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Max Power · retractable thruster
Max Power VIP 250: specs, price and the boats it fits
It gives 320 to 551 lb of push, across two sizes. Max Power sells it for boats of 40 to 60 ft. It runs on 24 V or 48 V.
- Haul-out to install
- DIY 2 of 5: wiring prep only
- 3-year warranty
Choose a size
The Max Power VIP 250 comes in two sizes. Each has its own price, wiring and boats it suits. Pick one and the page below shows that size.
Every size side by side
| Size | Push | Voltage | Max Power’s boat length | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| VIP 250 electric 9.5 kW | 320 lb (145 kgf) | 24 or 48 V | 40 to 60 ft | No US price |
| VIP 250 electric 15 kW | 551 lb (250 kgf) | 24 V | 40 to 60 ft | No US price |
From the database. The figures are Max Power’s and the dealers’.
Quick stats
- Thrust 320 lb 145 kgf, Max Power's rating
- Boat length 40 to 60 ft Max Power's own range
- Price per lb of thrust Not worked out It needs a price and a thrust figure
- Voltage 24 V or 48 V As sold
- Battery at 24 V 1,150 CCA Two batteries, near the thruster
- Run limit Not published Ask the maker before long use
- To install it Haul-out The boat comes out of the water
- Mounts Retractable Drops down, end not stated
Quick stats
- Thrust 551 lb 250 kgf, Max Power's rating
- Boat length 40 to 60 ft Max Power's own range
- Price per lb of thrust Not worked out It needs a price and a thrust figure
- Voltage 24 V As sold
- Battery at 24 V 1,200 CCA Four batteries, near the thruster
- Run limit Not published Ask the maker before long use
- To install it Haul-out The boat comes out of the water
- Mounts Retractable Drops down, end not stated
About the Max Power VIP 250
The VIP 250 is the larger VIP: a 250 mm retracting unit that lowers below the hull to push and tucks away flush when stowed. Max Power lists it for yachts of 40 to 60 ft, in a 9.5 kW version at 24 or 48 V and a 15 kW version at 24 V, for 320 to 551 lb of push.
No US dealer price is on file for it here; Max Power sells through its dealers, who quote the job. The 9.5 kW manual asks for at least two AGM batteries in series, and the 15 kW one for 2,400 cold cranking amps and 150 Ah in all, which is a serious bank. See the specs.
Read more
Expect a big hull opening, a housing and a lift mechanism, so plan the install with a yard. Both motors are brushed and rated for two minutes at a time. The site holds no battery or cable figure for the 9.5 kW unit at 48 V, whose page links no manual for it.
Installers will find the wiring figures and dimensions further down. For the rest of Max Power’s line, read the Max Power thruster review.
Where this summary comes from (4 sources, read 12 October 2026)
Will the Max Power VIP 250 steer your boat?
66 FT TRAWLER · BOW · 15 KT WIND
Every knot figure here is wind speed, not boat speed or current.
On a 66 ft trawler the Max Power VIP 250 (320 lb) steers her in a 16 knot breeze. Her bow needs about 293 lb from a retractable to steer her in a 15 knot breeze.
The finder lists it for her.
The Max Power VIP 250 on a trawler, by length
- 25 ft41 kt
- 30 ft35 kt
- 35 ft30 kt
- 40 ft26 kt
- 45 ft23 kt
- 50 ft21 kt
- 55 ft19 kt
- 60 ft17 kt
- 65 ft16 kt
- 70 ft15 kt
- 75 ft14 kt
- 80 ft13 kt
Outlined: the finder does not list it at that length (under 13 kt, far more than she needs, or outside Max Power’s own length range).
