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Thruster specs
Sleipner ERL170 eVision: specs, price and the boats it fits
The ERL170 brings counter-rotating twin propellers and the eVision motor to a low-profile retractable for boats of about 49 to 72 ft. It gives 375 lb of push at 24 or 48 V, with the joystick setting how much, and Sleipner designs it for boats with limited headroom.
Imtra, Sleipner’s US distributor, lists the 24 V build at $29,500, before a separate tariff line, and gives no price for the 48 V one. The 24 V unit runs from two batteries in series near the unit, the 48 V from four. Sleipner names it the replacement for the discontinued SRLP170, so owners of that unit have somewhere to go. See the specs.
The installation manual gives full thrust 2 to 3 minutes at a time at 20 C, where the product page says continuous, and the motor has no brushes to wear. At about 93 kg it is a substantial unit to support in the hull. Two-year warranty for leisure boats, transferable.
The full spec sheet for a yard sits lower down, and the Sleipner (Side-Power) review covers Sleipner’s whole range.
Where this summary comes from (6 sources, read 15 October 2026)
Key facts
- DIY level 2 of 5 Wiring prep only
- Thrust 375 lb 170 kgf, Sleipner's rating
- Boat length 49 to 72 ft Sleipner's own range
- Price $29,500 equipment only, imtra.com, 15 October 2026
- Fitted by a yard $38,376 to $50,576 Our estimate at 60 ft, unit and job
- Voltage 24 V or 48 V As sold
- Mounts Retractable Drops down, bow or stern
- 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, except the fitted cost, which is our 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 48 ft, and a catamaran to 74 ft. The maker gives one range for every boat.
The table below tries the Sleipner ERL170 eVision on each kind of boat, at every length that kind of boat is built in. The wind is 15 knots and the rules are the finder’s own. A length counts as a fit when the unit gives the thrust that boat needs at the bow and the maker lists it for that length.
A boat up to 10 percent past the maker’s range still counts here, as it does in the finder. So the table runs down to 45 ft and up to 79 ft, just past Sleipner’s own range (49 to 72 ft).
| Boat | Full thrust at 15 knots | Still a fit, in lighter wind |
|---|---|---|
| Pontoon & tritoon | Not listed. A retractable drops down inside the hull, and a pontoon has no hull depth to drop into. | |
| Sailboat | 54 to 65 ft | 66 to 79 ftfull thrust to about 12 knots at 79 ft |
| Houseboat | 45 to 48 ft | 49 to 72 ftfull thrust to about 10 knots at 72 ft |
| Catamaran | 61 to 74 ft | 75 to 79 ftfull thrust to about 14 knots at 79 ft |
| Trawler | 53 to 65 ft | 66 to 79 ftfull thrust to about 12 knots at 79 ft |
| Motor yacht | 53 to 65 ft | 66 to 79 ftfull thrust to about 12 knots at 79 ft |
| Bass & flats | Not listed. A retractable needs hull depth to drop into, and these planing hulls have almost none forward. | |
| Wake & ski boats | Not listed. A retractable needs hull depth to drop into, and these planing hulls have almost none forward. | |
| Express cruiser | No length. More thrust than the boat needs. | |
| Center console | No length. More thrust than the boat needs. | |
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 five 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
These totals are our estimate of a yard job: the unit’s price, plus a yard’s hours at $160 to $180 an hour, plus the batteries, cable and charger, plus the other parts the box does not hold. A Lifting the boat out of the water on a travel lift or a trailer so work can be done below the waterline. It is billed separately from the job itself. adds $800 to $3,810 at these lengths, with 5 to 7 days out of the water, worked from eight yards’ own rate cards. The hours are our own estimate. Your own yard will have its own opinion. The cost page builds the same figures line by line.
| Boat length | The unit | Yard labor | Haul-out | Batteries, cable, charger | Other parts | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 45 ft | $29,500 | $6,400 to $14,40040 to 80 hours | $800 to $2,170 | $980 to $1,521 | $336 to $815 | $38,016 to $48,406 |
| 60 ft | $29,500 | $6,400 to $15,84040 to 88 hours | $1,160 to $2,900 | $980 to $1,521 | $336 to $815 | $38,376 to $50,576 |
| 79 ft | $29,500 | $6,400 to $15,84040 to 88 hours | $1,480 to $3,810 | $980 to $1,521 | $336 to $815 | $38,696 to $51,486 |
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 12 October 2026.
- At 48 V: four 12 V batteries in series, at least 428 CCA each (Sleipner’s minimum), $1,027 for all four; Sleipner’s cable table gives 2/0 AWG: $114 to $201 for the red and black cable and the lugs; two GEN5X2 chargers, $293.
