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Thruster specs
Max Power VIP 250: specs, price and the boats it fits
The VIP 250 is the larger VIP: a 250 mm retracting unit that lowers below the hull to push and tucks away flush when stowed. Max Power lists it for yachts of 40 to 60 ft, in a 9.5 kW version at 24 or 48 V and a 15 kW version at 24 V, for 320 to 551 lb of push.
No US dealer price is on file for it here; Max Power sells through its dealers, who quote the job. The 9.5 kW manual asks for at least two AGM batteries in series, and the 15 kW one for 2,400 cold cranking amps and 150 Ah in all, which is a serious bank. See the specs.
Expect a big hull opening, a housing and a lift mechanism, so plan the install with a yard. Both motors are brushed and rated for two minutes at a time. The site holds no battery or cable figure for the 9.5 kW unit at 48 V, whose page links no manual for it.
Installers will find the wiring figures and dimensions further down. For the rest of Max Power’s line, read the Max Power thruster review.
Where this summary comes from (4 sources, read 12 October 2026)
Choose a size
The Max Power VIP 250 comes in two sizes. Each has its own price, wiring and boats it suits, so pick one and the facts, the fit, the cost and the spec sheet below show that size.
| Size | Push | Voltage | Max Power’s boat length | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| VIP 250 electric 9.5 kW | 320 lb (145 kgf) | 24 or 48 V | 40 to 60 ft | No US price |
| VIP 250 electric 15 kW | 551 lb (250 kgf) | 24 V | 40 to 60 ft | No US price |
Key facts
- DIY level 2 of 5 Wiring prep only
- Thrust 320 lb 145 kgf, Max Power's rating
- Boat length 40 to 60 ft Max Power's own range
- Price No US price None is published, so there is no fitted cost to work out
- Fitted by a yard No total No price to build on
- Voltage 24 V or 48 V As sold
- Mounts Retractable Drops down, end not stated
- To fit it Haul-out The boat comes out of the water
- Run limit Not published Ask the maker before long use
Every figure here is the maker’s or a dealer’s. No US price is published, so there is no fitted cost to estimate. The full spec sheet is further down.
How much of the install is yours
DIY levels
- Level 5: Owner install. No yard, no electrician.
- Level 4: You fit 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 fits 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 h Yard: 40 to 88 h Electrician: 2 to 4 h Plus a haul-out.
- Cut the hull and fit the housing and mechanism Yard 40 to 88 h 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 h 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 h Our estimate. Nobody publishes a time for the final connections and test on their own.
Your part needs:Heavy battery cableCrimping big lugs
A qualified marine electrician should make the final connections and test them before first use. Hours are labor only.
Is it right for your boat?
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 45 ft, and a catamaran to 66 ft. The maker gives one range for every boat.
The table below tries the Max Power VIP 250 on each kind of boat, at every length that kind of boat is built in. The wind is 15 knots and the rules are the finder’s own. A length counts as a fit when the unit gives the thrust that boat needs at the bow and the maker lists it for that length.
A boat up to 10 percent past the maker’s range still counts here, as it does in the finder. So the table runs down to 37 ft and up to 66 ft, just past Max Power’s own range (40 to 60 ft).
| Boat | Full thrust at 15 knots | Still a fit, in lighter wind |
|---|---|---|
| Pontoon & tritoon | Not listed. A retractable drops down inside the hull, and a pontoon has no hull depth to drop into. | |
| Sailboat | 50 to 60 ft | 61 to 66 ftfull thrust to about 14 knots at 66 ft |
| Houseboat | 37 to 45 ft | 46 to 66 ftfull thrust to about 10 knots at 66 ft |
| Catamaran | 57 to 66 ft | None |
| Trawler | 49 to 60 ft | 61 to 66 ftfull thrust to about 14 knots at 66 ft |
| Motor yacht | 49 to 60 ft | 61 to 66 ftfull thrust to about 14 knots at 66 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 | 63 to 65 ft | None |
| Center console | No length. More thrust than the boat needs. | |
Reading the two length columns. 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 falls short of what the boat needs by no more than 10 percent, and gives the whole figure only in the lighter wind named. On a boat shorter than the first column’s shortest length, the unit is more than the boat needs.
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 fitting. The compare page sets this unit beside others.
What it costs fitted
No US dollar price is published for the Max Power VIP 250, so we build no total for it. The yard’s share of the job is on the cost page.