- 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. A retractable drops down inside the hull, and a pontoon has no hull depth to drop into. | |
| Sailboat | 50 to 66 ft | None |
| Houseboat | 37 to 53 ft | 54 to 61 ftfull thrust to about 13 knots at 61 ft |
| Catamaran | 57 to 66 ft | None |
| Trawler | 49 to 66 ft | None |
| Motor yacht | 49 to 66 ft | None |
| Bass & flats | Not listed. A retractable needs hull depth to drop into, and these planing hulls have almost none forward. | |
| Wake & ski boats | Not listed. A retractable needs hull depth to drop into, and these planing hulls have almost none forward. | |
| Express cruiser | 63 to 65 ft | None |
| Center console | No length. More thrust than the boat needs. | |
The Max Power VIP 250 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 a houseboat gets full thrust to 53 ft, and a sailboat to 66 ft. The maker gives one range for every boat.
The table tries the Max Power VIP 250 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 at the bow 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 down to 37 ft and up to 66 ft, just past Max Power’s own range (40 to 60 ft).
It is sized for six 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 Max Power VIP 250, 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: 4 to 16 hours Yard: 40 to 88 hours Electrician: 2 to 4 hours Plus a haul-out.
Your part needs:Heavy battery cableCrimping big lugs
Every step, and who does it
- Cut the hull and fit the housing and mechanism Yard 40 to 88 hours Nobody publishes an hours figure. Fisheries Supply says installation is significantly more expensive than a tunnel, and that is too loose to turn into a number. So this is the tunnel’s own banded figure plus a quarter, which keeps it above a tunnel as the distributors describe it.
- Mount the battery box, switch and fuse holder; run and secure the cables You 4 to 16 hours Our estimate. No maker times this step, and a first-time owner is slower than a yard, so the range is wide.
- 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.
Will the Max Power VIP 250 steer your boat?
66 FT TRAWLER · BOW · 15 KT WIND
Every knot figure here is wind speed, not boat speed or current.
On a 66 ft trawler the Max Power VIP 250 (551 lb) steers her in a 21 knot breeze. Her bow needs about 293 lb from a retractable to steer her in a 15 knot breeze.
The finder leaves it off her list. It shows the VIP 250 electric 9.5 kW for her instead.
The Max Power VIP 250 on a trawler, by length
- 25 ft54 kt
- 30 ft45 kt
- 35 ft39 kt
- 40 ft34 kt
- 45 ft30 kt
- 50 ft27 kt
- 55 ft25 kt
- 60 ft23 kt
- 65 ft21 kt
- 70 ft19 kt
- 75 ft18 kt
- 80 ft17 kt
Outlined: the finder does not list it at that length (under 13 kt, far more than she needs, or outside Max Power’s own length range).
- 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. A retractable drops down inside the hull, and a pontoon has no hull depth to drop into. | |
| Sailboat | 65 to 66 ft | None |
| Houseboat | 49 to 66 ft | None |
| Catamaran | No length. More thrust than the boat needs. | |
| Trawler | 65 to 66 ft | None |
| Motor yacht | 65 to 66 ft | None |
| Bass & flats | Not listed. A retractable needs hull depth to drop into, and these planing hulls have almost none forward. | |
| Wake & ski boats | Not listed. A retractable needs hull depth to drop into, and these planing hulls have almost none forward. | |
| Express cruiser | No length. More thrust than the boat needs. | |
| Center console | No length. More thrust than the boat needs. | |
The Max Power VIP 250 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 66 ft. The maker gives one range for every boat.
The table tries the Max Power VIP 250 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 at the bow 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 66 ft, just past Max Power’s own range (40 to 60 ft).
It is sized for four 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 Max Power VIP 250, 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: 4 to 16 hours Yard: 40 to 88 hours Electrician: 2 to 4 hours Plus a haul-out.
Your part needs:Heavy battery cableCrimping big lugs
Every step, and who does it
- Cut the hull and fit the housing and mechanism Yard 40 to 88 hours Nobody publishes an hours figure. Fisheries Supply says installation is significantly more expensive than a tunnel, and that is too loose to turn into a number. So this is the tunnel’s own banded figure plus a quarter, which keeps it above a tunnel as the distributors describe it.
