32.50ea.
This it will be about $65 per set plus shipment and It will take 14-17 business days to ship from the order
so far I have received requests from: Bob Ross, sv Nomad, Trinidad (1 set) Ian and Judy, Pen Azen, SM 302, Greece (?sets)
Chuck_Kim_Joy (? sets)
Steve Davis Aloha SM72 Ko Olina, Hawaii (? sets) Mark, Cream Puff - SM2K - #275 (? sets)
Dan Taylor (2 sets)
Gerald Bassin Jetlag, SM113 (2 sets)
Since I want to place the order this week I will appreciate if each of you can e-mail me directly with your e-mail, the number of sets you want and the address two where it should be shipped. We still need to figure out the cost of shipping to each one of you and how you will transfer me the money, but given that is something we can figure out later.
Jose Ipanema SM2k 278, Boston
|
|
ianjenkins1946 <ianjudyjenkins@hotmail.com>
Hi Jose,
Thanks very much for doing this. I would like to buy two sets. My home address is Ian Jenkins, 39, Sheen Common Drive, Richmond England TW10 5BW
You may want to send your payment details to my home email which is penazen@...
Many thanks,
Ian and Judy, Pen Azen, SM 302 Greece
toggle quoted messageShow quoted text
From: main@AmelYachtOwners.groups.io <main@AmelYachtOwners.groups.io> on behalf of Stephen Davis <flyboyscd@...>
Sent: 13 June 2019 17:49
To: main@amelyachtowners.groups.io
Subject: Re: [AmelYachtOwners] Bow thruster seals
Hi Jose,
I’d like to get 2 sets. Thanks again for doing this for the group. When you figure out how you would like to be paid, let me know.
Regards,
Steve Davis
Aloha SM 72
Ko Olina, Hawaii
Danny,
I understand very well how the system SHOULD work and, if everything is new, the seals should work as designed. Unfortunately, wear can change the system and, in my case nothing worked to stop the leak, including several adjustments of cable tension, and increasing
compression by the pin. As I said in my previous e-mails, I believe the problem occurs because the wear of the surfaces between the hull and the thruster that guide its motion result in a misalignment between the trunk and the seal, causing a lateral force
on the lip seal which makes it incompetent allowing water intake. The misalignment also results in the sealing surfaces between the donut seals and the hull are no longer parallel affecting its sealing action. Following Amel instructions and wasting seals,
money and time I realized that the problem could be corrected by designing a seal that would be made of a softer material and have lips that could maintain the seal in the presence of misalignment. That solved the problem 3 years ago and I have had a dry
bilge ever since.!!
In my design, I used two seals in series: a silicone wiper below and a silicone u-cup on top. This results in a slight protrusion of the seal above the horizontal fiberglass surface, as it can be seen in the pix I sent before. I used silicone glue to secure
the seals in place and was planning to add washers to secure them to the fiberglass, but after several months of procrastination, I realized that the glue was sufficient to keep the seals in place. 3 years later, using the thruster twice per week, almost
every week during 6 months each summer, including a Marion to Bermuda race the seals are still working as new. Since I add silicone grease to the trunk every year and, given the number of times (~50/year) that I use the thruster, I am expecting that they
will last a very long time. So far I have serviced the thruster every year but have decided not to change any of the seals, including the donut seals, which looked in excellent condition.
I just received the quote from the seal manufacturer and it is as follows:
10 pcs. Silicone wiper $ 31.65ea.
10 pcs. Silicone u-cup $ 32.50ea.
This it will be about $65 per set plus shipment and It will take 14-17 business days to ship from the order
so far I have received requests from:
Bob Ross, sv Nomad, Trinidad (1 set)
Ian and Judy, Pen Azen, SM 302, Greece (?sets)
Chuck_Kim_Joy (? sets)
Steve Davis Aloha SM72 Ko Olina, Hawaii (? sets)
Mark, Cream Puff - SM2K - #275 (? sets)
Dan Taylor (2 sets)
Gerald Bassin Jetlag, SM113 (2 sets)
Since I want to place the order this week I will appreciate if each of you can e-mail me directly with your e-mail, the number of sets you want and the address two where it should be shipped.