The sizing and the costs on this page are estimates, for guidance only and without warranty. They are no quote, and nobody has inspected your boat. Check them against the maker’s manual and your yard before you rely on them. Terms of use.
Key facts
- DIY level 2 of 5 Wiring prep only
- Thrust 551 lb 250 kgf, Max Power's rating
- Boat length 40 to 60 ft Max Power's own range
- Price No US price None is published, so there is no fitted cost to work out
- Fitted by a yard No total No price to build on
- Voltage 24 V As sold
- Mounts Retractable Drops down, end not stated
- To fit it Haul-out The boat comes out of the water
- Run limit Not published Ask the maker before long use
Every figure here is the maker’s or a dealer’s. No US price is published, so there is no fitted cost to estimate. The full spec sheet is further down.
How much of the install is yours
DIY levels
- Level 5: Owner install. No yard, no electrician.
- Level 4: You fit 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 fits 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 h Yard: 40 to 88 h Electrician: 2 to 4 h Plus a haul-out.
- Cut the hull and fit the housing and mechanism Yard 40 to 88 h 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 h 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 h Our estimate. Nobody publishes a time for the final connections and test on their own.
Your part needs:Heavy battery cableCrimping big lugs
A qualified marine electrician should make the final connections and test them before first use. Hours are labor only.
Is it right for your boat?
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 59 ft, and a sailboat to 66 ft. The maker gives one range for every boat.
The table below tries the Max Power VIP 250 on each kind of boat, at every length that kind of boat is built in. The wind is 15 knots and the rules are the finder’s own. A length counts as a fit when the unit gives the thrust that boat needs at the bow and the maker lists it for that length.
A boat up to 10 percent past the maker’s range still counts here, as it does in the finder. So the table runs up to 66 ft, just past Max Power’s own range (40 to 60 ft).
| Boat | Full thrust at 15 knots | Still a fit, in lighter wind |
|---|---|---|
| Pontoon & tritoon | Not listed. A retractable drops down inside the hull, and a pontoon has no hull depth to drop into. | |
| Sailboat | 65 to 66 ft | None |
| Houseboat | 49 to 59 ft | 60 to 66 ftfull thrust to about 13 knots at 66 ft |
| Catamaran | No length. More thrust than the boat needs. | |
| Trawler | 65 to 66 ft | None |
| Motor yacht | 65 to 66 ft | None |
| Bass & flats | Not listed. A retractable needs hull depth to drop into, and these planing hulls have almost none forward. | |
| Wake & ski boats | Not listed. A retractable needs hull depth to drop into, and these planing hulls have almost none forward. | |
| Express cruiser | No length. More thrust than the boat needs. | |
| Center console | No length. More thrust than the boat needs. | |
Reading the two length columns. 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 falls short of what the boat needs by no more than 10 percent, and gives the whole figure only in the lighter wind named. On a boat shorter than the first column’s shortest length, the unit is more than the boat needs.
It is sized for four kinds of boat here. For your own boat, the finder gives an answer that also counts your drive and who does the fitting. The compare page sets this unit beside others.
What it costs fitted
No US dollar price is published for the Max Power VIP 250, so we build no total for it. The yard’s share of the job is on the cost page.
The sizing and the costs on this page are estimates, for guidance only and without warranty. They are no quote, and nobody has inspected your boat. Check them against the maker’s manual and your yard before you rely on them. Terms of use.
What else you buy
What follows comes from Max Power’s CT100 and CT125 installation manual, July 2024, read 30 September 2026. That manual is written for the tunnel units. A retractable unit brings its own housing, so there is no tunnel to buy.
- In the box
- The motor with its relay, the electronic controller, the composite leg with screws and gasket, two propellers. "The thruster is delivered without accessories (fuse, fuse holder, control panel)."
- Bought separately
- The fuse and holder, a manual battery isolator and an electric one, the control panel, an 8 A control fuse, a breaker on the DC panel and the battery cable.
- Charging
- Max Power is the one maker that asks for both: the engine's alternator and a charger. A dedicated bank is optional and goes "as close as possible to the thruster". It wants starting-type batteries with high cold cranking amps.
The manual’s words, page 3: “The batteries used by the thruster must be charged by both the main engine's alternator and an appropriate battery charger.”
