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Sleipner · tunnel thruster · bow or stern
Sleipner SE60/185S: specs, price and the boats it fits
It gives 161 lb (73 kgf) of push. Sleipner sells it for boats of 29 to 38 ft. It runs on 12 V or 24 V.
- Haul-out to install
- DIY 2 of 5: wiring prep only
- 2-year warranty
Quick stats
- Thrust 161 lb 73 kgf, Sleipner's rating
- Boat length 29 to 38 ft Sleipner's own range
- Price per lb of thrust $14.25 Unit only. $57 to $74 installed
- Voltage 12 V or 24 V As sold
- Battery at 12 V 665 CCA One battery, near the thruster
- Run limit 2 to 3 min Duty cycle at 20 C ambient
- Weight 33 lb 15 kg, Sleipner's page
- Anodes $28.80 A change, at Defender
About the Sleipner SE60/185S
The SE60 is Sleipner’s workhorse for cruisers and sailboats of about 29 to 38 ft. It gives 161 lb of push from a single propeller in a 185 mm tube, and you can order it for a 12 V or 24 V system. Sleipner calls itself the top-selling thruster brand for recreational boats.
Defender sells it for $2,295, a little under the US distributor Imtra’s list price, which now adds a separate tariff charge. Expect roughly $541 to $1,369 more for the tube, a control panel, a main switch and a fuse. Then there is the battery, cable and charging, about $601 to $800. See the full parts list.
Read more
Owners report long service from these units. One owner who caught a dock line said the plastic propeller seems built to break before the drive does, and it is cheap to replace. Run it in short pushes; Sleipner rates it for 2 to 3 minutes at a time. The warranty is two years and transferable.
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 12 October 2026)
- Sleipner product page
- Imtra, Sleipner’s US distributor: SE60 12 V listing
- Sleipner FAQ (rated voltage, the Sleipner name since 2021, batteries and lithium, tunnel depth)
- Sleipner warranty statement, effective 1 April 2022
- Trawler Forum, "Bow thruster manufacturer opinions", Dec 2021 (ten years on two Side-Power units; the prop built to break)
Will the Sleipner SE60/185S steer your boat?
41 FT TRAWLER · BOW · 15 KT WIND
Every knot figure here is wind speed, not boat speed or current.
On a 41 ft trawler the Sleipner SE60/185S (161 lb) steers her in an 18 knot breeze. Her bow needs about 113 lb from a tunnel to steer her in a 15 knot breeze.
The finder lists it for her.
The Sleipner SE60/185S on a trawler, by length
- 25 ft29 kt
- 30 ft25 kt
- 35 ft21 kt
- 40 ft19 kt
- 45 ft16 kt
- 50 ft15 kt
- 55 ft13 kt
- 60 ft12 kt
- 65 ft11 kt
- 70 ft11 kt
- 75 ft10 kt
- 80 ft9 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 pontoon has no hull body between the logs to bore a tunnel through, and nobody sells one for these boats. | |
| Sailboat | 36 to 41 ft | None |
| Houseboat | 30 to 37 ft | 38 to 41 ftfull thrust to about 13 knots at 41 ft |
| Catamaran | 40 to 41 ft | None |
| Trawler | 35 to 41 ft | None |
| Motor yacht | 35 to 41 ft | None |
| Bass & flats | Not listed. Nobody sells a tunnel kit for these hulls, and a bass boat’s shallow planing bow has almost no depth to hold one. | |
| Wake & ski boats | Not listed. Nobody sells a tunnel kit for these hulls. | |
| Express cruiser | No length. More thrust than the boat needs. | |
| Center console | No length. More thrust than the boat needs. | |
The Sleipner SE60/185S 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 37 ft, and a sailboat to 41 ft. The maker gives one range for every boat.