We still need to figure out the cost of shipping to each one of you and how you will transfer me the money, but given that is something we can figure out later.
Jose
Ipanema SM2k 278, Boston
|
|
Jose, Please put me down for one set .
Pat McAneny
14109 3rd. Ave.
Kennedyville, Md.21645
Thank You,
Pat SM Shenanigans
PS I may be sailing by Boston in July,do you live aboard ? May anchor there and save the postage.
toggle quoted messageShow quoted text
-----Original Message-----
From: Jose Venegas via Groups.Io <josegvenegas@...>
To: main <main@AmelYachtOwners.groups.io>
Sent: Thu, Jun 13, 2019 1:32 pm
Subject: Re: [AmelYachtOwners] Bow thruster seals
Danny, I understand very well how the system SHOULD work and, if everything is new, the seals should work as designed. Unfortunately, wear can change the system and, in my case nothing worked to stop the leak, including several adjustments of cable tension, and increasing compression by the pin. As I said in my previous e-mails, I believe the problem occurs because the wear of the surfaces between the hull and the thruster that guide its motion result in a misalignment between the trunk and the seal, causing a lateral force on the lip seal which makes it incompetent allowing water intake. The misalignment also results in the sealing surfaces between the donut seals and the hull are no longer parallel affecting its sealing action. Following Amel instructions and wasting seals, money and time I realized that the problem could be corrected by designing a seal that would be made of a softer material and have lips that could maintain the seal in the presence of misalignment. That solved the problem 3 years ago and I have had a dry bilge ever since.!! In my design, I used two seals in series: a silicone wiper below and a silicone u-cup on top. This results in a slight protrusion of the seal above the horizontal fiberglass surface, as it can be seen in the pix I sent before. I used silicone glue to secure the seals in place and was planning to add washers to secure them to the fiberglass, but after several months of procrastination, I realized that the glue was sufficient to keep the seals in place. 3 years later, using the thruster twice per week, almost every week during 6 months each summer, including a Marion to Bermuda race the seals are still working as new. Since I add silicone grease to the trunk every year and, given the number of times (~50/year) that I use the thruster, I am expecting that they will last a very long time. So far I have serviced the thruster every year but have decided not to change any of the seals, including the donut seals, which looked in excellent condition. I just received the quote from the seal manufacturer and it is as follows:
10 pcs. Silicone wiper $ 31.65ea.
10 pcs. Silicone u-cup $ 32.50ea.
This it will be about $65 per set plus shipment and It will take 14-17 business days to ship from the order
so far I have received requests from: Bob Ross, sv Nomad, Trinidad (1 set) Ian and Judy, Pen Azen, SM 302, Greece (?sets)
Chuck_Kim_Joy (? sets)
Steve Davis Aloha SM72 Ko Olina, Hawaii (? sets) Mark, Cream Puff - SM2K - #275 (? sets)
Dan Taylor (2 sets)
Gerald Bassin Jetlag, SM113 (2 sets)
Since I want to place the order this week I will appreciate if each of you can e-mail me directly with your e-mail, the number of sets you want and the address two where it should be shipped. We still need to figure out the cost of shipping to each one of you and how you will transfer me the money, but given that is something we can figure out later.
