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Thruster specs
Sleipner SE120/215T-24V: specs, price and the boats it fits
The SE120 steps up to a 215 mm tube and 24 V only. It puts out 306 lb of push from twin propellers for boats of about 43 to 59 ft, where a 12 V unit would need cables too heavy to be practical.
Defender lists it at $4,905. The tube, a control panel, the main switch and a fuse add about $775 to $1,448. A 24 V thruster runs from two batteries wired in series, so if the boat has no 24 V bank, those batteries, the cable and charging come to about $980 to $1,067. See the parts list.
Sleipner rates the motor for 2 to 3 minutes before it needs a break, so plan your approach and use it in pushes. The panel shuts down after a few idle minutes and needs two buttons to wake, a guard against bumps. Two years of warranty, 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 (4 sources, read 12 October 2026)
Key facts
- DIY level 2 of 5 Wiring prep only
- Thrust 306 lb 139 kgf, Sleipner's rating
- Boat length 43 to 59 ft Sleipner's own range
- Price $4,905 equipment only, defender.com, 28 August 2026
- Fitted by a yard $12,770 to $22,430 Our estimate at 50 ft, unit and job
- Voltage 24 V As sold
- Mounts Tunnel Fixed mount, bow or stern
- To fit it Haul-out The boat comes out of the water
- Run limit 2 to 3 min Duty cycle at 20 C ambient
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: 32 to 70 h Electrician: 2 to 4 h Plus a haul-out.
- Cut, bond and fair the tunnel; fit the gear leg, motor and propeller Yard 32 to 70 h 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 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 44 ft, and a catamaran to 64 ft. The maker gives one range for every boat.
The table below tries the Sleipner SE120/215T-24V 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 39 ft and up to 64 ft, just past Sleipner’s own range (43 to 59 ft).
| 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 | 49 to 59 ft | 60 to 64 ftfull thrust to about 14 knots at 64 ft |
| Houseboat | 39 to 44 ft | 45 to 64 ftfull thrust to about 10 knots at 64 ft |
| Catamaran | 55 to 64 ft | None |
| Trawler | 48 to 58 ft | 59 to 64 ftfull thrust to about 14 knots at 64 ft |
| Motor yacht | 48 to 58 ft | 59 to 64 ftfull thrust to about 14 knots at 64 ft |
| 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 | 62 to 64 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
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 $700 to $3,090 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. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 39 ft | $4,905 | $5,120 to $8,10032 to 45 hours | $700 to $1,880 | $980 to $1,067 | $775 to $1,448 | $12,480 to $17,400 |
| 50 ft | $4,905 | $5,120 to $12,60032 to 70 hours | $990 to $2,410 | $980 to $1,067 | $775 to $1,448 | $12,770 to $22,430 |
| 64 ft | $4,905 | $5,120 to $12,60032 to 70 hours | $1,230 to $3,090 | $980 to $1,067 | $775 to $1,448 | $13,010 to $23,110 |
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 24 V: two 12 V batteries in series, at least 855 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.
- 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, the tunnel and the 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, $775 to $1,448 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tunnel tube | The fiberglass, aluminum or steel pipe the thruster sits in, bonded through the bow. | SM12010, SM12012, SM12015 (39 in, 49 in, 59 in) | $438–$633215 mm fiberglass tunnel tubes up to 60 in (1.5 m) long (Sleipner Side-Power), at Fisheries Supply, read 16 October 2026. |
| 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 | 306 lb (139 kgf) As printed: Thrust @ 24V DC: 306 lbs (139 kg) |
| Thrust under load | 264 lb at 21 V |
| Motor | 6.4 kW |
| Voltage | 24 V |
| Fitting | |
| Type | Tunnel, fixed mount |
| End of the boat | Bow or stern |
| Tunnel diameter | 215 mm |
| What it does to the hull | Tunnel bore below the waterline |
| Haul-out to fit it | Yes |
| Weight | 34 kg (75 lb)Sleipner’s product page |
| Maker’s boat length | 43 to 59 ft |
| The tunnel | |
| 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) |
| Price and ordering | |
| Price | $4,905 equipment only, a dealer's price, defender.com, 28 August 2026 |
| Part number | Not held for this listing |
| 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 325installation guide | 450 CCA DIN minimumSleipner installation manual, SE120/215T | 2 to 3 min duty cycle at 20 C ambientproduct page, "Motor cycle duty" |
- 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
- Sleipner sells it for either end, so it can go at the bow or the stern.The maker's listing
- Sleipner also prints a second, lower thrust figure for when the battery sags under load: 264 lb at 21 V.The maker's published rating
What to weigh
- The boat comes out of the water to fit it: it needs a tunnel bore 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 SE120/215T-24V, written from the maker’s manual, its product pages and the dealer’s listing.
In the box: Gasket, bolts and anode with the unit. The panel, its cable, the fuse and main switch are bought.
Our note
Twin props in a 215 mm tunnel, 34 kg, 24 V only, for boats of 43 to 59 ft. The current guide (2687 rev 30) gives 420 A, matching the page, and a minimum battery of 450 cold cranking amps DIN (855 SAE). The 2015 copy said 400 A, with 1/0 AWG cable to 14 m of total run and 4/0 at 35 m.
The page adds an ANL 325 fuse. 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.
Videos
Two of Sleipner’s own videos, from its YouTube channel: how the tunnel mouth changes the thrust you get, and the current E-series tunnel units. 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:
- Proportional (SEP): Sleipner SEP120/215T-24V, $6,291.
These are Sleipner’s nearest sizes by thrust, in any of its lines.
- One size down: Sleipner E130/250T, 287 lb, $7,650.
- One size up: Sleipner SE150/215T-24V, 400 lb, $5,895.
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.
- VETUS Bow 125, two sizes, 275 to 308 lb, $4,589.
- Lewmar 250TT GEN 2 Tunnel Thruster, 308 lb, $4,949.
- Max Power CT125 (24 V), 254 lb, $2,947.
Every model with a page here is listed, maker by maker, on the thruster index.