Stern Gear Systems

The desired boat speed, waterline length, hull shape and weight are the key factors in determining the perfect engine and gearbox combination for a boat. The stern gear transfers the power of the engine to the water. Establishing the optimum propeller for a particular boat is specialized work that has to be carried out with sophisticated propeller calculation programs and requires, above all, experience.

VETUS has many years of experience with stern gear and offers a wide range of products which are environmentally friendly and which increase comfort on board. Water-lubricated propeller shafts eliminate the need for oil or grease, while flexible couplings absorb deviations in the alignment of the propeller shaft and ensure that vibration transferred from the propeller shaft system to the boat is kept to a minimum.

A well-designed stern gear system needs:

• A dynamically balanced propeller to prevent vibration, resonance and cavitation
• A propeller shaft to transmit the engine power to the propeller
• Rubber bearings to ensure that vibration and noise are reduced to a minimum
• A stern tube and reliable stern gland
• A coupling to facilitate the alignment of the shaft and engine easier

Good reasons to choose a VETUS stern gear system

• VETUS offers free calculation of the correct propeller size using a special computer program
• VETUS has a large stock of standard high quality propellers in various sizes, pitches and blade areas
• VETUS provides in-house emergency repairs and modifies the bore and taper of stock propellers if necessary
• VETUS uses high-quality, corrosion-free materials designed for long life
• VETUS supplies a complete system, using both standard and custom-made products
• VETUS offers various stern tube systems for shafts ranging from 25 to 60mm in diameter
• VETUS offers various flexible couplings which significantly reduce vibration
• VETUS shaft assemblies protect the environment; water lubrication means no oil or grease pollution