Jose Ipanema SM2k 278, Boston
|
|
Hi Jose, Well done for finding a solution to your leak problem. However your comment about the wear from use has triggered this question. Do you have the Amel designed retrofit anti twist system. This is a vertical 25 mm tube mounted beside the thruster. There is a bracket mounted on top the thruster motor that engages with this. The Amel service agent in Fort Lauderdale (his name escapes me) told me he had a lot of work fitting these in the 2000's Regards Danny SM 299 Ocean Pearl
toggle quoted messageShow quoted text
On 14 June 2019 at 05:32 "Jose Venegas via Groups.Io" <josegvenegas@...> wrote: Danny, I understand very well how the system SHOULD work and, if everything is new, the seals should work as designed. Unfortunately, wear can change the system and, in my case nothing worked to stop the leak, including several adjustments of cable tension, and increasing compression by the pin. As I said in my previous e-mails, I believe the problem occurs because the wear of the surfaces between the hull and the thruster that guide its motion result in a misalignment between the trunk and the seal, causing a lateral force on the lip seal which makes it incompetent allowing water intake. The misalignment also results in the sealing surfaces between the donut seals and the hull are no longer parallel affecting its sealing action. Following Amel instructions and wasting seals, money and time I realized that the problem could be corrected by designing a seal that would be made of a softer material and have lips that could maintain the seal in the presence of misalignment. That solved the problem 3 years ago and I have had a dry bilge ever since.!! In my design, I used two seals in series: a silicone wiper below and a silicone u-cup on top. This results in a slight protrusion of the seal above the horizontal fiberglass surface, as it can be seen in the pix I sent before. I used silicone glue to secure the seals in place and was planning to add washers to secure them to the fiberglass, but after several months of procrastination, I realized that the glue was sufficient to keep the seals in place. 3 years later, using the thruster twice per week, almost every week during 6 months each summer, including a Marion to Bermuda race the seals are still working as new. Since I add silicone grease to the trunk every year and, given the number of times (~50/year) that I use the thruster, I am expecting that they will last a very long time. So far I have serviced the thruster every year but have decided not to change any of the seals, including the donut seals, which looked in excellent condition. I just received the quote from the seal manufacturer and it is as follows:
10 pcs. Silicone wiper $ 31.65ea. 10 pcs. Silicone u-cup $ 32.50ea. This it will be about $65 per set plus shipment and It will take 14-17 business days to ship from the order
so far I have received requests from: Bob Ross, sv Nomad, Trinidad (1 set) Ian and Judy, Pen Azen, SM 302, Greece (?sets) Chuck_Kim_Joy (? sets)
Steve Davis Aloha SM72 Ko Olina, Hawaii (? sets) Mark, Cream Puff - SM2K - #275 (? sets)
Dan Taylor (2 sets) Gerald Bassin Jetlag, SM113 (2 sets) Since I want to place the order this week I will appreciate if each of you can e-mail me directly with your e-mail, the number of sets you want and the address two where it should be shipped. We still need to figure out the cost of shipping to each one of you and how you will transfer me the money, but given that is something we can figure out later. Jose Ipanema SM2k 278, Boston
|
|
Danny, I am not sure if my system is original or retrofit. It does seem to have an anti-twist vertical tube mounted beside the thruster. All I know is that when I bought Ipanema (Nike before) in Florida, (about the same time you bought Ocean Perl) The previous owner did not mention it. However, we got a lot of water in while we sailed the boat from Florida to Georgia, even though the owner had just changed the seals on her.
Jose Ipanema SM 278
|
|
If Jose's suggested seals (which I like a lot) will fit his SM, they will fit all SMs.
Best,
CW Bill Rouse
720 Winnie St
Galveston Island, TX 77550 +1(832) 380-4970
toggle quoted messageShow quoted text
On Thu, Jun 13, 2019 at 3:17 PM Jose Venegas via Groups.Io <josegvenegas= icloud.com@groups.io> wrote: Danny, I am not sure if my system is original or retrofit. It does seem to have an anti-twist vertical tube mounted beside the thruster. All I know is that when I bought Ipanema (Nike before) in Florida, (about the same time you bought Ocean Perl) The previous owner did not mention it. However, we got a lot of water in while we sailed the boat from Florida to Georgia, even though the owner had just changed the seals on her.
