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Sleipner · retractable thruster · bow or stern
Sleipner ERV170 eVision: specs, price and the boats it fits
It gives 375 lb (170 kgf) of push. Sleipner sells it for boats of 49 to 72 ft. It runs on 24 V or 48 V.
- Haul-out to install
- DIY 2 of 5: wiring prep only
- 2-year warranty
Quick stats
- Thrust 375 lb 170 kgf, Sleipner's rating
- Boat length 49 to 72 ft Sleipner's own range
- Price per lb of thrust $70.55 Unit only. $94 to $127 installed
- Voltage 24 V or 48 V As sold
- Battery at 24 V 798 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, bow or stern
About the Sleipner ERV170 eVision
The ERV170 gives 375 lb of push from a vertical eVision retractable on a 250 mm unit, for boats of about 49 to 72 ft, at 24 or 48 V.
Imtra lists the 24 V build at $26,455, before a separate tariff line, and no price for the 48 V one. The manual gives 420 A at 24 V and 225 A at 48 V; the page puts the 48 V figure at 220. See the specs.
Read more
Like the other ERV units it is brushless with speed control, and the manual gives 2 to 3 minutes at full thrust. It weighs about 84 kg. Warranty: two years.
Installers will find the wiring figures and dimensions further down. For the rest of Sleipner’s line, read the Sleipner (Side-Power) review.
Sleipner sold its thrusters under the Side-Power name until 2021, and many dealers and owners still call them that. It is the same company and the same thrusters.
Where this summary comes from (5 sources, read 15 October 2026)
Will the Sleipner ERV170 eVision steer your boat?
77 FT TRAWLER · BOW · 15 KT WIND
Every knot figure here is wind speed, not boat speed or current.
On a 77 ft trawler the Sleipner ERV170 eVision (375 lb) steers her in a 15 knot breeze. Her bow needs about 398 lb from a retractable to steer her in a 15 knot breeze. Its 375 lb lands within 15 percent of that figure, which this site counts as enough.
The finder lists it for her.
The Sleipner ERV170 eVision on a trawler, by length
- 25 ft45 kt
- 30 ft38 kt
- 35 ft32 kt
- 40 ft28 kt
- 45 ft25 kt
- 50 ft22 kt
- 55 ft20 kt
- 60 ft19 kt
- 65 ft17 kt
- 70 ft16 kt
- 75 ft15 kt
- 80 ft14 kt
Outlined: the finder does not list it at that length (under 13 kt, far more than she needs, or outside Sleipner’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 | 54 to 78 ft | 79 ft onlyfull thrust to about 14 knots at 79 ft |
| Houseboat | 45 to 58 ft | 59 to 66 ftfull thrust to about 13 knots at 66 ft |
| Catamaran | 61 to 79 ft | None |
| Trawler | 53 to 77 ft | 78 to 79 ftfull thrust to about 14 knots at 79 ft |
| Motor yacht | 53 to 77 ft | 78 to 79 ftfull thrust to about 14 knots at 79 ft |
| 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 Sleipner ERV170 eVision 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 58 ft, and a catamaran to 79 ft. The maker gives one range for every boat.
The table tries the Sleipner ERV170 eVision 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 45 ft and up to 79 ft, just past Sleipner’s own range (49 to 72 ft).
It is sized for five 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
A yard job, everything in. Our estimate.
| Boat | Total installed |
|---|---|
| 45 ft | $34,971 to $45,361$93 to $121 a lb of thrust |
| 60 ft | $35,331 to $47,531$94 to $127 a lb of thrust |
| 79 ft | $35,651 to $48,441$95 to $129 a lb of thrust |
From the shortest to the longest boat it is sized for.
What is in each total
These totals are our estimate of a yard job: the unit’s price, plus a yard’s hours at $160 to $180 an hour, plus the batteries, cable and charger, plus the other parts the box does not hold. A Lifting the boat out of the water on a travel lift or a trailer so work can be done below the waterline. It is billed separately from the job itself. adds $800 to $3,810 at these lengths, with 5 to 7 days out of the water, worked from eight yards’ own rate cards. The hours are our own estimate. The cost page builds the same figures line by line.
| Boat length | The unit | Yard labor | Haul-out | Batteries, cable, charger | Other parts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 45 ft | $26,455 | $6,400 to $14,40040 to 80 hours | $800 to $2,170 | $980 to $1,521 | $336 to $815 |
| 60 ft | $26,455 | $6,400 to $15,84040 to 88 hours | $1,160 to $2,900 | $980 to $1,521 | $336 to $815 |
| 79 ft | $26,455 | $6,400 to $15,84040 to 88 hours | $1,480 to $3,810 | $980 to $1,521 | $336 to $815 |
For every length in the table above.
