Stern thruster stopped thrusting

[Duane&Monte]

This week with guests onboard our 2016 R27 classic, drifting on a quiet but HOT Nebraska lake. I used the thrusters with remote control to keep the cockpit shade oriented. After lunch, going back at slip, going in stern first, the stern thruster failed although I could hear contact and maybe motor noise. I was at the helm, using the joysticks. Docked fine and immediately jumped for Tugnuts information. Red Raven and a second Tugnutter had good info for accessing the thruster motor. The second Tugnutter had several images of him (in red shirt) getting to his stern thruster motor. The shear pin on his motor was intact. Okay, cut to the chase. I accessed the stern thruster motor, expecting (maybe hoping for) a sheared pin. Shear pin was grungy, but complete as with second Tugnutter. I'm wondering what his issue may have been. What is the next step in analyzing the problem?

 

[tlkenyon]

You might have run the battery down below the threshold where the relay kicks in. If you have not yet done so, make sure the battery is fully charged and retry. It does not take much use of the thruster to consume the battery, and it takes a while to recharge. Been there, done that.

 

[Rocky Lou]

If you hear the motor, but the shear pin is intact, you may a bad gear box. That was the case for me recently with my bow thruster. Replacing the gear box fixed the issue.

 

[Red Raven]

Make sure the thruster prop is still there. It could have spun off.

 

[Duane&Monte]

Thank you tlkenyon, Rocky Lou and Red Raven. I really appreciate the insight. And, I really hope it is as simple as a low battery -- always overlook the obvious.

 

[Duane&Monte]

You guys are just great. I spent over the last week 10+ amazingly uncomfortable, scrunched-up sometimes upside down hours in the aft lazarette of my 2016 R27. Laughing often at my folly, finally got stern thruster motor out, inspected, (shear pin was intact) so replaced. Went for a swim and checked for thruster prop and it was in place and spun freely in both directions. So, just maybe the battery was too low as tlkenyon mentioned. Will drive to lake tomorrow with fingers crossed. Thanks all.