The table tries the Sleipner SE60/185S 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 41 ft, just past Sleipner’s own range (29 to 38 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 |
|---|---|
| 30 ft | $9,097 to $11,674$57 to $73 a lb of thrust |
| 35 ft | $9,177 to $11,914$57 to $74 a lb of thrust |
| 41 ft | $9,287 to $15,624$58 to $97 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 $540 to $1,980 at these lengths, with 5 to 7 days out of the water, worked from eight yards’ own rate cards. The hours come from what owners and yards report. The cost page builds the same figures line by line.
| Boat length | The unit | Yard labor | Haul-out | Batteries, cable, charger | Other parts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30 ft | $2,295 | $5,120 to $5,760about 32 hours | $540 to $1,450 | $601 to $800 | $541 to $1,369 |
| 35 ft | $2,295 | $5,120 to $5,760about 32 hours | $620 to $1,690 | $601 to $800 | $541 to $1,369 |
| 41 ft | $2,295 | $5,120 to $9,18032 to 51 hours | $730 to $1,980 | $601 to $800 | $541 to $1,369 |
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 12 V: one 12 V battery, at least 665 CCA (Sleipner’s minimum), $360 for the battery; Sleipner’s cable table gives 1/0 AWG: $95 to $171 for the red and black cable and the lugs; a GEN5X2 charger, $146.
- At 24 V: two 12 V batteries in series, at least 332 CCA each (Sleipner’s minimum), $513 for both; Sleipner’s cable table gives 3 AWG, priced on 1 AWG, the nearest size cut to length: $80 to $141 for the red and black cable and the lugs; a GEN5X2 charger, $146.
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: 32 to 70 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, bond and fair the tunnel; fit the gear leg, motor and propeller Yard 32 to 70 hours The low end is two crew over two days, the job as owners describe it on the forums. The high end rises with boat length between two real billed figures: 32 hours at 35 ft, and the largest invoice we hold, 70 hours at 47 ft.
- 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 from Sleipner’s own channel and one from other channels. Each one is labeled. They play from YouTube only when you tap. Take any claim in a video back to the figures on this page, which are the ones we checked.
Know before you buy
What sets this model apart, what it costs to keep, and what to weigh.
Price per pound of thrust
$14.25 a lb The unit’s price over its published thrust. The bars are Sleipner’s next sizes and the nearest other makers.Controls
Gasket, bolts and anode with the unit. The panel, its cable, the fuse and main switch are bought.
- Control panel, on/off dual joystick (bow and stern) (SM8940G), $574.81 at Fisheries Supply.
- Control panel, on/off single joystick (SM8960G), $350.73 at Fisheries Supply.
- Control panel, on/off touch panel (SM8950G), $202.50 at Defender.
Want push you can dial in? The proportional Sleipner SEP60/185S has the same thrust. It costs $4,995, which is $2,700 more.
Anodes
$28.80 a change- Anode (SM71190A): $14.40 at Defender, $18.01 at Fisheries Supply, and it takes two.
They sit below the waterline, so a change means a haul-out or a diver.
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 12 V it wants one battery of 665 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.
Gas engine room? Buy the ignition-protected Sleipner SE60/185S-IP, $3,330.
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 tunnel bore below the waterline.
Short pushes only: Sleipner rates the motor for 2 to 3 min at a stretch.
Parts for the Sleipner SE60/185S
See the Sleipner SE60/185S 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 SE60 installation guide, document 5693 rev 26, 2026, read 25 October 2026.
- In the box
- The guide prints no box list. It has you install the unit with the gasket and the bolts provided.
- Bought separately
- The ANL fuse and a main switch ("must include"), the control panel with its own guide, the panel cable, the tunnel and the cable. Imtra, Sleipner's US distributor, lists the same items to buy with a new thruster.
- 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, $541 to $1,369 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.
Outside the hull replacement parts in the water
Anode (takes two)
The metal that wears away in the water so the drive does not. Sleipner calls it “Anode, aluminium SE60/80/100”.
Propeller
The propeller on the drive. Sleipner calls it “Propeller Ø185/5bl Q-Prop™”.
