Thrusterpedia

Which boat thruster, what it costs, how to get it installed

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Drawing of a pod thruster on the transom: a short tube with a prop at each end, below the waterline.
Our drawing of a external thruster, the same for every maker. It is not Sleipner’s own design.

Sleipner · external thruster · stern

Sleipner SXP100 PRO: specs, price and the boats it fits

It gives 256 lb (116 kgf) of push. Sleipner sells it for boats of 33 to 56 ft. It runs on 12 V or 24 V.

The unit$12,500Full kit, Imtra, read 26 October 2026
Installed by a yard, 55 ft boat$16,128 to $20,572Our estimate: the unit, labor, haul-out, battery and parts
  • Haul-out to install
  • DIY 3 of 5: split with the yard
  • 2-year warranty

Quick stats

  • Thrust 256 lb 116 kgf, Sleipner's rating
  • Boat length 33 to 56 ft Sleipner's own range
  • Price per lb of thrust $48.83 Unit only. $63 to $80 installed
  • Voltage 12 V or 24 V As sold
  • Battery at 12 V 713 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
  • Anodes $28.80 A change, at Defender

About the Sleipner SXP100 PRO

The SXP100 PRO is the SX100 with variable speed: 256 lb of push at the stern of a twin-sterndrive boat of about 33 to 56 ft, set by the joystick rather than switched on and off. It bolts to the outside of the transom and needs only a small hole for its cables.

Imtra lists the 24 V kit at $12,500, before a separate tariff line. On top of the kit, figure about $307 to $642 for the panel, fuse and main switch, and $961 to $1,180 for the stern battery, cable and charger. The parts list.

Read more

The manual rates it for 2 to 3 minutes at full power. At 24 V it draws about 340 A. The two-year warranty transfers with the boat.

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 SXP100 PRO steer your boat?

61 FT TRAWLER · STERN · 15 KT WIND

Size forThis page always opens on Steering.

Every knot figure here is wind speed, not boat speed or current.

Steers her at 19 kt

On a 61 ft trawler the Sleipner SXP100 PRO (256 lb) steers her in a 19 knot breeze. Her stern needs about 173 lb from an external unit on the transom to steer her in a 15 knot breeze.

The finder lists it for her.

30.5 FT LEVER Sleipner SXP100 PRO pivot

An external unit at the stern of a 61 ft trawler 173 lb ★ this unit · 1 to 3: the three cheapest others that steer her at 13 kt or more, installed

  1. ★ Sleipner SXP100 PRO this unit 256 lb · pod on transom from $16,228 Steers her at 19 kt
  2. 1 Max Power CT125 stern pod 254 lb · pod on transom from $8,641 Steers her at 19 kt
  3. 2 Sleipner SX100 256 lb · pod on transom from $13,478 Steers her at 19 kt
  4. 3 Sleipner SXE100 eVision 220 lb · pod on transom from $15,978 Steers her at 17 kt

The Sleipner SXP100 PRO on a trawler, by length

  1. 25 ft45 kt
  2. 30 ft38 kt
  3. 35 ft32 kt
  4. 40 ft28 kt
  5. 45 ft25 kt
  6. 50 ft23 kt
  7. 55 ft21 kt
  8. 60 ft19 kt
  9. 65 ft18 kt
  10. 70 ft16 kt
  11. 75 ft15 kt
  12. 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?

What Sleipner says 33 to 56 ft The maker's own range, from its listing
What our sizing says 61 ft Full thrust in 15 knots, across the kinds of boat it fits
Every kind of boat it fits, by length ten boat types
Which boats it fits, by length
Boat Full thrust at 15 knotsStill a fit, in lighter wind
Pontoon & tritoon Not listed. Its maker does not name this kind of hull.
Sailboat 53 to 61 ft None
Houseboat Not listed. Its maker does not name this kind of hull.
Catamaran Not listed. An external unit bolts to the side of a single hull at the bow or to its transom, and a cat has two narrow hulls with a bridgedeck between them, so there is nowhere forward to hang one.
Trawler 53 to 61 ft None
Motor yacht 53 to 61 ft None
Bass & flats Not listed. This site does not list it for this kind of boat.
Wake & ski boats Not listed. This site does not list it for this kind of boat.
Express cruiser No length. More thrust than the boat needs.
Center console Not listed. This site does not list it for this kind of boat.

