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Sleipner · retractable thruster · bow or stern
Sleipner SR80: specs, price and the boats it fits
It gives 212 lb (96 kgf) of push. Sleipner sells it for boats of 33 to 49 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 212 lb 96 kgf, Sleipner's rating
- Boat length 33 to 49 ft Sleipner's own range
- Price per lb of thrust $55.90 Unit only. $94 to $125 installed
- Voltage 12 V or 24 V As sold
- Battery at 12 V 1,045 CCA One battery, near the thruster
- Run limit 2 to 3 min Duty cycle at 20 C ambient
- Weight 68 lb 31 kg, Sleipner's page
- Anodes $42.30 A change, at Defender
About the Sleipner SR80
The SR80 is Sleipner’s on/off retractable for boats of about 33 to 49 ft: 212 lb of push from a unit that drops out of the hull to dock and tucks away under way, so it adds no drag. It runs on 12 V and suits sailboats and motor boats where speed or a clean hull matters.
Imtra, Sleipner’s US distributor, lists the kit at $11,850, before a separate tariff line. The panel, main switch and fuse add about $336 to $815. The housing is molded into the hull through a large opening, a bigger job than a tunnel, so get the yard’s quote alongside it. On 12 V it wants one strong starting battery of its own near the unit. The parts list.
Read more
A single fast actuator lowers and raises it, and the motor is fixed to the moving casing, so nothing in the drive shifts as it travels. Like Sleipner’s other brushed units, it runs 2 to 3 minutes at a time before it needs a rest. The warranty is two years and passes to the next owner.
Installing it yourself? The installer section has every spec, and the Sleipner (Side-Power) review sets this model against the rest of the Sleipner range.
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 (4 sources, read 14 October 2026)
Will the Sleipner SR80 steer your boat?
53 FT TRAWLER · BOW · 15 KT WIND
Every knot figure here is wind speed, not boat speed or current.
On a 53 ft trawler the Sleipner SR80 (212 lb) steers her in a 16 knot breeze. Her bow needs about 188 lb from a retractable to steer her in a 15 knot breeze.
The finder lists it for her.
The Sleipner SR80 on a trawler, by length
- 25 ft34 kt
- 30 ft28 kt
- 35 ft24 kt
- 40 ft21 kt
- 45 ft19 kt
- 50 ft17 kt
- 55 ft15 kt
- 60 ft14 kt
- 65 ft13 kt
- 70 ft12 kt
- 75 ft11 kt
- 80 ft11 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 | 41 to 53 ft | None |
| Houseboat | 31 to 43 ft | 44 to 49 ftfull thrust to about 13 knots at 49 ft |
| Catamaran | 46 to 53 ft | None |
| Trawler | 41 to 53 ft | None |
| Motor yacht | 41 to 53 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 | 52 to 53 ft | None |
| Center console | No length. More thrust than the boat needs. | |
The Sleipner SR80 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 43 ft, and a sailboat to 53 ft. The maker gives one range for every boat.
The table tries the Sleipner SR80 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 31 ft and up to 53 ft, just past Sleipner’s own range (33 to 49 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
A yard job, everything in. Our estimate.
| Boat | Total installed |
|---|---|
| 31 ft | $19,839 to $22,372$94 to $106 a lb of thrust |
| 40 ft | $19,999 to $26,402$94 to $125 a lb of thrust |
| 53 ft | $20,329 to $32,072$96 to $151 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 $550 to $2,560 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31 ft | $11,850 | $6,400 to $7,200about 40 hours | $550 to $1,500 | $703 to $1,007 | $336 to $815 |
| 40 ft | $11,850 | $6,400 to $10,80040 to 60 hours | $710 to $1,930 | $703 to $1,007 | $336 to $815 |
| 53 ft | $11,850 | $6,400 to $15,84040 to 88 hours | $1,040 to $2,560 | $703 to $1,007 | $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 12 V: one 12 V battery, at least 1,045 CCA (Sleipner’s minimum), $443 to $552 for the battery; 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 24 V: two 12 V batteries in series, at least 570 CCA each (Sleipner’s minimum), $720 for both; Sleipner’s cable table gives 2 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: 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 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
$55.90 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.
- Sleipner 8700, no US price found.
Anodes
$42.30 a change- Anode (SM71190A): $14.40 at Defender, $18.01 at Fisheries Supply, and it takes two.
- Anode on the retract mechanism (zinc) (SM61180): $13.50 at Defender, $16.88 at Fisheries Supply.
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 1,045 CCA or more, Sleipner'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.
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.
Short pushes only: Sleipner rates the motor for 2 to 3 min at a stretch.
At 12 V it draws 530 A, so the battery cable is heavy and the battery sits close to it.
Parts for the Sleipner SR80
See the Sleipner SR80 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 SR80 and SR100 installation manual, document 2755 rev 9, 2025, read 16 October 2026.
- In the box
- The manual prints no box list. It mentions the hatch bolts as supplied, and does not say whether the controller comes with the unit.
- 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 8700.
Not sold at Fisheries Supply. Ask a Sleipner dealer.
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 12 V version.
The maker's figure: ANL 400.
Main fuse
Fisheries Supply lists it as “Side-Power ANL fuse 250 A”. This one is for the 24 V version.
The maker's figure: ANL 250.
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 12 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 24 V version.
Battery switch
Fisheries Supply lists it as “HD-Series 600 A battery switch, on/off”. This one is for the 12 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 24 V version.
Rated at or above the 250 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 “Dyno Group 8D heavy duty marine starting (flooded)”. This one is for the 12 V version.
One at 1,045 CCA or more. The cheapest listing that meets it.
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 570 CCA or more, in series for 24 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”. This one is for the 12 V version.