- Mount the battery box, switch and fuse holder; run and secure the cables You 4 to 16 hours Our estimate. No maker times this step, and a first-time owner is slower than a yard, so the range is wide.
- 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
One of Max Power’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
Delivered without accessories: the fuse, holder and control panel are bought.
- Control panel, retractable joystick (318206), $428.75 at MarineDeal.
Want push you can dial in? The proportional Max Power VIP 250 ECO has the same thrust.
Service and warranty
Max Power's website gives 3 years. Its manual gives 2, and 1 more if the warranty is registered within 3 months of installation. Outside pleasure craft it is 6 months. It transfers to the next owner, and the first year covers up to 2 hours of labor in the field.
See Max Power’s warranty Max Power's warranty conditions.Special mentions
Battery: at 24 V it wants two batteries of 1,150 CCA or more, Max Power's figure. The cheapest that meets it is the Dyno Group 8D heavy duty marine starting (flooded), $443.02. A sealed one is the Lifeline GPL-3100HC Group 31 AGM starting, $551.95. Check your own bank.
Charger: a NOCO GEN5X2 two-bank shore charger, $146.41. It is the one our estimate prices.
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 large hull opening below the waterline.
No US dollar price is published for it, so we can work out no installed cost.
Parts for the Max Power VIP 250
See the Max Power VIP 250 manualSearch 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
The manual button above opens it on the maker's site. It has the hull, wiring and fuse figures for this model.
From Max Power’s VIP installation manual, read 16 October 2026.
- In the box
- The thruster with its motor and direction relay, the motor support, the control box, the black joystick panel and 25 m of control cable. The VIP 250 and the 48 V VIP 150 also ship the up and down motors, the leg and the propellers.
- Bought separately
- The main fuse and its holder, a manual and an electric battery isolator, the battery cable and the batteries. The manual does not list the mounting base as supplied.
- Charging
- Max Power is the one maker that asks for both: the engine's alternator and a charger. A dedicated bank is optional and goes "as close as possible to the thruster". It wants starting-type batteries with high cold cranking amps.
In Max Power’s words, from its CT100 and CT125 installation manual, page 3: “The batteries used by the thruster must be charged by both the main engine's alternator and an appropriate battery charger.”
A yard job adds these parts on top of the unit: $336 to $815 for the priced ones, at Fisheries Supply’s prices on 30 September 2026 and 26 October 2026, plus the batteries, cable and charger. The cost page has what every maker says about each part.
Main fuse
Ask for ANL 225 A. This one is for the VIP 250 electric 9.5 kW, 24 V version.
Not listed at Fisheries Supply at this rating.
Main fuse
Ask for The size and type the maker names for this model. This one is for the VIP 250 electric 9.5 kW, 48 V version.
We could not find this model's fuse in a manual we hold. Ask the dealer or the maker for it before you buy.
Main fuse
Fisheries Supply lists it as “ANL fuse 400 A”. This one is for the VIP 250 electric 15 kW, 24 V version.
The maker's figure: 250 A ceramic or 400 A ANL.
Fuse holder
Fisheries Supply lists it as “ANL fuse block, 35 to 750 A, cable up to 4/0, with cover”. This one is for the VIP 250 electric 9.5 kW, 24 V and VIP 250 electric 15 kW, 24 V version.
Fuse holder
Ask for The holder for the fuse type your manual names. This one is for the VIP 250 electric 9.5 kW, 48 V version.
Match it to the fuse.
Battery switch
Fisheries Supply lists it as “m-Series 300 A battery switch, on/off”. This one is for the VIP 250 electric 9.5 kW, 24 V version.
Rated at or above the 225 A main fuse. If your manual names its own switch, use that one.
Battery switch
Ask for A manual battery switch rated for this circuit. This one is for the VIP 250 electric 9.5 kW, 48 V version.
