Vetus BOW6012D Bow Thruster 60 kgf
#1 in 45 to 75 kgfFull review
A step up from the BOW5512D for a 27 to 40 ft boat, though Vetus gives two different thrust figures and a Sleipner SE60 costs less.
Amazon $2,242.61$2,242.61
A bow thruster is an electric propeller that pushes a boat sideways, so one person can dock a heavy cruiser in a crosswind. These rankings cover the 12 and 24 V electric thrusters sold to boat owners: tunnel units, where a propeller turns in a tube through the hull, and external units that bolt to the outside of it. They compare what the makers publish on the same terms: what each costs for a kilogram-force (kgf) of thrust, how much thrust it makes per kW of motor, how long it may run, and how heavy it is.
Thrust is the first choice, and the three ranking pages group thrusters by it: under 45 kgf, 45 to 75 kgf and over 75 kgf. Each maker publishes a boat length range for its thrusters, but sources conflict on sizing, and wind, windage and hull shape matter as much as length. Choose by the maker’s range for your boat, then step up if the boat has high topsides or sits in a windy slip.
Voltage is the second. A 12 V thruster of 4 kW or more draws hundreds of amps (Sleipner publishes 530 A for its SE80 and 800 A for its SE130), which needs heavy cables and a large battery bank. The same SE80 on 24 V draws 280 A.
Rating basis is the third. Makers rate thrust at different voltages. Sleipner’s headline figure is the thrust at 10.5 V, the level a 12 V system sags to under load, and it also publishes a higher figure at the full 12 V (for the SE60, 60 kgf and 73 kgf). The rankings use each maker’s headline figure.
Run time is short on all of them. These thrusters are for docking, and the makers allow only 2 to 5 minutes of continuous use before the motor must cool.
Hydraulic, retractable and 48 V commercial thrusters, and control panels, tunnels and spare parts sold alone aren’t ranked.
Prices were last checked November 4, 2026. Product prices and availability are accurate as of that date and are subject to change; the price and availability shown on Amazon or the retailer's site at the time of purchase apply. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
Top Picks
Sleipner SE60 Tunnel Thruster 12V
#4 in 45 to 75 kgfFull review
The best value in the range for a 30 to 39 ft boat, with enough thrust for a heavy cruiser in moderate wind.
Amazon $1,900$1,900
Shop by Thrust
Under 45 kgf
8 rankedSmall tunnel and external thrusters for runabouts and cruisers up to about 34 ft.
Top rated: Sleipner SE40 Tunnel Thruster 12V $1,450
45 to 75 kgf
8 rankedMid-size thrusters for cruisers and sailboats from about 30 to 45 ft.
Top rated: Vetus BOW6012D Bow Thruster 60 kgf $2,242.61
Over 75 kgf
4 rankedBig thrusters for yachts of 35 ft and up, many needing hundreds of amps.
Top rated: Sleipner SE130 Tunnel Thruster 12V $4,013.39
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Best Bow Thrusters Under 45 kgf of Thrust
- Sleipner SE40 Tunnel Thruster 12V#1 of 8Full review
A strong value pick for a 26 to 34 ft boat: about $36 per kgf from a compact unit. Check that your battery bank can feed 315 A.
Amazon $1,450$1,45040 kgf2.2 kW12 V - Sleipner SE30 Tunnel Thruster 12V#2 of 8Full review
The cheapest way into a Sleipner tunnel thruster, for a small cruiser or runabout. Pick the SE40 if your boat is near the top of its length range.
Amazon $1,341$1,34130 kgf1.5 kW12 V - Lewmar 140TT 2.0 kW Tunnel Thruster#3 of 8Full review
The older Lewmar 140TT. Buy it only to replace an existing unit; the Gen 2 2.2 kW version gives 5 kgf more for about $225 more.
Amazon $1,613.74$1,613.7437 kgf2 kW12 V - Lewmar 140TT 2.2 kW Gen 2 Thruster#4 of 8Full review
The current Lewmar for a mid-size boat. Fine if you already have Lewmar controls; otherwise Sleipner is cheaper for the thrust.
Amazon $1,839.37$1,839.3742 kgf2.2 kW12 V - Lewmar 110TT Tunnel Thruster Kit#5 of 8Full review
A kit for a small boat up to about 28 ft that wants everything in one box. Sleipner SE30 gives more thrust for about the same money.
Amazon $1,342.88$1,342.8828 kgf1.5 kW12 V
Best Bow Thrusters From 45 to 75 kgf of Thrust
- Vetus BOW6012D Bow Thruster 60 kgf#1 of 8Full review
A step up from the BOW5512D for a 27 to 40 ft boat, though Vetus gives two different thrust figures and a Sleipner SE60 costs less.
Amazon $2,242.61$2,242.6165 kgf3 kW12 V - Sleipner SE50 Tunnel Bow Thruster 12V#2 of 8Full review
A mid-size bow thruster for a 26 to 36 ft boat. Buy the SE60 instead if you also want a stern thruster of the same family.
Amazon $1,700$1,70050 kgf2.4 kW12 V - Vetus BOW5512D Bow Thruster 55 kgf#3 of 8Full review
The Vetus pick for a 26 to 39 ft boat, at about the price of a Sleipner SE60 but with less thrust.
Amazon $1,845.97$1,845.9755 kgf3 kW12 V - Sleipner SE60 Tunnel Thruster 12V#4 of 8Full review
The best value in the range for a 30 to 39 ft boat, with enough thrust for a heavy cruiser in moderate wind.
Amazon $1,900$1,90060 kgf3.1 kW12 V - Lewmar 185TT 3.0 kW Gen 2 Thruster#5 of 8Full review
Lewmar’s mid-large thruster. It matches a Sleipner SE60 on thrust but costs about $300 more.
Amazon $2,197.12$2,197.1258 kgf3 kW12 V
Best Bow Thrusters Over 75 kgf of Thrust
- Sleipner SE130 Tunnel Thruster 12V#1 of 4Full review
For a 43 to 62 ft boat with a big battery bank. Most boats this size are better served by a 24 V version if the maker offers one.
Amazon $4,013.39$4,013.39130 kgf6.5 kW12 V - Sleipner SE80 Tunnel Thruster 24V#2 of 4Full review
The better SE80 when your boat has 24 V batteries: thinner cables and a lower price for the same thrust.
Amazon $2,500$2,50080 kgf4.4 kW24 V - Sleipner SE80 Tunnel Thruster 12V#3 of 4Full review
Strong thrust for a 33 to 49 ft boat that has only a 12 V system. If you can run 24 V, the 24 V version needs about half the current.
Amazon $2,700$2,70080 kgf4.4 kW12 V - Vetus BOW9512D Bow Thruster 95 kgf#4 of 4Full review
For a large boat on 12 V that needs more than 75 kgf. At this price compare the Sleipner SE80 and its 24 V version.
Amazon $3,734.35$3,734.3595 kgf6 kW12 V
How We Rank
Each thruster is ranked against others of the same thrust class, and scored on its price per kgf of thrust, its thrust per kW of motor power, its allowed run time and its thrust per kg of weight.
| Factor | Measures | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Value | price per kgf of thrust | 40% |
| Efficiency | thrust per kW of motor power | 25% |
| Run time | longest continuous run the maker allows | 25% |
| Weight | thrust per kg of unit weight | 10% |
How we rank explains each factor in full.