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.
Battery cable, red and black
Defender lists it as “Ancor tinned battery cable 1 AWG, cut to length, red or black”. This one is for the 24 V version.
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”. This one is for the 12 V version.
The listing runs $27.96 to $29.36 by stud size. Eight ends on one run, with two spare.
Cable lugs
Fisheries Supply lists it as “Tin-plated starter lugs, 1 AWG, bag of 10”. This one is for the 24 V version.
The listing runs $20.52 to $22.06 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.
Retract controller
Ask for Sleipner retract thruster controller 6 1242.
The actuator and motor cables plug into it. The manual does not say whether it comes with the thruster: check before you buy.
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”.
Anode on the retract mechanism (zinc)
The metal that wears away in the water so the drive does not. Sleipner calls it “Anode, zinc 4/6 Hp up to 1999”.
Sleipner's name for it says "4/6 Hp up to 1999", but its parts lists show it in the retract mechanism of these models (SM900460 6 1180 on the SRV/SRL pages).
Propeller (185 mm)
The propeller on the drive. Sleipner calls it “Propeller SE80/100 5bl Q-Prop™”.
Upper sealing kit
It keeps water out of the joint it sits in. Sleipner calls it “Upper Sealing kit SR80/100”.
Listed on each of these models' pages.
Inside the boat replacement parts on board
End stop sensor kit, 12 V
Sleipner calls it “End stop sensor kit 12V”. It fits the 12V size on this page.
End stop sensor kit, 24 V
Sleipner calls it “End stop sensor kit 24V”. It fits the 24V size on this page.
Lift actuator, 12 V
Sleipner calls it “Actuator retract, complete 12V”. It fits the 12V size on this page.
Listed for the SRP80/100 12 V and the SR80/100 12 V retract assembly 8 0650-12.
Lift actuator, 24 V
Sleipner calls it “Actuator retract, complete 24V”. It fits the 24V size on this page.
Listed for the SRP80/100 24 V and the SR80/100 24 V retract assembly 8 0650-24.
Solenoid (the motor switch)
The heavy switch that sends battery power to the motor. Sleipner calls it “Solenoid SP75/SE80 12V”. It fits the 12V size on this page.
Listed on this model's page as "Solenoid replacement 12V".
Main fuse (250 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.
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 12V size on this page.
The rating Sleipner prints on the own page of each model listed here; read on each page.
Control panel, retractable touch panel
The control at the helm. Sleipner calls it “Touch panel for SR thruster, S-Link, 12/24 V”.
It lowers the unit and runs it.
Replacement motor
The electric motor that turns the propeller. Sleipner calls it “Electric motor”. It fits the 12V size on this page.
Replacement motor
The electric motor that turns the propeller. Sleipner calls it “Electric motor complete”. It fits the 24V size on this page.
Sleipner's catalog also lists an "Electric motor SR80 24V", 6 0104 24. Confirm with your serial number.
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 up Sleipner SR100 256 lb
- Same thrust Sleipner SRVP80 PRO 212 lb · $10,510
- Same thrust Sleipner SRV80 212 lb · $11,000
- Same thrust Sleipner SRP80 PRO 212 lb · $14,700
- Same thrust Sleipner SRL80 212 lb
- Same thrust Sleipner SRLP80 PRO two sizes, 176 to 212 lb
- Other maker Lewmar RT185 MX Gen 2 214 lb · $8,687 to $9,034
- Other maker Max Power Compact Retract three sizes, 154 to 220 lb · $7,370
- Other maker Quick BTR 185 six sizes, 143 to 231 lb · $12,436 to $17,991
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 | 212 lb (96 kgf) As printed: Thrust at 12V: 96kg / 212lbs; Thrust at 10.5V (nominal): 80kg / 176lbs |
| Thrust under load | 176 lb at 10.5 V |
| Motor | 4.4 kW |
| Voltage | 12 V or 24 V |
| Run limit | 2 to 3 min duty cycle at 20 C ambient |
| Installation | |
| Type | Retractable, drops down |
| End of the boat | Bow or stern |
| Tunnel diameter | 185 mm |
| What it does to the hull | Large hull opening below the waterline |
| Haul-out to install it | Yes |
| Weight | 31 kg (68 lb)Sleipner’s product page |
| Maker’s boat length | 33 to 49 ft |
| Price and ordering | |
| Price | $11,850 full kit, a dealer's price, imtra.com, 26 October 2026 |
| Part number | SR80/185T-12V12 V, 12 V DC (nominal 10.5 V DC) SR80/185T-24V24 V, 24 V DC (nominal 21 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 SR80, 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 | 530 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 | 550 CCA DIN minimumSleipner installation guide, SR80 and SR100, document 2755 rev 9 (2025) | 2 to 3 min duty cycle at 20 C ambientproduct page, "Motor cycle duty" |
| 24 V | 280 Anominal draw | 2 AWG for up to 22 ft of cable counted out and back. Longer runs take heavier cableinstallation guide | ANL 250installation guide | 300 CCA DIN minimumSleipner installation guide, SR80 and SR100, document 2755 rev 9 (2025) | 2 to 3 min duty cycle at 20 C ambientproduct page, "Motor cycle duty" |
The Sleipner SR80’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.
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.
12 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. It is on/off at 12 V and weighs 31 kg, for boats of 33 to 49 ft. It is rated 96 kg at 12 V and 80 at 10.5.
The page gives 530 A, an ANL 400 fuse and a minimum battery of 550 cold cranking amps DIN. 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. There is no dealer price, and the maker publishes none.
24 V
It is the 24 V twin of the 12 V SR80, on/off.
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: 176 lb at 10.5 V.The maker's published rating
- 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.