Jose Ipanema SM 278
|
|
Does anyone know Josés private email? In order to give him our details Brgrds Gerald
toggle quoted messageShow quoted text
On 13 Jun 2019, at 20:56, Danny and Yvonne SIMMS < simms@...> wrote:
Hi Jose, Well done for finding a solution to your leak problem. However your comment about the wear from use has triggered this question. Do you have the Amel designed retrofit anti twist system. This is a vertical 25 mm tube mounted beside the thruster. There is a bracket mounted on top the thruster motor that engages with this. The Amel service agent in Fort Lauderdale (his name escapes me) told me he had a lot of work fitting these in the 2000's Regards Danny SM 299 Ocean Pearl On 14 June 2019 at 05:32 "Jose Venegas via Groups.Io" <josegvenegas@...> wrote: Danny, I understand very well how the system SHOULD work and, if everything is new, the seals should work as designed. Unfortunately, wear can change the system and, in my case nothing worked to stop the leak, including several adjustments of cable tension, and increasing compression by the pin. As I said in my previous e-mails, I believe the problem occurs because the wear of the surfaces between the hull and the thruster that guide its motion result in a misalignment between the trunk and the seal, causing a lateral force on the lip seal which makes it incompetent allowing water intake. The misalignment also results in the sealing surfaces between the donut seals and the hull are no longer parallel affecting its sealing action. Following Amel instructions and wasting seals, money and time I realized that the problem could be corrected by designing a seal that would be made of a softer material and have lips that could maintain the seal in the presence of misalignment. That solved the problem 3 years ago and I have had a dry bilge ever since.!! In my design, I used two seals in series: a silicone wiper below and a silicone u-cup on top. This results in a slight protrusion of the seal above the horizontal fiberglass surface, as it can be seen in the pix I sent before. I used silicone glue to secure the seals in place and was planning to add washers to secure them to the fiberglass, but after several months of procrastination, I realized that the glue was sufficient to keep the seals in place. 3 years later, using the thruster twice per week, almost every week during 6 months each summer, including a Marion to Bermuda race the seals are still working as new. Since I add silicone grease to the trunk every year and, given the number of times (~50/year) that I use the thruster, I am expecting that they will last a very long time. So far I have serviced the thruster every year but have decided not to change any of the seals, including the donut seals, which looked in excellent condition. I just received the quote from the seal manufacturer and it is as follows:
10 pcs. Silicone wiper $ 31.65ea. 10 pcs. Silicone u-cup $ 32.50ea. This it will be about $65 per set plus shipment and It will take 14-17 business days to ship from the order
so far I have received requests from: Bob Ross, sv Nomad, Trinidad (1 set) Ian and Judy, Pen Azen, SM 302, Greece (?sets) Chuck_Kim_Joy (? sets)
Steve Davis Aloha SM72 Ko Olina, Hawaii (? sets) Mark, Cream Puff - SM2K - #275 (? sets)
Dan Taylor (2 sets) Gerald Bassin Jetlag, SM113 (2 sets) Since I want to place the order this week I will appreciate if each of you can e-mail me directly with your e-mail, the number of sets you want and the address two where it should be shipped. We still need to figure out the cost of shipping to each one of you and how you will transfer me the money, but given that is something we can figure out later. Jose Ipanema SM2k 278, Boston
|
|
Hi Jose, that's good you have the anti twist.. Ocean Pearl's seals were leaking badly when we bought her but we replaced the seals when we did the anti foul before we first set off and have never had any trouble since. Bi annual foam seal replacement is all we have ever done and occasionally we have had to do a lip seal between the bi annuals. However we are not heavy users of the thruster. Regards Danny SM 299 Ocean Pearl
toggle quoted messageShow quoted text
On 14 June 2019 at 08:17 "Jose Venegas via Groups.Io" <josegvenegas@...> wrote: Danny, I am not sure if my system is original or retrofit. It does seem to have an anti-twist vertical tube mounted beside the thruster. All I know is that when I bought Ipanema (Nike before) in Florida, (about the same time you bought Ocean Perl) The previous owner did not mention it. However, we got a lot of water in while we sailed the boat from Florida to Georgia, even though the owner had just changed the seals on her. Jose Ipanema SM 278
|
|
Danny,
Bi-annual seal change for little use seems excessive compared with over 3+ years of heavy use without changing ANY seals but... if it is working for you it's fine with me.