Rate it at or above the main fuse your manual names. If your manual names its own switch, use that one.
Battery switch
Fisheries Supply lists it as “HD-Series 600 A battery switch, on/off”. This one is for the VIP 250 electric 15 kW, 24 V version.
Rated at or above the 400 A main fuse. 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”.
The maker asks for a 15 A fuse on the control supply.
Batteries
Fisheries Supply lists it as “Dyno Group 8D heavy duty marine starting (flooded)”. This one is for the VIP 250 electric 9.5 kW, 24 V version.
You need 2, each at 1,150 CCA or more, in series for 24 V. The cheapest listing that meets it.
Batteries
Fisheries Supply lists it as “Dyno Group 8D heavy duty marine starting (flooded)”. This one is for the VIP 250 electric 15 kW, 24 V version.
You need 4, each at 1,200 CCA or more, 2 in series for 24 V, 2 such strings in parallel. The cheapest listing that meets it.
Battery cable, red and black
Defender lists it as “Ancor tinned battery cable 1/0 AWG, cut to length, red or black”. This one is for the VIP 250 electric 9.5 kW, 24 V and VIP 250 electric 15 kW, 24 V version.
This is the short run. A longer run takes heavier cable: the wiring calculator sizes yours. You need 5 ft of each color. For about 10 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”. This one is for the VIP 250 electric 9.5 kW, 24 V and VIP 250 electric 15 kW, 24 V version.
This is the short run. A longer run takes heavier cable: the wiring calculator sizes yours. 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”. This one is for the VIP 250 electric 9.5 kW, 24 V and VIP 250 electric 15 kW, 24 V version.
Or a DC-to-DC charger from the house system: ask the electrician.
Mounting base
Ask for Max Power mounting base (GRP) or 5086 aluminum flange.
Not in the manual's list of what is delivered. Max Power can supply it; the yard bonds it into the hull.
Batteries and cable
Ask for From the battery and wiring calculators. This one is for the VIP 250 electric 9.5 kW, 48 V version.
We do not hold this maker's battery and cable figures for this model.
Outside the hull replacement parts in the water
Propeller
The propeller on the drive. Max Power calls it “MAX POWER PROPELLER Ø250”.
Max Power's VIP250 manuals print 35032 for the propeller; its VIP250 product page lists 35042.
Drive shaft oil seal
It keeps water out of the joint it sits in. Max Power calls it “Drive Shaft Oil Seal”.
Shaft plate O-ring
It keeps water out of the joint it sits in. Max Power calls it “SHAFT PLATE O RING”.
Water gland (the column seal)
It keeps water out of the joint it sits in. Max Power calls it “WATER GLAND”.
Drive leg (complete)
The leg under the motor that turns the propeller. Max Power calls it “Composite Leg CT225 (includes No. 10,11,14,16 )”.
Inside the boat replacement parts on board
Rubber coupling (flexible link between motor and drive leg)
The leg under the motor that turns the propeller. Max Power calls it “Rubber Coupling”. It fits the VIP 250 electric 9.5 kW, 24V size on this page.
Up/down motor (raises and lowers the leg)
The leg under the motor that turns the propeller. Max Power calls it “Electric Motor 24V”. It fits the VIP 250 electric 9.5 kW, 24V and VIP 250 electric 15 kW, 24V sizes on this page.
The unit uses two. The VIP150 48 V manual names it "Up/down 24V Motor".
Proximity switch (up/down stop)
Max Power calls it “Proximity Switch for UP/DOWN Stop”.
Relay (the motor switch)
A small switch in the motor’s control circuit. Max Power calls it “Relay 24V”. It fits the VIP 250 electric 9.5 kW, 24V and VIP 250 electric 15 kW, 24V sizes on this page.
The 48 V CT125, CT300 and CT325 manuals also print this 24 V relay.
Relay assembly (complete)
A small switch in the motor’s control circuit. Max Power calls it “Complete Thruster Relay 24V”. It fits the VIP 250 electric 9.5 kW, 24V size on this page.
