Quick BTR retractable thrusters

Quick's retractable range is bigger than most people expect. There are three families: the DC BTR, the extended-duty DC BTR QSY, and the hydraulic BTRH. They share the same basic mechanical design and the same model naming as Quick's tunnel thrusters, where the first number is the tunnel diameter and the second is the rated thrust. A BTR 185-85 is a 185 mm, 85 kgf retractable.

Who should be looking? Owners of performance sailboats, fast motor yachts and any hull where a tunnel either can't go deep enough or would cost too much speed.

The design idea

Quick's pages make the same points for all three families, and they're the right ones to care about on a retractable:

• A separate counter-flange in composite, aluminium or steel, kept apart from the supporting structure. Quick says this makes the install easier and keeps the joint compliant with current regulations.
• The motor tied into the internal structure, with a single moving body crossing the in/out boundary.
• Protection against mechanical overload from accidental impacts while the thruster is down. Hitting something with a deployed retract is the scenario every owner worries about.
• Nibral and AISI 316 for the major parts, and sacrificial anodes for galvanic protection.
• Integrated electronics and reduced overall size.

BTR: the DC range

From 185 mm up, every BTR uses twin counter-rotating propellers. The thrust and motor figures track Quick's BTQ tunnel thrusters closely, which makes sense, but the weight does not. A BTR 185-85 is roughly double the weight of the equivalent tunnel unit because of the retraction mechanism and housing.

BTR QSY: when 10 minutes matters

Quick says its QSY (Quick Synchronous Motors) thrusters reach 10 minutes of continuous operation in standard conditions and work with Quick's QNC controls. The retractable versions are:

• BTR QSY 185-85: 4 kW, 12V or 24V, 85 kgf, 26-49 ft
• BTR QSY 185-100: 8 kW, 24V, 100 kgf, 33-56 ft
• BTR QSY 250-140: 8 kW, 24V, 140 kgf, 39-62 ft
• BTR QSY 250-200: 12 kW, 24V, 200 kgf, 56-79 ft
• BTR QSY 300-300: 16 kW, 48V, 300 kgf, 66-98 ft

Ten minutes of continuous thrust changes how you use a thruster. It's the difference between docking in short bursts and holding the bow against a crosswind while the crew sort out lines. The QSY units are also lighter than the equivalent BTR in several sizes (the BTR QSY 185-85 is about 34 kg against 38-40.5 kg for the BTR 185-85). Quick also lists dedicated proportional controls for QSY and BTQ thrusters; confirm the exact control package for your model when ordering.

BTRH: hydraulic

For boats with hydraulics already aboard, the BTRH uses reversible gear-type hydraulic motors.

The weight savings against the DC versions are large, because the motor is small and there's no heavy DC cabling to the bow. You pay for that in hydraulic plumbing. See electric vs hydraulic thrusters.

Installing one

A retractable is a hull-modification project first and an electrical one second. Expect a survey for depth and internal height, cutting and laminating the flange area, reinforcement, power or hydraulic lines, control wiring, and out-of-water cycle testing before launch. Quick's separate counter-flange helps here: the watertight joint is its own part, not the same component carrying the thrust loads. Our retractable thruster installation page has the full process.

On DC units above 4 kW, we'd steer toward 24V. The BTR 250 and 300 are 24V or 48V anyway.

Weak points

Weight is the obvious one: 82 kg for a BTR 250-120 is a lot to put in the bow of a boat that's trying to be fast. Retractables also need more attention than tunnels. Growth in the housing, worn seals and fouled sensors are all part of owning one. And Quick's US support is centered on its Fort Lauderdale subsidiary, so boats elsewhere should line up service before they buy.

Versus other retractables

Max Power has the flange-mounted Compact Retract and proportional VIP ECO units. Sleipner's retractables sit inside a larger control ecosystem. Quick's case is having DC, extended-duty QSY and hydraulic versions in the same family, so you can pick the drive that suits the boat without changing brands. For the bigger picture, read tunnel vs retractable vs external.

Verdict

For a boat that genuinely needs a retractable, Quick's range is worth a serious look, and the BTR QSY is the version we'd look at first for its 10-minute rating. If hydraulics are already aboard, the BTRH saves a lot of weight. Either way, the first step is a hull survey: get in touch and we'll tell you whether your bow has room.

Questions people ask