Thruster Facts
Here are some facts about our Thruster products.

Electric Motor
Our electric motors are specially designed and built for Sidepower. They are made to achieve maximum performance in real-life conditions, still keeping weight, size and power consumption to a minimum. All Sidepower electric thrusters can be run for at least 3 minutes continuously and have a built in overheat protection. An important feature is the battery cable connection poles on the sides of the motor, which makes it faster and easier to install the thruster.

Solenoids
The solenoids are mounted directly on the motor, behind a strong cover. They are designed to prevent a voltage drop that could reduce performance. Sidepower thrusters come standard with an electronic control box, protecting the unit against failure due to sudden change of drive direction.

Motor Bracket
The motor bracket fastens the motor and the underwater gear house to the tunnel. We have made this a strong, yet lightweight construction.

Gear House
The gear house is made of seawater-resistant bronze. Its slim and hydrodynamic design keeps water resistance and turbulence to a minimum. The drive gear is protected by a shear-pin or a flexible coupling on all models.

Propeller
We use only lightweight composite propellers for optimum performance and minimal noise. These propellers provide equal thrust in both directions.

Zinc Anodes
To protect the metal parts that are exposed to water against electrolysis and corrosion, we have installed replaceable zinc anodes. Fastened by just one screw these zinc anodes are easy to access and replace from the outside without removing other parts.

Q: Can I install a thruster when I have very limited space in the bow of my boat ?
A: Yes, a thruster can be installed in most boats by adapting the tunnel installation to the shape of the hull. You can also install the thruster in a horizontal position so that it goes under the floor if necessary. The Sidepower installation manual will show you how to do this for almost any type of boat.

Q: Will a tunnel installation slow down my boat ?
A: Yes. However with a good tunnel installation, any loss of performance will not be noticeable in most boats.

Q: Does a thruster need servicing ?
A: A Sidepower thruster needs a minimum of servicing. Simply change the zinc anode annually, or when necessary, and check the oiltank.

Q: Why can an electric thruster only run continously for a limited time ?
A: Depending on the electric motor’s efficiency, it will transform part of its energy consumption into heat. That is why the Sidepower motors are custom built for high energy efficiency and can be operated continously for 3 minutes or more. With the correct size of thruster an average usage time would be 10 to 20 seconds to perform most manoeuveres.

Q: Will the bow be weakend by installing a tunnel ?
A: No, not at all. The bow will actually be considerably stronger and stiffer by installing a tunnel.

Q: What will influence the thruster’s actual performance ?
A: The tunnel position in the boat is important. The further forward you install the tunnel, the more leverage you get. The tunnel integration with the hull is also important to ensure the best possible waterflow for the thruster and to avoid turbulence and cavitation. As the actual effect of an electric motor is totally dependant on the voltage it gets while running, it is very imporant to use high power batteries and good cable sizes. The bigger the better.