Controller (control box)
The electronics that run the motor when you press the panel. Max Power calls it “MAXPOWER ELECTRONIC CONTROLLER VIP/R200”.
Controller (control box)
The electronics that run the motor when you press the panel. Max Power calls it “MAXPOWER ELECTRONIC CONTROLLER VIP R200 24V”. It fits the VIP 250 electric 9.5 kW, 24V and VIP 250 electric 15 kW, 24V sizes on this page.
Main fuse (200 A)
The main fuse at the battery, in the rating the maker gives. Max Power calls it “Fuse CT125 24V 200A”. It fits the VIP 250 electric 9.5 kW, 24V size on this page.
The holder is 35017. The VIP250 page lists this and the 250 A fuse; the 9.5 kW VIP250 manual gives 200 A.
Main fuse (250 A)
The main fuse at the battery, in the rating the maker gives. Max Power calls it “Fuse 250A”. It fits the VIP 250 electric 15 kW, 24V size on this page.
The holder is 35017. For the VIP250 15 kW, the SP VIP250 manual gives a 250 A fuse.
Main fuse holder
The main fuse at the battery, in the rating the maker gives. Max Power calls it “Fuse Holder T1”. It fits the VIP 250 electric 9.5 kW, 24V and VIP 250 electric 15 kW, 24V sizes on this page.
Control panel, retractable joystick
The control at the helm. Max Power calls it “Joystick for VIP and Compact retractables, black”.
No part matches. Try the number without spaces, or the part’s name.
The install parts are matched to Max Power’s own figures and priced at Fisheries Supply, with the battery cable at Defender, cut to length.
Spare part numbers come from Max Power’s parts pages and manuals. A dealer may sell a part we have not priced. Search for the number.
Other sizes and close alternatives
- Size down Max Power VIP 150 three sizes, 212 to 254 lb · $8,598 to $8,698
- Proportional (ECO) Max Power VIP 250 ECO four sizes, 320 to 551 lb
- Other maker Quick BTR 250 three sizes, 265 to 529 lb · $23,840 to $26,476
- Other maker Sleipner ERV210 eVision 463 lb · $28,545
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 | 320 lb (145 kgf) As printed: 145(kg) / 319(lbs) |
| Motor | 9.5 kW |
| Voltage | 24 V or 48 V |
| Run limit | Not published |
| Installation | |
| Type | Retractable, drops down |
| End of the boat | Not stated |
| Tunnel diameter | 250 mm |
| What it does to the hull | Large hull opening below the waterline |
| Haul-out to install it | Yes |
| Maker’s boat length | 40 to 60 ft |
| Price and ordering | |
| Price | No US price published |
| Part number | 35043VIP 250 electric 9.5 kW, 24 V 601009VIP 250 electric 9.5 kW, 48 V 636046VIP 250 electric 15 kW, 24 V |
| Documents | |
| Manual | Installation manual (PDF)on the maker's site |
| The site’s review | Max Power thruster review |
Every published figure the site holds for the Max Power VIP 250, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24 V | 330 Anominal draw | 1/0 AWG for up to 16 ft of cable counted out and back. Longer runs take heavier cableVIP 250 Electric installation manual | 200 A ceramic or 225 A ANLVIP 250 Electric manual | 1,150 CCA minimum, as the manual asks for two AGM starting batteries of 1150 CCA in series at leastMax Power installation manual VIP 250 Electric | Not published |
The Max Power VIP 250’s draw, cable, fuse, battery and run limit, as the maker publishes them.
- At 24 V: size the cable for your run, or check the battery you have.
Our notes from the manual and listings
In the box: Delivered without accessories: the fuse, holder and control panel are bought.
