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ezDrive · external thruster · bow or stern
ezDrive PLUS: specs, price and the boats it fits
It gives 136 lb (62 kgf) of push. ezDrive sells it for boats of up to 44 ft. It runs on 12 V.
- Haul-out to install
- DIY 4 of 5: you install it, electrician connects
- 2-year warranty
Quick stats
- Thrust 136 lb 62 kgf, ezDrive's rating
- Boat length Up to 44 ft ezDrive's own range
- Price per lb of thrust Not worked out It needs a price and a thrust figure
- Voltage 12 V As sold
- Battery at 12 V Group 31 AGM One battery, near the thruster
- Run limit Up to 10 min Continuous
- To install it Haul-out The boat comes out of the water
- Mounts External Fixed mount, bow or stern
About the ezDrive PLUS
The PLUS is the stronger ezDrive, with a 2.8 kW motor giving 136 lb of push on 12 V. Yacht Thruster’s specification page lists it for the bow on boats up to 44 ft or for the stern of a mid-size cruiser, a step past the wake boats the standard unit is made for. It is the same size and weight as the standard unit.
Neither ezDrive’s own site nor any dealer prints a price for it, so it is a quote job. The PLUS ships with a 325 A slow-blow fuse rather than the standard unit’s breaker, so add a battery switch. It draws a lot of current, so run 1/0 cable or heavier to a battery close by. Read the specs.
Read more
Being on one maker page and not the other, it is worth confirming the current kit and the installation guide with ezDrive before you order. Like the others, it runs up to ten minutes with a check-in after three, and the motor is sealed. The ezThrottle, a twist knob that replaces the boat’s throttle handle, is an option across the range.
The full spec sheet for a yard sits lower down, and the Yacht Thruster and ezDrive review covers ezDrive’s whole range.
Where this summary comes from (5 sources, read 13 October 2026)
- Yacht Thruster specification page (the ezDrive PLUS)
- ezDrive ezThrottle
- ezDrive FAQ (sealed motor, no service; above the hull bottom; two years, registered)
- ezDrive Streamline installation guide, 7-26-2022, written for the horizontal models (1/0 AWG minimum or the warranty is void)
- ezDrive warranty (two years pleasure, one commercial, not transferable)
Will the ezDrive PLUS steer your boat?
48 FT TRAWLER · BOW · 15 KT WIND
Every knot figure here is wind speed, not boat speed or current.
On a 48 ft trawler the ezDrive PLUS (136 lb) steers her in a 16 knot breeze. Her bow needs about 113 lb from an external unit at the very bow to steer her in a 15 knot breeze.
The finder leaves it off her list. We found no published price for ezDrive, and the finder lists only units it can price.
The ezDrive PLUS on a trawler, by length
- 25 ft32 kt
- 30 ft26 kt
- 35 ft23 kt
- 40 ft20 kt
- 45 ft17 kt
- 50 ft16 kt
- 55 ft14 kt
- 60 ft13 kt
- 65 ft12 kt
- 70 ft11 kt
- 75 ft11 kt
- 80 ft10 kt
Outlined: the finder does not list it at that length (under 13 kt, far more than she needs, or outside ezDrive’s own length range).
Two of them, one at each end
With a unit at each end she turns in her own length. One thruster on its own cannot turn her that way. On a 48 ft trawler:
Turns her in her own length
Turns her at 24 kt
Bow one way, stern the other, and she pivots about her middle.
- Under 10 kt
- 10 to 15 kt
- 15 to 20 kt: the sweet spot
- Over 20 kt: more than she needs
Prices are the low end of the installed total, from our estimate. For your own boat, drive and installer, the finder prices each unit.
Is it right for your boat?
Every kind of boat it fits, by length
| Boat | Full thrust at 15 knots | Still a fit, in lighter wind |
|---|---|---|
| Pontoon & tritoon | Not listed. Its maker does not name this kind of hull. | |
| Sailboat | 38 to 48 ft | None |
| Houseboat | Not listed. Its maker does not name this kind of hull. | |
| Catamaran | Not listed. An external unit bolts to the side of a single hull at the bow or to its transom, and a cat has two narrow hulls with a bridgedeck between them, so there is nowhere forward to hang one. | |
| Trawler | 38 to 48 ft | None |
| Motor yacht | 38 to 48 ft | None |
| Bass & flats | Not listed. This site lists no external bow unit for a boat that planes. | |
| Wake & ski boats | Not listed. This site lists no external bow unit for a boat that planes. | |
| Express cruiser | Not listed. This site lists no external bow unit for a boat that planes. | |
| Center console | Not listed. This site lists no external bow unit for a boat that planes. | |
The ezDrive PLUS against each kind of boat, in a 15 knot wind. Our sizing, from the finder’s own rules.
