Replacing the Bow Thruster Battery

The bow thruster battery has given up. I had doubts that the bow thruster was working when I was docking the boat in light winds in Beaufort. I asked George to go up to the bow and make sure it was working. He said it was but it just didn’t seem to have any power. The wind was pushing the boat against the dock when we left the slip in Beaufort. The bow thruster didn’t turn the boat at all on my first attempt to leave the slip. I had to abort and back into the slip again. On the next attempt George give the bow a big shove and I turned the wheel hard to port while throttling up. We turned but the stern hit the dock (fortunately they have bumpers installed) and that stopped my turning momentum. I tried again and, although the stern hit the dock again, I was able to turn enough to get out of the slip and down the fairway. We would normally have place a spring line on a piling to assist with turning and keeping us off of the dock but there was no piling there. 

When we arrived at Bald Head Island George checked the bow thruster battery and found that the voltage was low. So, we are in need of a new battery. George prefers replacing it with the exact same model so that he can be sure that it will fit and that the terminals and cables are compatible. He has found a supplier who can get a Victron battery to Myrtle Beach by Thursday afternoon. George plans to remove the old battery tomorrow (Thursday). We will take the ferry across the River, rent a car, and drive about two hours to Myrtle Beach and buy the new battery. 

The battery is located under the v-berth and behind the water tank. In order to remove it and replace it, the water tank has to be emptied and moved. Not exactly a simple process but he believes it is possible. 

In the meantime, the cold front dropped the temperature to 33 degrees this morning. It was 40 in the cockpit and 48 inside the cabin. George fired up the little propane heater and it soon heated the cabin to 68 degrees. Once the wind died down this afternoon we put more layers on and went out for a brief walk before stopping at the coffee shop. 

The battery is located under the wood, to the right of the white water tank. 

The bow thruster battery

Bundled up for a walk.