A yard job adds these parts on top of the unit: $336 to $815 for the priced ones below, at Fisheries Supply’s prices on 30 September 2026, plus the batteries, cable and charger.
| Part | What it is | What to ask for | Dealer price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Control panel | The buttons or joystick at the helm. One helm, one panel: a second steering station needs a panel of its own. | A Max Power control panel, sold with its own guide | $219–$374Side-Power touch panel and single joystick, VETUS push-button panel, Lewmar single joystick, at Fisheries Supply. |
| Control cable, panel to motor | The thin cable from the helm to the motor. Sold by length. | Max Power names none | $29–$173Side-Power control cables, VETUS panel cables, Lewmar Gen 2 connecting cables, at Fisheries Supply. |
| Main fuse | A slow-blow fuse of the ANL type at the battery, in the size the maker prints for the model. | Ceramic or ANL, the rating in the manual's table | $18–$57Side-Power ANL fuses, Blue Sea ANL fuses, at Fisheries Supply, read 16 October 2026. |
| Fuse holder | The block the ANL fuse bolts into, with a cover. | Holder T1 OPTI3119 or T2 | $27–$93Egis and Blue Sea ANL fuse blocks, Side-Power ANL fuse holders, at Fisheries Supply, read 16 October 2026. |
| Main battery switch | The switch that cuts the thruster off from its battery when you leave the boat. | A manual isolator, plus the electric isolator OPTI3160/3 (12 V) or OPTI3170/3 (24 V) | $35–$107Egis m-Series 300 A, Blue Sea e-Series 350 A and HD-Series 600 A on/off switches, at Fisheries Supply, read 16 October 2026. |
| Control-circuit fuse and switch | A small fuse, and often a switch, on the thin wire that powers the panel or control box. | An 8 A fuse on the control box feed | $8–$12Blue Sea in-line ATO fuse holders, at Fisheries Supply, read 16 October 2026. |
| Battery cable and lugs | The two heavy cables from the battery to the motor, sized to the length of the run. The wiring calculator sizes them. | Max Power names none | In the electrical line |
| Battery bank | A cranking-type bank near the motor, sized by the maker's cold cranking amps. The battery calculator checks it. | Max Power names none | In the electrical line |
| Charger or charge feed | How the thruster bank gets charged: a shore charger of its own, a DC-to-DC charger or charging relay from the boat's system, or a charger built into the unit. | Max Power names none | $146–$305NOCO GEN5X2 shore charger, Victron Orion-Tr Smart DC-DC charger, Blue Sea ML-ACR charging relay, at Fisheries Supply. |
| Glass, resin, filler and sealant | What bonds the tube or housing into the hull and seals the gear leg. | Max Power names none | Not priced |
The cost page has the whole list with what every maker says about each part.
For the yard and the installer
The full spec sheet, grouped the way a yard reads it. Every figure is the maker’s or a dealer’s, with its source.
| Thrust and motor | |
|---|---|
| Thrust | 320 lb (145 kgf) As printed: 145(kg) / 319(lbs) |
| Motor | 9.5 kW |
| Voltage | 24 V or 48 V |
| Fitting | |
| Type | Retractable, drops down |
| End of the boat | Not stated |
| Tunnel diameter | 250 mm |
| What it does to the hull | Large hull opening below the waterline |
| Haul-out to fit it | Yes |
| Maker’s boat length | 40 to 60 ft |
| Price and ordering | |
| Price | No US price published |
| Part number | 35043VIP 250 electric 9.5 kW, 24 V 601009VIP 250 electric 9.5 kW, 48 V 636046VIP 250 electric 15 kW, 24 V |
| Documents | |
| Manual | Installation manual (PDF)on the maker's site |
| Warranty | Max Power's website gives 3 years. Its manual gives 2, and 1 more if the warranty is registered within 3 months of installation. Outside pleasure craft it is 6 months. It transfers to the next owner, and the first year covers up to 2 hours of labor in the field. Max Power's warranty conditions |
| The site’s review | Max Power thruster review |
Draw, cable, fuse and battery, at each voltage
These are the maker’s own figures, at each voltage it is sold at. The cable is the size for the shortest run in the maker’s table. A longer run may need heavier cable, and the wiring calculator works that out for your own boat.
| Voltage | Draw | Maker’s cable | Fuse | Battery | Run limit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24 V | 330 Anominal draw | 1/0 AWG for up to 16 ft of cable counted out and back. Longer runs take heavier cableVIP 250 Electric installation manual | 200 A ceramic or 225 A ANLVIP 250 Electric manual | 1,150 CCA minimum, as the manual asks for two AGM starting batteries of 1150 CCA in series at leastMax Power installation manual VIP 250 Electric | Not published |
- At 24 V: size the cable for your run, or check the battery you have.