Hopefully will be heading your way in 2021.
Jose SM 278 Ipanema
|
|
Hi Jose, the seals are not expensive and why not change them while the boat is out on its very expensive haul out every two years. Look forward to welcoming you to the Pacific. Regards Danny SM 299 Ocean Pearl
toggle quoted messageShow quoted text
On 14 June 2019 at 09:32 "Jose Venegas via Groups.Io" <josegvenegas@...> wrote: Danny, Bi-annual seal change for little use seems excessive compared with over 3+ years of heavy use without changing ANY seals but... if it is working for you it's fine with me. Hopefully will be heading your way in 2021. Jose SM 278 Ipanema
|
|
Hi Danny, I would also like 2 sets of seals. Sounds like a great idea and they can be changed while the boat is in the water. Fair Winds Eric Kimberlite Amel Super Maramu #376
toggle quoted messageShow quoted text
From: main@AmelYachtOwners.groups.io [mailto:main@AmelYachtOwners.groups.io] On Behalf Of Jose Venegas via Groups.Io Sent: Thursday, June 13, 2019 1:32 PM To: main@AmelYachtOwners.groups.io Subject: Re: [AmelYachtOwners] Bow thruster seals Danny, I understand very well how the system SHOULD work and, if everything is new, the seals should work as designed. Unfortunately, wear can change the system and, in my case nothing worked to stop the leak, including several adjustments of cable tension, and increasing compression by the pin. As I said in my previous e-mails, I believe the problem occurs because the wear of the surfaces between the hull and the thruster that guide its motion result in a misalignment between the trunk and the seal, causing a lateral force on the lip seal which makes it incompetent allowing water intake. The misalignment also results in the sealing surfaces between the donut seals and the hull are no longer parallel affecting its sealing action. Following Amel instructions and wasting seals, money and time I realized that the problem could be corrected by designing a seal that would be made of a softer material and have lips that could maintain the seal in the presence of misalignment. That solved the problem 3 years ago and I have had a dry bilge ever since.!! In my design, I used two seals in series: a silicone wiper below and a silicone u-cup on top. This results in a slight protrusion of the seal above the horizontal fiberglass surface, as it can be seen in the pix I sent before. I used silicone glue to secure the seals in place and was planning to add washers to secure them to the fiberglass, but after several months of procrastination, I realized that the glue was sufficient to keep the seals in place. 3 years later, using the thruster twice per week, almost every week during 6 months each summer, including a Marion to Bermuda race the seals are still working as new. Since I add silicone grease to the trunk every year and, given the number of times (~50/year) that I use the thruster, I am expecting that they will last a very long time. So far I have serviced the thruster every year but have decided not to change any of the seals, including the donut seals, which looked in excellent condition.