The first column is where one unit gives all the thrust the boat needs in 15 knots. The second is where the finder still lists it: the unit steers her in a 13 or 14 knot wind, within 15 percent of the 15 knot breeze this site sizes for. On a boat shorter than the first column’s shortest length, the unit is more than the boat needs.
How we size it
Our figure is the longest boat one unit can steer in a 15 knot wind. It is a range because each kind of boat catches the wind differently. Here every kind of boat it fits gets full thrust to 48 ft. The maker gives one range for every boat.
The table tries the ezDrive PLUS on each kind of boat, at every length that kind of boat is built in. The wind is 15 knots and the rules are the finder’s own. A length counts as a fit when the unit gives the thrust that boat needs where it mounts and the maker lists it for that length.
A boat up to 10 percent past the maker’s range still counts here, as it does in the finder. So the table runs up to 48 ft, just past ezDrive’s own range (up to 44 ft).
It is sized for three kinds of boat here. For your own boat, the finder gives an answer that also counts your drive and who does the installing. The compare page sets this unit beside others.
What it costs installed
No US dollar price is published for the ezDrive PLUS, so we build no total for it. The yard’s share of the job is on the cost page.
The sizing and the costs on this page are estimates, for guidance only and without warranty. They are no quote, and nobody has inspected your boat. Check them against the maker’s manual and your yard before you rely on them. Terms of use.
DIY breakdown
DIY levels
- Level 5: Owner install. No yard, no electrician.
- Level 4: You install it, electrician connects. You mount and wire it; a marine electrician makes the final connections.
- Level 3: Split with the yard. The yard does the below-waterline part; you do the wiring.
- Level 2: Wiring prep only. The yard installs the unit and does the hull work; you do the wiring prep.
- Level 1: Yard job. A qualified professional does all of it.
You Yard Electrician. The bar is labor hours; a haul-out is a note.
How we rate DIYYou: 8 to 16 hours Yard: none Electrician: 2 to 4 hours Out of the water on its trailer, or hauled.
Your part needs:Drilling at the transomHeavy battery cableCrimping big lugs
Every step, and who does it
- Mount the thruster at the transom; fit the battery and control box; run the cables You 8 to 16 hours Our estimate. ezDrive prints no time; one owner reported about 10 hours, and the range is widened for a first install. Source.
- Final connections at the battery and the motor, load test Electrician 2 to 4 hours Our estimate. Nobody publishes a time for the final connections and test on their own.
A qualified marine electrician should make the final connections and test them before first use. Hours are labor only.
Related videos
Two of ezDrive’s own videos, from its YouTube channel. They play only when you tap. A maker’s video is its pitch, so take any claim back to the figures on this page.
Know before you buy
What sets this model apart, what it costs to keep, and what to weigh.
Price per pound of thrust
There is no US price to divide by its thrust.
Controls
The kit has the iBox, a rocker control and a 325 A slow-blow fuse. Battery cable is bought.
Service and warranty
ezDrive gives 2 years for pleasure use and 1 for commercial use.
See ezDrive’s warranty EzDrive's warranty page.Special mentions
Battery: at 12 V it wants one battery of Group 31 AGM, ezDrive's suggestion. Check your own bank.
Charger: a NOCO GEN5X2 two-bank shore charger, $146.41. It is the one our estimate prices.
ezDrive sells it for either end, so it can go at the bow or the stern.
Dealer prices at Fisheries Supply, read 26 October 2026.What to weigh
The boat comes out of the water to install it: it needs a 1.25 in stainless steel threaded thru-hull fitting through the transom; position not stated relative to the waterline.
No US dollar price is published for it, so we can work out no installed cost.
Short pushes only: ezDrive rates the motor for up to 10 min at a stretch.
Parts for the ezDrive PLUS
Search for the number as printed here, with no spaces. Prices are each dealer’s on the day shown, before shipping and tax. Check the plate on your motor before you order: some parts change with the tunnel size, the voltage or the year.
For the install what the box leaves you to buy
From ezDrive’s FAQ and installation page, read 13 October 2026.
- In the box
- The thruster, mounting hardware, the iBox with its communication cable, the lit rocker control and the power flow nozzles, which the FAQ lists for every ezDrive kit. The protection is a 325 A slow-blow fuse, named on Yacht Thruster's specification page; the FAQ names a breaker for the standard kits.
- Bought separately
- The battery cable. The installation page says the package holds every part a normal install needs except the battery cables. ezDrive publishes no installation guide for this model. Its guide for the horizontal units asks for 1/0 AWG cable at least.
- Charging
- It runs off a 12 V battery, and ezDrive suggests a Group 31 AGM of its own. It says nothing about a charger.
In ezDrive’s words, from the FAQ: “Although a dedicated battery is not required, it is recommended for best performance. (Suggested: Group 31 AGM)”
A yard job adds these parts on top of the unit: $44 to $119 for the priced ones, at Fisheries Supply’s prices on 26 October 2026, plus the batteries, cable and charger. The cost page has what every maker says about each part.
