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Greetings James, I'm also planning on installing small mostly off the shelf thrusters on the sides of my K boat to reduce drag and simplify things. I've been planning on using 36 volt Minn Kota 101 saltwater thrusters, like Frank, and I believe Vance are using and oil compensate them. Last I checked those thruster were running $250 each with the speed controllers going for $150 each. I'll have to check my notes, but I believe Karl Stanley is using 6 of the 36 volt Minn Kota saltwater thruster that he has oil compensated, and has used down to 2500 fsw. Two for vertical thrust and four in the stern. Are you expecting to go that deep James. ;} I like the idea of using the existing flexible shafts on some motors that Alec mentioned. I expected that I would clamp mine on in a similar manor as Frank has done, since I'm not sure of the long term saltwater durability of my favorite brand of duck tape. I see the need to beef up the side thru hulls, and was planning on looking closely at how Dan beefed his up. With the new tangle guard configuration I'm planning, I don't expect the thrusters will sustain any real damage unless the Euronaut or the like plays to rough with my sub. Regards, Szybowski > Subject: RE: [PSUBS-MAILIST] Subdate > Date: Thu, 11 Jun 2009 17:46:21 -0400 > From: Alec.Smyth@compuware.com > To: personal_submersibles@psubs.org > > Hi James, > > 1. Do people just buy the standard Minn Kota outboard motor complete > with the bracket, leg, controls, handle, battery etc and just modify the > motor part? or can you get just the motor and prop on its own? > > AS: You can buy just the parts you need cheaper than the whole thing, I > recommend www.trollingmotorparts.com. > > > 2. Whats the through hull design? A straight forward twin O ring > through hull on the outboard shaft? > > AS: I would not go with the standard pipe because it just isn't strong. > In fact some motors come with plastic pipes designed to be flexible so > the shaft bends when you hit something, rather than break off. On the > side thrusters, I've got heavy through-hulls. I did use the stock pipe > on the stern thruster, because that one doesn't go through the hull. The > through-hulls are just a SS bar stock with an external shoulder to > prevent the thing from being pushed in, and bored to whatever minimum > inside diameter you need for the cables and potting. Do not just pot the > cables, you have to put in solid conductors so the pressure doesn't wick > along the cable strands. I'd recommend machining some vice flats on the > through-hull too, for the day you need to unscrew a thruster that's been > on there a few years. > > > 3. Compensation. Oil, ambient air pressure regulator? > I've had both but like oil compensation the best because it's the > simplest (not a single moving part). I just changed the oil a couple of > days ago. I expected it to be laden with carbon deposits, but it came > out looking like new despite being in there for 4 years. Admittedly I > put very few hours on the sub, but it still surprised me that the oil > came out looking as clear as the day it went in. And yes, it WAS oil not > water that came out... > > :) > > Alec |