Drive pin (the pin that drives the propeller)
The pin that locks the propeller to its shaft. Sleipner calls it “Drive pin propeller SE60/80/100 (4/6/7HP)”.
Gear leg gasket, 1 mm
The leg under the motor that turns the propeller. Sleipner calls it “Gasket for gearleg/tunnel SE60 1mm”.
The SE60 gear leg takes this 1 mm gasket and the 1.5 mm gasket 6 1311 15. Sleipner also sells both as kit 4 0610.
Gear leg gasket, 1.5 mm
The leg under the motor that turns the propeller. Sleipner calls it “Gasket for gearleg/tunnel SE60 1,5mm”.
Fitted together with the 1 mm gasket 6 1311 10.
Gear leg, with propeller
The leg under the motor that turns the propeller. Sleipner calls it “Gearleg SE60”.
Controller
The electronics that run the motor when you press the panel. Sleipner calls it “Controller SE40-80 (12V & 24V) / SE100-130 (24V)”.
Inside the boat replacement parts on board
Motor brush kit
Carbon brushes inside the motor. They wear down with use. Sleipner calls it “Brush kit SP55 + SE60 12V”. This one is for the 12 V version.
Sleipner asks for the thruster's serial number with every brush kit order. More than one kit is in print for this model, and the serial number decides which.
Motor brush kit
Carbon brushes inside the motor. They wear down with use. Sleipner calls it “Brush kit SE50/60 + SE80 12V”. This one is for the 12 V, serial #U version.
Sleipner asks for the thruster's serial number with every brush kit order. More than one kit is in print for this model, and the serial number decides which.
Motor brush kit
Carbon brushes inside the motor. They wear down with use. Sleipner calls it “Brush kit SP55 + SE60 24V”. This one is for the 24 V version.
Sleipner asks for the thruster's serial number with every brush kit order. More than one kit is in print for this model, and the serial number decides which.
Solenoid (the motor switch)
The heavy switch that sends battery power to the motor. Sleipner calls it “Solenoid SE40/50/60 + SP40/55 12V”. This one is for the 12 V version.
The bare solenoid. Sleipner lists it inside kit 3 0131 12 (SE40) and inside 41472122 (SE50 and SE60 12 V). US dealers sell a different number, SM41472123.
Solenoid (the motor switch)
The heavy switch that sends battery power to the motor. Sleipner calls it “Solenoid SE60 12V, complete”. This one is for the 12 V version.
Solenoid with bracket kit. Listed on the SE50 12 V and SE60 12 V motor pages.
Solenoid (the motor switch)
The heavy switch that sends battery power to the motor. Sleipner calls it “Solenoid SE50/60 24V”. This one is for the 24 V version.
Listed on the SE60 24 V and SEP60 24 V motor pages.
Main fuse
The main fuse at the battery, in the rating the maker gives. Sleipner calls it “Recommended fuse A”. This one is for the 12 V version.
The rating on Sleipner's product page for this model.
Control panel, on/off dual joystick (bow and stern)
The control at the helm. Sleipner calls it “Dual joystick, 12/24 V”.
Runs a bow and a stern thruster.
Control panel, on/off single joystick
The control at the helm. Sleipner calls it “Single joystick, 12/24 V”.
For one on/off thruster.
Control panel, on/off touch panel
The control at the helm. Sleipner calls it “Touch panel, 12/24 V, 5-wire, round cut-out”.
For one on/off thruster.
Replacement motor
The electric motor that turns the propeller. Sleipner calls it “Electric motor SE60 12V”. This one is for the 12 V version.
Replacement motor
The electric motor that turns the propeller. Sleipner calls it “Electric motor SE60 24V”. This one is for the 24 V version.
No part matches. Try the number without spaces, or the part’s name.