How the batteries, cable and charger add up. We price a battery bank close to the thruster, as the makers recommend, with 10 to 20 ft of cable out and back: red for the positive, black for the negative, cut to length. The low end is the cheapest battery that meets the figure and the shorter run; the high end is a sealed (AGM) battery and the longer run. The charger is a NOCO GEN5X2 two-bank shore charger.
Batteries and lugs are priced at Fisheries Supply and the cable and charger at Defender, read 26 October 2026.
- At 24 V: two 12 V batteries in series, at least 798 CCA each (Sleipner’s minimum), $720 for both; Sleipner’s cable table gives 2/0 AWG: $114 to $201 for the red and black cable and the lugs; a GEN5X2 charger, $146.
- At 48 V: four 12 V batteries in series, at least 428 CCA each (Sleipner’s minimum), $1,027 for all four; Sleipner’s cable table gives 2/0 AWG: $114 to $201 for the red and black cable and the lugs; two GEN5X2 chargers, $293.
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
Two of Sleipner’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
$70.55 a lb The unit’s price over its published thrust. The bars are Sleipner’s next sizes and the nearest other makers.Controls
A brushless eVision motor on S-Link control. The panel, fuse and main switch are bought.
- Sleipner PJC2xx, no US price found.
Service and warranty
Sleipner gives 2 years for leisure use and 1 for commercial use. It transfers to the next owner, and it starts no later than 18 months after the boat's first launch.
See Sleipner’s warranty Sleipner's warranty statement, effective 1 April 2022.Special mentions
Battery: at 24 V it wants two batteries of 798 CCA or more, Sleipner's figure. The cheapest that meets it is the Optima BlueTop SC27DM Group 27 AGM, $359.99. Check your own bank.
Charger: a NOCO GEN5X2 two-bank shore charger, $146.41. It is the one our estimate prices.
Sleipner 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 large hull opening below the waterline.
Parts for the Sleipner ERV170 eVision
See the Sleipner ERV170 eVision manualThe US dealer number comes first, then Sleipner’s own. 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 product page. It has the hull, wiring and fuse figures for this model.
From Sleipner’s eVision retract installation manuals, documents 7444 rev 13 and 7241 rev 22, 2025 and 2026, read 16 October 2026.
- In the box
- The manuals print no box list. They do not say whether the SRF flange or the controller is in the box.
- Bought separately
- The battery, the ANL fuse, a main switch (manual or Sleipner's automatic one), the battery cable, the control panel, and the S-Link cables with their T-connectors and end terminators.
- Charging
- The word "charging" is not in any of the Sleipner guides we read. The battery is sized by cold cranking amps, and a battery near the thruster is suggested. How it gets charged is left to you and your installer.
In Sleipner’s words, from its SE80 to SE150 installation guide, document 2687 rev 30, page 19: “For installations on large vessels with bow and stern thrusters or catamarans a dedicated battery for each thruster should be considered.”
The “other parts” line in the estimate above covers these parts as a range, $336 to $815 at Fisheries Supply’s prices on 30 September 2026 and 26 October 2026, because the exact items depend on your boat. The batteries, cable and charger have a line of their own. The cost page has what every maker says about each part.
Control panel
Ask for Sleipner PJC2xx.
Not sold at Fisheries Supply. Ask a Sleipner dealer. For eVision, a PJC2xx panel needs hardware V3.000 or newer and firmware V3.018 or newer; the PJC3xx does not work with it.
S-Link backbone cable
Fisheries Supply lists it as “S-Link backbone cable, 0.2 m”.
Sold in lengths from 0.2 to 20 m. This is the shortest: measure the run from the helm to the thruster and buy the length that reaches.
S-Link spur cables
Fisheries Supply lists it as “S-Link spur cable, 0.4 m”.
Sold in lengths from 0.4 to 5 m. This is the shortest: measure the run from the helm to the thruster and buy the length that reaches. You need 2.
S-Link T-connector
Fisheries Supply lists it as “S-Link T-connector”.
You need 3.
S-Link end terminator
Fisheries Supply lists it as “S-Link end terminator”.
You need 2.
S-Link power cable, 8 ft
Fisheries Supply lists it as “S-Link power cable, 8 ft”.
Main fuse
Fisheries Supply lists it as “Side-Power ANL fuse 400 A”. This one is for the 24 V version.
The maker's figure: ANL 400.
Main fuse
Fisheries Supply lists it as “ANL fuse 200 A”. This one is for the 48 V version.
The maker's figure: ANL 200.
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 24 V version.
Fuse holder
Fisheries Supply lists it as “ANL compact fuse block, 35 to 300 A, cable up to 2/0, with cover”. This one is for the 48 V version.
Battery switch
Fisheries Supply lists it as “HD-Series 600 A battery switch, on/off”. This one is for the 24 V version.