The Sleipner SXP100 PRO 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 61 ft. The maker gives one range for every boat.

The table tries the Sleipner SXP100 PRO on each kind of boat, at every length that kind of boat is built in. The wind is 15 knots and the rules are the finder’s own. A length counts as a fit when the unit gives the thrust that boat needs where it mounts and the maker lists it for that length.

A boat up to 10 percent past the maker’s range still counts here, as it does in the finder. So the table runs up to 61 ft, just past Sleipner’s own range (33 to 56 ft).

It is sized for three kinds of boat here. For your own boat, the finder gives an answer that also counts your drive and who does the installing. The compare page sets this unit beside others.

What it costs installed

A yard job, everything in. Our estimate.

Installed by a yard
Boat Total installed
53 ft $16,088 to $20,482$63 to $80 a lb of thrust
55 ft $16,128 to $20,572$63 to $80 a lb of thrust
61 ft $16,228 to $20,862$63 to $81 a lb of thrust

From the shortest to the longest boat it is sized for.

What is in each total five lines

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 $1,040 to $2,940 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.

Each line of the estimate
Boat length The unit Yard labor Haul-out Batteries, cable, charger Other parts
53 ft $12,500 $1,280 to $3,6008 to 20 hours $1,040 to $2,560 $961 to $1,180 $307 to $642
55 ft $12,500 $1,280 to $3,6008 to 20 hours $1,080 to $2,650 $961 to $1,180 $307 to $642
61 ft $12,500 $1,280 to $3,6008 to 20 hours $1,180 to $2,940 $961 to $1,180 $307 to $642

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: two 12 V batteries side by side (in parallel), at least 713 CCA each (Sleipner’s minimum), $720 for both; Sleipner’s cable table gives 3/0 AWG, priced on 4/0 AWG, the nearest size cut to length: $180 to $314 for the red and black cable and the lugs; a GEN5X2 charger, $146.
  • At 24 V: two 12 V batteries in series, at least 760 CCA each (Sleipner’s minimum), $720 for both; Sleipner’s cable table gives 1/0 AWG: $95 to $171 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 3 of 5: Split with the yard. The yard does the below-waterline part; you do the wiring.

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 DIY

You: 4 to 16 hours Yard: 4 to 8 hours Electrician: 2 to 4 hours Plus a haul-out.

Your part needs:Heavy battery cableCrimping big lugs

Every step, and who does it three steps
  1. Drill, seal and bolt the unit below the waterline Yard 4 to 8 hours Our estimate. No maker times it; one owner paid his yard about a day of labor to mount two units. Source.
  2. 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.
  3. 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 from Sleipner’s own channel and two 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.

Sleipner (Side-Power) External Stern ThrustersDistributor Imtra, Sleipner’s US distributor, September 2021
Experience Sleipner's compact external thrustersMaker Sleipner’s own channel
Boating Roundtable: Sleipner SX Stern ThrustersMagazine Boating Magazine, July 2022

Know before you buy

What sets this model apart, what it costs to keep, and what to weigh.

Price per pound of thrust

$48.83 a lb The unit’s price over its published thrust. The bars are Sleipner’s next sizes and the nearest other makers.

Controls

Proportional: the joystick sets how hard it pushes. The power controller (PPC) is included.

  • S-Link proportional control panel, no US price found.

Anodes

$28.80 a change

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 two batteries of 713 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.

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 small hole in the transom for the power and control cables.

At 12 V it draws 740 A, so the battery cable is heavy and the battery sits close to it.

Parts for the Sleipner SXP100 PRO

See the Sleipner SXP100 PRO manual

The 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

20 parts

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 SXP80 and SXP100 installation manual, document 2880 rev 4, 2024, read 16 October 2026.

In the box
The unit comes assembled, wired and sealed. The manual mentions the bolts for the grids or cowls.
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.
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, $307 to $642 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 S-Link proportional control panel.

No part number is printed for it. A Sleipner dealer can give you the one that suits this model.

Part number See the line above.

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.

Part number SM61320-0.2M

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.

Part number SM61321-0.4M

S-Link T-connector

Fisheries Supply lists it as “S-Link T-connector”.

You need 3.

