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Message board > Care & maintenance > Checking bow/stern thruster bolt torque

Message 4 of 4
Posted by member Sydney on Saturday 30 December 2017

I also just remembered the gaiters on the trim tabs and the play on the rope cutters

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Message 3 of 4
Posted by member Simon Kidd on Thursday 28 December 2017

Good lists above. I know it's more inspection than Service, but I think the following are essential to be added for periodic inspection, experience of over 700 boats shows these items to be very regular issues. A number of points should and most likely checked every time you go out, but all points should be checked yearly at least. (This is aimed primarily at Shaftdrive boats) Nav Lights. Horn. Water Test all Bilge Pumps. Check Float Switches. Guard Wires (1x19 s/s) - (Especially Beware PVC Coated!). All engine exhaust hoses, hose clips, joints and mufflers etc. Check for "softness" of the hoses indicating delamination of the hose structure. Degraded hoses/clips are very very common on boats 10 years +, but can be found earlier. (Also check Generator if fitted). Heater exhaust - especially the through hull joint. All water intake hoses - especially if rubber - often used for engine intake. (Also check Generator if fitted). Engine Mounts - Check all nuts and bolts for security - very very common failure point. (Also check Generator if fitted). My Caterpillar V8's could loosen lock nuts off in a few trips. Stern Glands and Hoses (if used). Check carefully even if not leaking / significantly leaking. Hoses degrade, Clips corrode etc. Check the fuel systems for leaks and degraded / Hardening hoses. Compression joints and Injector leaks are most common, but the ISO7840 / SAE J1527 hose does age and harden eventually. Check for Chafe Damage to engine and generator Fuel and water hoses and power cables - commonly a problem. have a really good look at your generator (if you have one) the often get overlooked - especially the commonly "Difficult to reach side"! I think that'll do for now, the Baby is crying! Yikes!!! Happy New Year Hardy'ers! Simon.

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Message 2 of 4
Posted by member Sydney on Thursday 28 December 2017

Peter, We also check the rudder stocks, the joints on the auto pliot and all of the stop cocks and lubricate as required.

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Message 1 of 4
Posted by member Peter Cox on Sunday 24 December 2017

After having a stern thruster fitted last year, I saw in the manual that the bolts attaching the motor/gearbox to the hull bracket should be re-torqued after one year (one-off job, first year only), which I have just done. The bolts needed just a bit of tightening to the required torque. It occurred to me that the original equipment bow thruster had also needed a similar check after a year but I wondered whether it had ever been done; after sale the boat is beyond the control of Hardy and such a check is outwith the engine servicing schedule. When I checked the bow thruster bolts, albeit after seven years rather than one (boat second-hand to me), they needed quite a lot of tightening to bring them back up to the specified torque. A car service schedule covers the whole vehicle and not just the engine, but there isn't the same system for boats, so I've started to draw up a service schedule of non-engine equipment, some or most of which can be DIY: Bow/stern thruster bolt torque Thruster oil reservoir Hydraulic steering reservoir Extinguishers Anchor windlass Liferaft Lifejackets External anodes Gas hose Gas regulator Batteries Heater Smoke/CO alarms

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