Rated at or above the 400 A main fuse. If your manual names its own switch, use that one.
Battery switch
Fisheries Supply lists it as “m-Series 300 A battery switch, on/off”. This one is for the 48 V version.
Rated at or above the 200 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 2 A fuse on the control supply.
Batteries
Fisheries Supply lists it as “Optima BlueTop SC27DM Group 27 AGM”. This one is for the 24 V version.
You need 2, each at 798 CCA or more, in series for 24 V. The cheapest listing that meets it.
Batteries
Fisheries Supply lists it as “Lifeline GPL-1400T AGM starting”. This one is for the 48 V version.
You need 4, each at 428 CCA or more, in series for 48 V. The cheapest listing that meets it.
Battery cable, red and black
Defender lists it as “Ancor tinned battery cable 2/0 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, 2/0 AWG, bag of 10”.
The listing runs $27.96 to $29.36 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 24 V version.
Or a DC-to-DC charger from the house system: ask the electrician.
Charger
Fisheries Supply lists it as “GEN5X2 on-board charger, 10 A, 2 banks”. This one is for the 48 V version.
You need 2. Or a DC-to-DC charger from the house system: ask the electrician.
Retract controller
Ask for Sleipner retract controller 150000, firmware V1.036 or newer.
Set to ERV/ERL; the older 6 1242 controller will not work with eVision. The manual does not say whether it comes with the thruster.
Inside the boat replacement parts on board
Main fuse (200 A)
The main fuse at the battery, in the rating the maker gives. Sleipner calls it “Recommended fuse A”. It fits the 48V size on this page.
The rating Sleipner prints on the own page of each model listed here; read on each page.
Main fuse (400 A)
The main fuse at the battery, in the rating the maker gives. Sleipner calls it “Recommended fuse A”. It fits the 24V size on this page.
The rating Sleipner prints on the own page of each model listed here; read on each page.
Replacement motor
The electric motor that turns the propeller. Sleipner calls it “E170 Motor 24V”. It fits the 24V size on this page.
Replacement motor
The electric motor that turns the propeller. Sleipner calls it “E170 Motor 48V”. It fits the 48V size on this page.
No part matches. Try the number without spaces, or the part’s name.
The install parts are matched to Sleipner’s own figures and priced at Fisheries Supply, with the battery cable at Defender, cut to length.
Spare part numbers come from Sleipner’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 Sleipner ERV130 eVision 287 lb
- Size up Sleipner ERV210 eVision 463 lb · $28,545
- Same thrust Sleipner ERL170 eVision 375 lb · $29,500
- Other maker Lewmar 250VRTT Vertical Retractable 353 lb · $29,417
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 | 375 lb (170 kgf) As printed: 170 kg |
| Motor | 7.3 kW |
| Voltage | 24 V or 48 V |
| Run limit | Not published |
| Installation | |
| Type | Retractable, drops down |
| End of the boat | Bow or stern |
| 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 | 49 to 72 ft |
| Price and ordering | |
| Price | $26,455 equipment only, a dealer's price, imtra.com, 26 October 2026 |
| Part number | ERV170/250TC-24V24 V, 24 V DC (nominal 21 V DC) ERV170/250TC-48V48 V, 48 V DC (nominal 42 V DC) |
| Documents | |
| Manual | Installation manualon the maker's product page |
| The site’s review | Sleipner (Side-Power) review |
Every published figure the site holds for the Sleipner ERV170 eVision, 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 | 420 Anominal draw | 2/0 AWG for up to 22 ft of cable counted out and back. Longer runs take heavier cableinstallation guide | ANL 400installation guide | 420 CCA DIN minimumSleipner installation guide, ERL and ERV 130 to 210 eVision, document 7241 rev 22 (2025) | Not published |
| 48 V | 225 Anominal draw | 2/0 AWG for up to 22 ft of cable counted out and back. Longer runs take heavier cableinstallation guide | ANL 200installation guide | 225 CCA DIN minimumSleipner installation guide, ERL and ERV 130 to 210 eVision, document 7241 rev 22 (2025) | Not published |
The Sleipner ERV170 eVision’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.
- At 48 V: size the cable for your run, or check the battery you have.
Our notes from the manual and listings
In the box: A brushless eVision motor on S-Link control. The panel, fuse and main switch are bought.
24 V
This retractable lives in a housing let into the hull through a large opening, and drops when used. It is a bigger yard job than a tunnel. It also has a mechanism to keep in order. The brushless eVision 170 kg retractable with its motor standing vertical.
48 V
The product page gives 220 A; the manual gives 225 A.
Where each point above comes from
- Sleipner sells it for either end, so it can go at the bow or the stern.The maker's listing
- 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
Not sure this is the one? The thruster finder asks about your boat and prices every unit that fits.