Part number SM61326

S-Link end terminator

Fisheries Supply lists it as “S-Link end terminator”.

You need 2.

Part number SM61327

S-Link power cable, 8 ft

Fisheries Supply lists it as “S-Link power cable, 8 ft”.

Part number SM61328

Main fuse

Fisheries Supply lists it as “Side-Power ANL fuse 500 A”. This one is for the 12 V version.

The maker's figure: ANL 500.

Part number SMANL500

Main fuse

Fisheries Supply lists it as “Side-Power ANL fuse 325 A”. This one is for the 24 V version.

The maker's figure: ANL 325.

Part number SMANL325

Fuse holder

Fisheries Supply lists it as “ANL fuse block, 35 to 750 A, cable up to 4/0, with cover”.

Part number 3903

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 500 A main fuse. If your manual names its own switch, use that one.

Part number 3000

Battery switch

Fisheries Supply lists it as “e-Series 350 A battery switch, on/off”. This one is for the 24 V version.

Rated at or above the 325 A main fuse. If your manual names its own switch, use that one.

Part number 9003E

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.

Part number 5065

Batteries

Fisheries Supply lists it as “Optima BlueTop SC27DM Group 27 AGM”. This one is for the 12 V version.

You need 2, each at 713 CCA or more, in parallel. The cheapest listing that meets it.

Part number BAT SC27DM

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 760 CCA or more, in series for 24 V. The cheapest listing that meets it.

Part number BAT SC27DM

Battery cable, red and black

Defender lists it as “Ancor tinned battery cable 4/0 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.

Part number None on the listing. Order it by name.

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 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.

Part number None on the listing. Order it by name.

Cable lugs

Fisheries Supply lists it as “Tin-plated starter lugs, 4/0 AWG, bag of 10”. This one is for the 12 V version.

The listing runs $47.52 to $49.44 by stud size. Eight ends on one run, with two spare.

Part number 91066-P10

Cable lugs

Fisheries Supply lists it as “Tin-plated starter lugs, 1/0 AWG, bag of 10”. This one is for the 24 V version.

The listing runs $23.74 to $28.04 by stud size. Eight ends on one run, with two spare.

Part number 91066-P10

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.

Part number GEN5X2

Power controller

Ask for Sleipner PPC820 power control unit.

Installed by its own manual. Sleipner's page lists it among the spare parts; check whether it comes with your thruster.

Part number See the line above.

Outside the hull replacement parts in the water

13 parts

Anode (takes two)

The metal that wears away in the water so the drive does not. Sleipner calls it “Anode, aluminium SE60/80/100”.

Part number SM71190A Sleipner 71190A
See it at Defender$14.40 Price read 29 Oct 2026

Propeller (takes two)

The propeller on the drive. Sleipner calls it “Propeller SE80/100 5bl Q-Prop™”.

Two per thruster. Sleipner lists it in gear leg 8 0601, which its gear leg page lists for every SX80, SX100, SXP80 and SXP100.

Part number SM71261 Sleipner 71261
See it at Defender$103.50 Price read 29 Oct 2026

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)”.

Part number SM61241 Sleipner 61241
See it at Defender$6.70 Price read 29 Oct 2026

Upper cover O-ring

It keeps water out of the joint it sits in. Sleipner calls it “O-ring Ø8x473mm”.

Part of cover kit SM168434.

Part number 74321A
See it at Sleipner No US price found

Flexible coupling (joins motor and gear leg)

The leg under the motor that turns the propeller. Sleipner calls it “Flexible coupling Ø20-Ø16”.

Inside the sealed unit on the transom, outside the hull.

Part number SM71462 Sleipner 71462
See it at Sleipner No US price found

Gear leg gasket

The leg under the motor that turns the propeller. Sleipner calls it “Gasket kit for gearleg/tunnel”.

Part number SM80610 Sleipner 80610

Gear leg without propellers

The leg under the motor that turns the propeller. Sleipner calls it “Gearleg SE80/100 w/out propeller”.

Sleipner lists it in gear leg 8 0601, which its gear leg page lists for every SX80, SX100, SXP80 and SXP100.

Part number 80601-U
See it at Sleipner No US price found

Gear leg, complete

The leg under the motor that turns the propeller. Sleipner calls it “Gearleg SE80/100”.