I just received the quote from the seal manufacturer and it is as follows:
10 pcs. Silicone wiper $ 31.65ea. 10 pcs. Silicone u-cup $ 32.50ea. This it will be about $65 per set plus shipment and It will take 14-17 business days to ship from the order
so far I have received requests from:
Bob Ross, sv Nomad, Trinidad (1 set) Ian and Judy, Pen Azen, SM 302, Greece (?sets) Chuck_Kim_Joy (? sets)
Steve Davis Aloha SM72 Ko Olina, Hawaii (? sets) Mark, Cream Puff - SM2K - #275 (? sets) Dan Taylor (2 sets) Gerald Bassin Jetlag, SM113 (2 sets)
Since I want to place the order this week I will appreciate if each of you can e-mail me directly with your e-mail, the number of sets you want and the address two where it should be shipped. We still need to figure out the cost of shipping to each one of you and how you will transfer me the money, but given that is something we can figure out later. Jose Ipanema SM2k 278, Boston
|
|
Hi eric its Jose who had the seals. Regsrds Dsnny
toggle quoted messageShow quoted text
On 14 June 2019 at 15:37 eric freedman <kimberlite@...> wrote:
Hi Danny, I would also like 2 sets of seals. Sounds like a great idea and they can be changed while the boat is in the water. Fair Winds Eric Kimberlite Amel Super Maramu #376 From: main@AmelYachtOwners.groups.io [mailto:main@AmelYachtOwners.groups.io] On Behalf Of Jose Venegas via Groups.Io Sent: Thursday, June 13, 2019 1:32 PM To: main@AmelYachtOwners.groups.io Subject: Re: [AmelYachtOwners] Bow thruster seals Danny, I understand very well how the system SHOULD work and, if everything is new, the seals should work as designed. Unfortunately, wear can change the system and, in my case nothing worked to stop the leak, including several adjustments of cable tension, and increasing compression by the pin. As I said in my previous e-mails, I believe the problem occurs because the wear of the surfaces between the hull and the thruster that guide its motion result in a misalignment between the trunk and the seal, causing a lateral force on the lip seal which makes it incompetent allowing water intake. The misalignment also results in the sealing surfaces between the donut seals and the hull are no longer parallel affecting its sealing action. Following Amel instructions and wasting seals, money and time I realized that the problem could be corrected by designing a seal that would be made of a softer material and have lips that could maintain the seal in the presence of misalignment. That solved the problem 3 years ago and I have had a dry bilge ever since.!! In my design, I used two seals in series: a silicone wiper below and a silicone u-cup on top. This results in a slight protrusion of the seal above the horizontal fiberglass surface, as it can be seen in the pix I sent before. I used silicone glue to secure the seals in place and was planning to add washers to secure them to the fiberglass, but after several months of procrastination, I realized that the glue was sufficient to keep the seals in place. 3 years later, using the thruster twice per week, almost every week during 6 months each summer, including a Marion to Bermuda race the seals are still working as new. Since I add silicone grease to the trunk every year and, given the number of times (~50/year) that I use the thruster, I am expecting that they will last a very long time. So far I have serviced the thruster every year but have decided not to change any of the seals, including the donut seals, which looked in excellent condition.
I just received the quote from the seal manufacturer and it is as follows:
10 pcs. Silicone wiper $ 31.65ea. 10 pcs. Silicone u-cup $ 32.50ea. This it will be about $65 per set plus shipment and It will take 14-17 business days to ship from the order
so far I have received requests from:
Bob Ross, sv Nomad, Trinidad (1 set) Ian and Judy, Pen Azen, SM 302, Greece (?sets) Chuck_Kim_Joy (? sets)
Steve Davis Aloha SM72 Ko Olina, Hawaii (? sets) Mark, Cream Puff - SM2K - #275 (? sets) Dan Taylor (2 sets) Gerald Bassin Jetlag, SM113 (2 sets)
Since I want to place the order this week I will appreciate if each of you can e-mail me directly with your e-mail, the number of sets you want and the address two where it should be shipped. We still need to figure out the cost of shipping to each one of you and how you will transfer me the money, but given that is something we can figure out later. Jose Ipanema SM2k 278, Boston
|
|
Lo Siento Jose, I thought it was Danny placing the order. Please order 2 sets for me. I can send you $$ via PayPal if you wish. Fair Winds Eric Kimberlite Amel Super Maramu #376