- At 24 V: two 12 V batteries in series, at least 798 CCA each (Sleipner’s minimum), $720 for both; Sleipner’s cable table gives 2/0 AWG: $114 to $201 for the red and black cable and the lugs; a GEN5X2 charger, $146.
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 Sleipner’s SE80 to SE150 installation guide, document 2687 rev 30, 2025, 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 gasket, bolts and anode come with the unit. The SEP guides call the power controller "the included PPC unit".
- Bought separately
- The ANL fuse and a main switch ("must include"), the control panel with its own guide, the panel cable and the battery cable.
- 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.
The manual’s words, 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 is the priced parts below, $336 to $815 at Fisheries Supply’s prices on 30 September 2026. The batteries, cable and charger have a line of their own.
| 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. | SM8960G single joystick, SM8950G touch panel | $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. | Side-Power 4-wire control cable, by length | $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. | Side-Power ANL fuse, the rating in the yard table below | $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. | SMANLHOLD (SMANLHOLD-C with a cover) | $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. | Side-Power manual main switch, 350 or 600 A, or the automatic AMS | $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. | Sleipner names none | $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. | Sleipner 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. | Sleipner 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. | Sleipner 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. | Sleipner 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 | 375 lb (170 kgf) As printed: 170 kg |
| Motor | 7.3 kW |
| Voltage | 24 V or 48 V |
| Fitting | |
| Type | Retractable, drops down |
| End of the boat | Bow or stern |
| Tunnel diameter | 250 mm |
| What it does to the hull | Large hull opening below the waterline |
| Haul-out to fit it | Yes |
| Maker’s boat length | 49 to 72 ft |
| Price and ordering | |
| Price | $29,500 equipment only, a dealer's price, imtra.com, 15 October 2026 |
| Part number | ERL170/250TC-48V48 V, 48 V DC (nominal 42 V DC) ERL170/250TC-24V24 V, 24 V DC (nominal 21 V DC) |
| Documents | |
| Manual | Installation manualon the maker's product page |
| 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. Sleipner's warranty statement, effective 1 April 2022 |
| The site’s review | Sleipner (Side-Power) 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 | 420 Anominal draw | 2/0 AWG for up to 22 ft of cable counted out and back. Longer runs take heavier cableinstallation guide | ANL 400installation guide | 420 CCA DIN minimumSleipner installation guide, ERL and ERV 130 to 210 eVision, document 7241 rev 22 (2025) | Not published |
| 48 V | 225 Anominal draw | 2/0 AWG for up to 22 ft of cable counted out and back. Longer runs take heavier cableinstallation guide | ANL 200installation guide | 225 CCA DIN minimumSleipner installation guide, ERL and ERV 130 to 210 eVision, document 7241 rev 22 (2025) | Not published |
- At 24 V: size the cable for your run, or check the battery you have.
- At 48 V: size the cable for your run, or check the battery you have.
What holds up and what to weigh
Each point names the fact it rests on.
What holds up
- Sleipner sells it for either end, so it can go at the bow or the stern.The maker's listing
- It is sold at 24 V and at 48 V.The maker's and dealers' listings
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
What the manual and listings say
This is the note we keep on the Sleipner ERL170 eVision, written from the maker’s manual, its product pages and the dealer’s listing.
In the box: A brushless eVision motor on S-Link control. The panel, fuse and main switch are bought.
24 V
This retractable lives in a housing let into the hull through a large opening, and drops when used. It is a bigger yard job than a tunnel. It also has a mechanism to keep in order. The 24 V build of the brushless low-profile ERL170.
48 V
The brushless eVision motor comes from the series launched in 2022. The page rates it continuous at 22 C, limited only by the battery. The motor holds one thrust figure across the voltage range. The brushed series print a lower figure at the voltage a battery sags to.
This unit runs at 48 V, for boats of 49 to 72 ft, and is rated 170 kg at both 48 and 42 V. There is no dealer price, and the maker publishes none.
Videos
Two of Sleipner’s own videos, from its YouTube channel: X-Yachts on the ERV100 retractable in a 47 ft sailboat, and how the SRV and SRL retractables go in. They are the maker’s pitch. Watch them 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
Sleipner also sells this thrust built another way. Each has its own page:
- Same thrust: Sleipner ERV170 eVision, $26,455.
These are Sleipner’s nearest sizes by thrust, in any of its lines.
- One size down: Sleipner ERL130 eVision, 287 lb.
- One size up: Sleipner ERV210 eVision, 463 lb, $28,545.
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.
- Lewmar 250VRTT Vertical Retractable, 353 lb, $29,417.
Every model with a page here is listed, maker by maker, on the thruster index.