Sleipner describes it as the complete gearbox.

Part number 80601
See it at Sleipner No US price found

Upper cover kit

Sleipner calls it “Cover chassis, upper part kit SX80/100”.

Includes O-ring 74321 A. The SXP100 12V is on its own model page, not on this part page.

Part number SM168434
See it at Sleipner No US price found

Moisture absorbing pack

Sleipner calls it “Moisture absorbing pack”.

Inside the sealed unit on the transom, outside the hull.

Part number 74298
See it at Sleipner No US price found

Power control unit (the speed controller)

The electronics that run the motor when you press the panel. Sleipner calls it “PPC820 PRO™ power control unit”. It fits the 12V size on this page.

Inside the sealed unit on the transom, outside the hull.

Part number PPC820
See it at Sleipner No US price found

Power control unit (the speed controller)

The electronics that run the motor when you press the panel. Sleipner calls it “PPC520 PRO™ power control unit”. It fits the 24V size on this page.

Inside the sealed unit on the transom, outside the hull.

Part number SMPPC520 Sleipner PPC520
See it at Sleipner No US price found

Replacement motor

The electric motor that turns the propeller. Sleipner calls it “Electric motor SXP100 12V Complete”. It fits the 12V size on this page.

Inside the sealed unit on the transom, outside the hull.

Part number 8011912
See it at Sleipner No US price found

Inside the boat replacement parts on board

2 parts

Main fuse

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 on Sleipner’s page for this model.

Part number ANL500
See it at Sleipner No US price found

Main fuse

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 on Sleipner’s page for this model.

Part number ANL325
See it at Sleipner No US price found

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

Compare them side by side

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, motor, mounting, price, part number, documents
Full spec sheet
Thrust and motor
Thrust 256 lb (116 kgf) As printed: "SX(P)100 24V 24V 116 kg (24V) 100 kg (21V)" - Sleipner SXP80/SXP100 installation manual, document 2880 rev 4 (2024), Product Specifications MC_0415
Thrust under load220 lb at 10.5 V
Motor6.3 kW
Voltage12 V or 24 V
Run limitNot published
Installation
TypeExternal, fixed mount
End of the boatStern
Tunnel diameter185 mm
What it does to the hullA small hole in the transom for the power and control cables
Haul-out to install itYes
Maker’s boat length33 to 56 ft
Price and ordering
Price $12,500 full kit, a dealer's price, imtra.com, 26 October 2026
Part number SXP100/185T-12V12 V, 12 V DC (nominal 10.5 V DC)
SXP100/185T-24V24 V, 24 V DC (nominal 21 V DC)
Documents
Manual Installation manualon the maker's product page
The site’s reviewSleipner (Side-Power) review

Every published figure the site holds for the Sleipner SXP100 PRO, with where each came from.

Draw, cable, fuse and battery at each voltage 12 V and 24 V

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.

Draw, cable, fuse and battery
Voltage Draw Maker’s cable Fuse Battery Run limit
12 V 740 Anominal draw 3/0 AWG for up to 22 ft of cable counted out and back. Longer runs take heavier cableinstallation guide ANL 500installation guide 750 CCA DIN minimumSleipner installation guide, SXP80 and SXP100 external, document 2880 rev 4 (2024) Not published
24 V 340 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 400 CCA DIN minimumSleipner installation guide, SXP80 and SXP100 external, document 2880 rev 4 (2024) Not published

The Sleipner SXP100 PRO’s draw, cable, fuse, battery and run limit, as the maker publishes them.

Our notes from the manual and listings

In the box: Proportional: the joystick sets how hard it pushes. The power controller (PPC) is included.

24 V

A stern thruster for boats with twin stern drives: a sealed unit bolted to the outside of the transom, delivered assembled and wired, that needs only a small hole in the transom for its cables. Cowls redirect its flow past the drives. PRO: variable speed.

Where each point above comes from
  • 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: 220 lb at 10.5 V.The maker's published rating
  • The boat comes out of the water to install it: it needs a small hole in the transom for the power and control cables.The mounting style

Not sure this is the one? The thruster finder asks about your boat and prices every unit that fits.

Where to go next

The specs are the maker’s and the dealers’, on the dates shown. The sizing and the costs are our arithmetic, done without seeing your boat.