VIP 250 electric 9.5 kW, 24 V
A vertically retracting unit in a 250 mm housing, for high-performance sailing yachts and super-fast motor yachts of 40 to 60 ft by Max Power's page. It drops to push and lifts flush with the hull when stowed. A brushed DC motor rated S2, two minutes at a stretch. A large hull opening and a housing make it a bigger yard job than a tunnel.
Max Power publishes no price and sells through dealers. The 9.5 kW unit at 24 V; its manual asks for two starting batteries in series at least (its example is an AGM battery of 1,150 cold cranking amps).
VIP 250 electric 9.5 kW, 48 V
The 9.5 kW unit at 48 V. The product page links no 48 V manual for it, so this site holds no battery or cable figure of its own for this version.
VIP 250 electric 15 kW, 24 V
The 15 kW unit at 24 V, the strongest electric retractable Max Power lists. Its own manual (February 2025) asks for 2,400 cold cranking amps and 150 Ah in total.
Where each point above comes from
- It is sold at 24 V and at 48 V.The maker's and dealers' listings
- The boat comes out of the water to install it: it needs a large hull opening below the waterline.The mounting: a bore through the hull, or a housing recessed into it
- No US dollar price is published for it, so we can work out no installed cost.The maker and the dealers the database reads
For the yard and the installer
Every published figure, with its source.
Full spec sheet
| Thrust and motor | |
|---|---|
| Thrust | 551 lb (250 kgf) As printed: 250(kg) / 550(lbs) |
| Motor | 15 kW |
| Voltage | 24 V |
| Run limit | Not published |
| Installation | |
| Type | Retractable, drops down |
| End of the boat | Not stated |
| Tunnel diameter | 250 mm |
| What it does to the hull | Large hull opening below the waterline |
| Haul-out to install it | Yes |
| Maker’s boat length | 40 to 60 ft |
| Price and ordering | |
| Price | No US price published |
| Part number | 35043VIP 250 electric 9.5 kW, 24 V 601009VIP 250 electric 9.5 kW, 48 V 636046VIP 250 electric 15 kW, 24 V |
| Documents | |
| Manual | Installation manual (PDF)on the maker's site |
| The site’s review | Max Power thruster review |
Every published figure the site holds for the Max Power VIP 250, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24 V | 690 Anominal draw | 1/0 AWG for up to 16 ft of cable counted out and back. Longer runs take heavier cableVIP 250 SP Electric installation manual | 250 A ceramic or 400 A ANLVIP 250 SP Electric manual | 2,400 CCA minimum, as the manual gives 2400 CCA and 150 Ah in totalMax Power installation manual VIP 250 SP Electric, February 2025 | Not published |
The Max Power VIP 250’s draw, cable, fuse, battery and run limit, as the maker publishes them.
- At 24 V: size the cable for your run, or check the battery you have.
Our notes from the manual and listings
In the box: Delivered without accessories: the fuse, holder and control panel are bought.
VIP 250 electric 9.5 kW, 24 V
A vertically retracting unit in a 250 mm housing, for high-performance sailing yachts and super-fast motor yachts of 40 to 60 ft by Max Power's page. It drops to push and lifts flush with the hull when stowed. A brushed DC motor rated S2, two minutes at a stretch. A large hull opening and a housing make it a bigger yard job than a tunnel.
Max Power publishes no price and sells through dealers. The 9.5 kW unit at 24 V; its manual asks for two starting batteries in series at least (its example is an AGM battery of 1,150 cold cranking amps).
VIP 250 electric 9.5 kW, 48 V
The 9.5 kW unit at 48 V. The product page links no 48 V manual for it, so this site holds no battery or cable figure of its own for this version.
VIP 250 electric 15 kW, 24 V
The 15 kW unit at 24 V, the strongest electric retractable Max Power lists. Its own manual (February 2025) asks for 2,400 cold cranking amps and 150 Ah in total.
Where each point above comes from
- The boat comes out of the water to install it: it needs a large hull opening below the waterline.The mounting: a bore through the hull, or a housing recessed into it
- 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.