For the yard and the installer
The full spec sheet, grouped the way a yard reads it. Every figure is the maker’s or a dealer’s, with its source.
| Thrust and motor | |
|---|---|
| Thrust | 551 lb (250 kgf) As printed: 250(kg) / 550(lbs) |
| Motor | 15 kW |
| Voltage | 24 V |
| Fitting | |
| Type | Retractable, drops down |
| End of the boat | Not stated |
| Tunnel diameter | 250 mm |
| What it does to the hull | Large hull opening below the waterline |
| Haul-out to fit it | Yes |
| Maker’s boat length | 40 to 60 ft |
| Price and ordering | |
| Price | No US price published |
| Part number | 35043VIP 250 electric 9.5 kW, 24 V 601009VIP 250 electric 9.5 kW, 48 V 636046VIP 250 electric 15 kW, 24 V |
| Documents | |
| Manual | Installation manual (PDF)on the maker's site |
| Warranty | Max Power's website gives 3 years. Its manual gives 2, and 1 more if the warranty is registered within 3 months of installation. Outside pleasure craft it is 6 months. It transfers to the next owner, and the first year covers up to 2 hours of labor in the field. Max Power's warranty conditions |
| The site’s review | Max Power thruster review |
Draw, cable, fuse and battery, at each voltage
These are the maker’s own figures, at each voltage it is sold at. The cable is the size for the shortest run in the maker’s table. A longer run may need heavier cable, and the wiring calculator works that out for your own boat.
| Voltage | Draw | Maker’s cable | Fuse | Battery | Run limit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24 V | 690 Anominal draw | 1/0 AWG for up to 16 ft of cable counted out and back. Longer runs take heavier cableVIP 250 SP Electric installation manual | 250 A ceramic or 400 A ANLVIP 250 SP Electric manual | 2,400 CCA minimum, as the manual gives 2400 CCA and 150 Ah in totalMax Power installation manual VIP 250 SP Electric, February 2025 | Not published |
- At 24 V: size the cable for your run, or check the battery you have.
What holds up and what to weigh
Each point names the fact it rests on.
What holds up
- It is sold at 24 V and at 48 V.The maker's and dealers' listings
What to weigh
- The boat comes out of the water to fit it: it needs a large hull opening below the waterline.The mounting: a bore through the hull, or a housing recessed into it
- No US dollar price is published for it, so we can work out no fitted cost.The maker and the dealers the database reads
What the manual and listings say
This is the note we keep on the Max Power VIP 250, written from the maker’s manual, its product pages and the dealer’s listing.
In the box: Delivered without accessories: the fuse, holder and control panel are bought.
VIP 250 electric 9.5 kW, 24 V
A vertically retracting unit in a 250 mm housing, for high-performance sailing yachts and super-fast motor yachts of 40 to 60 ft by Max Power's page. It drops to push and lifts flush with the hull when stowed. A brushed DC motor rated S2, two minutes at a stretch. A large hull opening and a housing make it a bigger yard job than a tunnel.
Max Power publishes no price and sells through dealers. The 9.5 kW unit at 24 V; its manual asks for two starting batteries in series at least (its example is an AGM battery of 1,150 cold cranking amps).
VIP 250 electric 9.5 kW, 48 V
The 9.5 kW unit at 48 V. The product page links no 48 V manual for it, so this site holds no battery or cable figure of its own for this version.
VIP 250 electric 15 kW, 24 V
The 15 kW unit at 24 V, the strongest electric retractable Max Power lists. Its own manual (February 2025) asks for 2,400 cold cranking amps and 150 Ah in total.
Videos
One of Max Power’s own videos, from its YouTube channel: a short reel of the range. It is the maker’s pitch. Watch it for what the unit looks like and how it goes in, and take any claim back to the figures above.
Other sizes and close alternatives
Max Power also sells this thrust built another way. Each has its own page:
- Proportional (ECO): Max Power VIP 250 ECO.
These are Max Power’s next sizes in the same line, by thrust.
- One size down: Max Power VIP 150, three sizes, 212 to 254 lb, $8,598 to $8,698.
These are other makers’ units of the same style, for the same end, within a quarter of its published thrust. Each is that maker’s nearest match.
- Quick BTR 250, three sizes, 265 to 529 lb, $23,840 to $26,476.
- Sleipner ERV210 eVision, 463 lb, $28,545.
Every model with a page here is listed, maker by maker, on the thruster index.