Battery switch
Ask for A manual battery switch rated for this circuit.
Rate it at or above the main fuse your manual names. If your manual names its own switch, use that one.
Control-circuit fuse holder
Fisheries Supply lists it as “Waterproof in-line ATO/ATC fuse holder”.
ezDrive asks for a 5 A in-line fuse only with the joystick or throttle option; the rocker needs none.
Batteries
Fisheries Supply lists it as “Optima BlueTop SC31DM Group 31 AGM”.
One Group 31 AGM, the maker’s suggestion. The cheapest listing of that group and type.
Battery cable, red and black
Defender lists it as “Ancor tinned battery cable 1/0 AWG, cut to length, red or black”.
You need 10 ft of each color. For about 20 ft of cable in all, out and back. Measure your run and check it against the cable table in the manual: never go smaller than it asks for.
Cable lugs
Fisheries Supply lists it as “Tin-plated starter lugs, 1/0 AWG, bag of 10”.
The listing runs $23.74 to $28.04 by stud size. Eight ends on one run, with two spare.
Charger
Fisheries Supply lists it as “GEN5X2 on-board charger, 10 A, 2 banks”.
Or a DC-to-DC charger from the house system: ask the electrician.
No part matches. Try the number without spaces, or the part’s name.
The install parts are matched to ezDrive’s own figures and priced at Fisheries Supply, with the battery cable at Defender, cut to length.
Other sizes and close alternatives
- Size down ezDrive Standard 88 lb
- Other maker Sleipner SX50 Compact 137 lb · $4,365 to $4,658
- Other maker Max Power CT80 stern pod (12 V) 152 lb · $4,299
The other makers listed are the nearest match each makes, of the same style and for the same end, within a quarter of its thrust. The compare page lists every model, and the thruster index lists every model with a page here.
For the yard and the installer
Every published figure, with its source.
Full spec sheet
| Thrust and motor | |
|---|---|
| Thrust | 136 lb (62 kgf) As printed: Thrust @ 12v 136lbf; Thrust @ 10.4v 110lbf |
| Thrust under load | 110 lb at 10.4 V |
| Motor | 2.8 kW |
| Voltage | 12 V |
| Run limit | up to 10 min continuous |
| Installation | |
| Type | External, fixed mount |
| End of the boat | Bow or stern |
| What it does to the hull | 1.25 in stainless steel threaded thru-hull fitting through the transom; position not stated relative to the waterline |
| Haul-out to install it | Yes |
| Maker’s boat length | Up to 44 ft |
| Price and ordering | |
| Price | No US price published |
| Part number | Not held for this listing |
| Documents | |
| Manual | None found |
| The site’s review | Yacht Thruster and ezDrive review |
Every published figure the site holds for the ezDrive PLUS, with where each came from.
Draw, cable, fuse and battery at each voltage
These are the maker’s own figures, at each voltage it is sold at. The cable is the size for the shortest run in the maker’s table. A longer run may need heavier cable, and the wiring calculator works that out for your own boat.
| Voltage | Draw | Maker’s cable | Fuse | Battery | Run limit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 V | 380 Anominal draw | At least 1/0 AWG, whatever the run; smaller cable voids the warranty, the maker says in the guide for its horizontal unitsStreamline installation guide, page 2 | 325 A slow-blow fuseYacht Thruster specification page | Suggests Group 31 AGMezDrive FAQ | up to 10 min continuousFAQ |
The ezDrive PLUS’s draw, cable, fuse, battery and run limit, as the maker publishes them.
- At 12 V: size the cable for your run, or check the battery you have.
Our notes from the manual and listings
In the box: The kit has the iBox, a rocker control and a 325 A slow-blow fuse. Battery cable is bought.
Our note
The bigger ezDrive, on Yacht Thruster's specification page and not on ezDrive's own site. It has a 2.8 kW motor at 12 V drawing 380 A, rated 136 lb at 12 V and 110 lb at 10.4 V. It takes a 325 A slow-blow fuse. It has the same 14.72 in length and 33.73 lb as the standard unit on that page.
Yacht Thruster recommends it at the bow on boats up to 44 ft and at the stern on 33 to 42 ft. Neither site says whether it can be installed afloat. No price is published. The maker quotes by email.
Where each point above comes from
- ezDrive sells it for either end, so it can go at the bow or the stern.The maker's listing
- ezDrive also prints a second, lower thrust figure for when the battery sags under load: 110 lb at 10.4 V.The maker's published rating
- The boat comes out of the water to install it: it needs a 1.25 in stainless steel threaded thru-hull fitting through the transom; position not stated relative to the waterline.The mount goes through the hull, and the maker describes no installation afloat
- No US dollar price is published for it, so we can work out no installed cost.The maker and the dealers the database reads
Not sure this is the one? The thruster finder asks about your boat and prices every unit that fits.