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 SE50/140S 136 lb · $2,160 to $3,375
- Size up Sleipner SE80/185T 212 lb · $3,285
- Ignition-protected Sleipner SE60/185S-IP 161 lb · $3,330 to $3,780
- Proportional (SEP) Sleipner SEP60/185S 161 lb · $4,995 to $5,085
- Proportional (SEP), ignition-protected Sleipner SEP60/185S-IP 161 lb · $5,895 to $6,210
- Other maker Max Power CT60 (24 V) 157 lb · $1,719
- Other maker VETUS Bow 60 two sizes, 132 to 154 lb · $2,018
- Other maker Quick BTQ 185 DC + cover four sizes, 121 to 187 lb · $4,562 to $6,033
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 | 161 lb (73 kgf) As printed: Thrust at 12V: 73kg / 161lbs; at 10.5V: 60kg / 132lbs |
| Thrust under load | 132 lb at 10.5 V |
| Motor | 3.1 kW |
| Voltage | 12 V or 24 V |
| Run limit | 2 to 3 min duty cycle at 20 C ambient |
| Installation | |
| Type | Tunnel, fixed mount |
| End of the boat | Bow or stern |
| Tunnel diameter | 185 mm |
| What it does to the hull | Tunnel bore below the waterline |
| Haul-out to install it | Yes |
| Weight | 15 kg (33 lb)Sleipner’s product page |
| Maker’s boat length | 29 to 38 ft |
| Price and ordering | |
| Price | $2,295 equipment only, a dealer's price, defender.com, 26 October 2026 |
| Part number | 88344812 V/24 V |
| 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 SE60/185S, 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 | 370 Anominal draw | 1/0 AWG for up to 22 ft of cable counted out and back. Longer runs take heavier cableinstallation guide | ANL 325installation guide | 350 CCA DIN minimumSleipner installation manual, SE60/185S | 2 to 3 min duty cycle at 20 C ambientproduct page, "Motor cycle duty" |
| 24 V | 170 Anominal draw | 3 AWG for up to 22 ft of cable counted out and back. Longer runs take heavier cableinstallation guide | ANL 150installation guide | 175 CCA DIN minimumSleipner installation guide, SE60, document 5693 rev 26 (2026) | 2 to 3 min duty cycle at 20 C ambientproduct page, "Motor cycle duty" |
The Sleipner SE60/185S’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.
- At 24 V: size the cable for your run, or check the battery you have.
The tunnel: length and depth rules
Tunnel length. Avoid a tunnel longer than four times its diameter. Friction inside a long tube slows the water and cuts thrust. Too short, and the flow reaches the propeller before it has straightened, which the manual says causes cavitation and noise. The propeller must sit entirely inside the tube. Sleipner’s installation manual.
Depth below the waterline. As deep as possible under the waterline, and as far forward as possible. The depth for a given model is in that model’s own measurements. Deeper prevents air being sucked in from the surface and raises the water pressure at the propeller. SE20 to SE40 installation guide, 5611 rev 25 (2025).
Our notes from the manual and listings
In the box: Gasket, bolts and anode with the unit. The panel, its cable, the fuse and main switch are bought.
Our note
A 185 mm tunnel, 15 kg, for boats of 29 to 38 ft, sold at 12 or 24 V. At 12 V the manual gives 370 A, a minimum battery of 350 cold cranking amps DIN (665 SAE) and an ANL 250 fuse. At 24 V it gives 170 A.
The manual's 12 V cable runs from 1 AWG to 7 m of total run up to 4/0 at 35 m. The page rates the brushed motor for two to three minutes' running at 20 C. The control panel switches itself off after about six minutes unused. Sleipner's FAQ wants the tunnel at least three quarters of its diameter below the surface, never less than half.
Defender's price sits below Imtra's list. Since the 2025 tariffs, that list carries a separate tariff line.
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 12 V and at 24 V.The maker's and dealers' listings
- Sleipner also prints a second, lower thrust figure for when the battery sags under load: 132 lb at 10.5 V.The maker's published rating
- The boat comes out of the water to install it: it needs a tunnel bore 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.