toggle quoted messageShow quoted text
From: main@AmelYachtOwners.groups.io [mailto:main@AmelYachtOwners.groups.io] On Behalf Of Danny and Yvonne SIMMS Sent: Friday, June 14, 2019 12:19 AM To: main@AmelYachtOwners.groups.io Subject: Re: [AmelYachtOwners] Bow thruster seals Hi eric its Jose who had the seals. Regsrds Dsnny On 14 June 2019 at 15:37 eric freedman <kimberlite@...> wrote: Hi Danny, I would also like 2 sets of seals. Sounds like a great idea and they can be changed while the boat is in the water. Fair Winds Eric Kimberlite Amel Super Maramu #376 From: main@AmelYachtOwners.groups.io [mailto:main@AmelYachtOwners.groups.io] On Behalf Of Jose Venegas via Groups.Io Sent: Thursday, June 13, 2019 1:32 PM To: main@AmelYachtOwners.groups.io Subject: Re: [AmelYachtOwners] Bow thruster seals Danny, I understand very well how the system SHOULD work and, if everything is new, the seals should work as designed. Unfortunately, wear can change the system and, in my case nothing worked to stop the leak, including several adjustments of cable tension, and increasing compression by the pin. As I said in my previous e-mails, I believe the problem occurs because the wear of the surfaces between the hull and the thruster that guide its motion result in a misalignment between the trunk and the seal, causing a lateral force on the lip seal which makes it incompetent allowing water intake. The misalignment also results in the sealing surfaces between the donut seals and the hull are no longer parallel affecting its sealing action. Following Amel instructions and wasting seals, money and time I realized that the problem could be corrected by designing a seal that would be made of a softer material and have lips that could maintain the seal in the presence of misalignment. That solved the problem 3 years ago and I have had a dry bilge ever since.!! In my design, I used two seals in series: a silicone wiper below and a silicone u-cup on top. This results in a slight protrusion of the seal above the horizontal fiberglass surface, as it can be seen in the pix I sent before. I used silicone glue to secure the seals in place and was planning to add washers to secure them to the fiberglass, but after several months of procrastination, I realized that the glue was sufficient to keep the seals in place. 3 years later, using the thruster twice per week, almost every week during 6 months each summer, including a Marion to Bermuda race the seals are still working as new. Since I add silicone grease to the trunk every year and, given the number of times (~50/year) that I use the thruster, I am expecting that they will last a very long time. So far I have serviced the thruster every year but have decided not to change any of the seals, including the donut seals, which looked in excellent condition.
I just received the quote from the seal manufacturer and it is as follows: 10 pcs. Silicone wiper $ 31.65ea. 10 pcs. Silicone u-cup $ 32.50ea. This it will be about $65 per set plus shipment and It will take 14-17 business days to ship from the order
so far I have received requests from:
Bob Ross, sv Nomad, Trinidad (1 set) Ian and Judy, Pen Azen, SM 302, Greece (?sets) Chuck_Kim_Joy (? sets)
Steve Davis Aloha SM72 Ko Olina, Hawaii (? sets) Mark, Cream Puff - SM2K - #275 (? sets) Dan Taylor (2 sets) Gerald Bassin Jetlag, SM113 (2 sets)
Since I want to place the order this week I will appreciate if each of you can e-mail me directly with your e-mail, the number of sets you want and the address two where it should be shipped. We still need to figure out the cost of shipping to each one of you and how you will transfer me the money, but given that is something we can figure out later. Jose Ipanema SM2k 278, Boston
|
|
Jose
Well done for offering to replicate the seals for others. I would love 2 sets if possible.
I would suggest using transferwise, or its equivalent, for payments - easy for international transfers and very clear regarding the amount the beneficiary receives. Paypal and other payment providers discount the fees from the payment so the sender doesn't see the exact amount the beneficiary receives. If you lose 5% on all these seals it might annoy you!
Thanks
David SM#101
|
|

Alan Leslie
When we first bought the boat we had leaks from the bowthruster in heavy seas. After haul out and replacing all the seals and adjusting the lifting mechanism as advised by Bill, Danny et al, we have not had any leaks in 6 years now. We replace all the seals every two years when hauled out for antifoul, C-drive service and bowthruster, and no issues. Cheers Alan Elyse SM437
|
|