New Side-Power Retractable Thrusters

IMTRA, manufacturer and importer of marine products, announced a new line of retractable thrusters, the Side-Power SR Series SR80/185T and SR100/185T. These fully retractable SR Series thrusters are suitable for both sail and power vessels for which traditional tunnel thruster installation is impossible or impractical.

Side-Power SR Series thrusters are installed inside the vessel. When not in use, they are completely encapsulated and locked flush with the vessel bottom ensuring maximum boat performance. SR thrusters incorporate industry safety and functionality standards that are found in all Side-Power products, including quiet, high-performance Q-prop skew blade propellers, a lifetime lubricated sealed drive mechanism, full galvanic isolation eliminating electrolysis and Side-Power’s patented Intelligent Power Control (IPC) technology.

The retractable thrusters feature a load sensor on the hatch that automatically retracts if the boat moves faster than a defined speed or if the thrusters have not been in use for several minutes. The SR Series’ motor remains stationary at all times eliminating stress on power cable connections as well as jamming and sticking, and significantly reduces deployment and stowage time by moving less weight.

The SR Series features a plug-and-play S-Link two-way CANbus-based control cable system that provides communication between the unit and its easy-to-use control panel. Designed to NMEA 2000 standards, the S-link cable system consists of round, compact and waterproof plugs that alleviate the risk of shorting cables or activating the thruster unintentionally.

The SR80/185T is ideally suited for 35 to 48 ft boats, weighs 68 pounds, and generates 212 pounds of thrust. The SR100/185T is designed for 40 to 55 ft boats, weighs 88 pounds, and generates 256 pounds of thrust. Both units are available in 12V and 24V models. The SR Series’ gearlegs are made of seawater resistant bronze, sealed for lifetime lubrication and feature hardened and ground precision spiro-conical gears, five-blade composite propellers and easy-to-access zinc anodes. Side-Power SR Series safety features include an overheat sensor with forced shutdown; positive locking connectors that cannot be pulled off or shaken loose; extra webbed silicon for increased resistance to heat and mechanical wear; indicator lights on the control panel to alert boaters of the thruster status and any problems; automatic mechanical lock when retracted to eliminate unintended deployment; and an S-link integrated patented IPC system for protection against direct drive direction change, low voltage situations and potential short circuits. The Side-Power SR Series retractable thrusters from Imtra are protected by a two-year limited warranty.

The Side-Power SR80/185T and SR100/185T retractable thrusters have a suggested retail price of $9,950 and $11,500, respectively.

(www.imtra.com)