Sideshift’s Revolutionary New Pontoon Thruster
It’s Time to Shift Your Thinking About Docking a Pontoon Boat
From the company that invented the externally mounted bow thruster, Sideshift
introduces the PT230, the world’s first fully retractable thruster – for a
pontoon boat!
With their shallow draft, light weight and significant windage, pontoon boats
are notoriously difficult to handle around a dock or slipway. Add a strong
crosswind or current and the task can become a real exercise in frustration, and
may even compromise safety with your loved ones and friends
Perfect for Any Pontoon Boat
Installed easily in a few hours and perfect for either double, or tri-
pontoon configurations, the powerful single prop motor sits at home under the
deck in its rugged, marine grade anodized aluminum housing, ready for use when
you need it!
24′ Pontoon Boat – Retractable Bow
To deploy, simply press the helm-mounted actuator switch and within seconds
the PT230 drops down into position, stopping automatically at the perfect depth.
From here precision guidance is right at your fingertips with the simple
joystick control to swing your bow in any direction, regardless of wind or
current. Not only does docking become much easier and safer, but you will
experience stress-free handling and control in all close quarters situations.
The compact, low profile housing design keeps the PT230 out of harm’s way at
all speeds including wide open throttle, and it doesn’t interfere with beaching
or trailering your boat.
As an added bonus, the PT230 includes Sideshift’s popular remote control key
fob that puts precision control of the thruster in the palm of your hands. Your
first mate can now have full control of the bow to secure the lines and avoid
any miscommunication.
Take the stress out of docking or close quarter maneuvers with the
revolutionary PT230, the perfect complement to any pontoon boat
Are You Docking Like a Pro, or Being the Shore
Entertainment?
Does the thought of taking your boat out on the water on a windy day make you
more stressed out than excited? Are you using your boat less and less because of
your fear of docking? You are not alone.
Docking can be one of the most stressful experiences you will face as a boat
owner. Worrying about damaging your boat or your neighbours boat can turn a
beautiful day on the water into a stressful nightmare.
That’s where SideShift can help. Most of our customers purchase a SideShift
thruster system for one or more of the following reasons:
- I Want to Be Able to Park My Boat with Confidence: Slips
are getting tighter, and there are times when the wind just won’t cooperate.
- I Want to Stop Worrying about Damaging My Boat and My Neighbours
Boat: Our boats are major investments and I don’t want to risk
damage every time I want to go out on the water.
- I Want to Be Confident Exploring New Places: I bought my
boat so that I could explore new waters, but I need more precise control to
navigate unknown marinas and locks with confidence.
- I Want to Be Able to Dock in Any Condition: Windy
conditions make docking too unsafe for me to manage on my own or with my
spouse.
- I Want My Boating to Be Fun, Including Docking: Boating
is fun, but docking is stressful and I’m tired of the anxiety that comes with
docking in difficult conditions.
Do any of these points hit close to home? Then a Sideshift thruster
system might be the perfect answer for you.
Ultimate Control
No matter what weather you’re in, Sideshift is there to help guide your
boat home safely and easily, every time. Our pivot point advantage and
unique prop-in-water design deliver stronger, more immediate performance
than conventional tunnel thrusters. In stressful docking situations
seconds count, and Sideshift delivers the performance you need.
World-Class Support
For over a decade, thousands of customers in over forty countries have
put their trust in Sideshift bow and stern thrusters. Our success is no
secret. All of our products have been purpose-built for the most extreme
weather conditions. Using only the highest quality materials, we provide a
comprehensive two year warranty and we back it all up with the most
responsive product support team in the industry.
Why Sideshift Outperforms Other Docking Solutions
Our bow and stern thrusters rely on a revolutionary design pioneered by
Sideshift that places the thrusters on the outside of the hull, rather than
inside.
This unique design allows for quiet operation, better response and easy
installation, all at a lower installed cost than any competing thruster
solution.
Sideshift bow and stern thrusters are mounted externally to your boat, Unlike
tunnel thrusters that have the motor mounted inside the hull producing
significant noise and vibration, Sideshift thrusters are silent and vibration
free.
Sideshift thrusters’ external mounting position places our 8” aluminum
propellers in direct contact with the water, providing instant response when
seconds count. Conventional tunnel thrusters have to move water through a tube
or “tunnel” to provide thrust, which can delay response, wasting valuable
seconds in a critical docking situation. In addition, our external mounting
system places the thruster further forward or astern on the boat, which provides
a pivot-point advantage and more immediate response.
When you buy a bow or stern thruster from Sideshift, you’re dealing with the
industry pioneers behind external thruster technology. We help you every step of
the way to ensure that you get the right product, along with unlimited phone
support from our team of technical experts.
Is Sideshift Right for Your Boat?
Sideshift’s bow and stern thruster systems are perfect for most boats between
20 and 60 feet in length, and up to 70 feet for houseboats.
Our bow and stern thrusters are particularly suited to:
- Cruisers
- Trawlers
- Sports Boats
- Sailboats
- Houseboats
- Pontoon Boats
- Catamarans
Choosing the right bow and stern thruster is as easy as picking the product
that matches the length of your boat. And installation is so easy that it can be
done while your boat is still in the water!
How does Sideshift Compare to Tunnel Thrusters?
What would you say if we told you that you could get better performance, easy
installation, silent operation, and less drag for an installed cost up
to 50% lower than a conventional tunnel thruster?
How do I Install Sideshift Thrusters?
Installation
Our thrusters mount easily using our unique, universal mounting system.
Virtually any V-shaped bow, pontoon or stern can be accommodated.
And, to make things even simpler, our thruster systems now come standard with
our wireless joystick technology. The included wireless joystick control offers
simple plug and play for the helm-to-motor controller connection, eliminating
the hassle of long wire-runs, and shaving hours off installation time.
Do-It-Yourself
Installing a Sideshift bow and stern thruster is so easy that you can do it
yourself in less than a day. Other thruster systems can cost thousands of
dollars to install and take up to a week to complete. Not Sideshift! Just follow
the on-line video and easy, step-by-step instructions that are included with
every kit to get your boat out on the water faster. And we’re always available
to provide phone support if any questions come up.
Sideshift’s PT230 is perfect for any sized pontoon boat. The thruster has
several key advantages and features, including:
- Fully retractable 12VDC actuation system
- Powerful, 2.5hp thruster motor for instant response
- Easy DIY installation
- Whisper quiet
In the box
Sideshift pontoon thrusters are sold as a complete kit. Everything you need
is included except the power source. The kit includes:
- Retractable Single Prop Thruster
- Motor Controller
- Wireless Joystick
- Wiring Harness
- All Mounting Hardware
- Wireless Remote Control Key Fob
Simply open the box and get started! When you’re finished the installation
just connect to a power source and enjoy an amazing boating experience!
Sideshift’s pontoon thruster can be installed in less than a day.
- Easy, do-it-yourself installation
- Detailed installation manual and unlimited phone support
- Can be installed with your boat in the water
- No holes drilled below the waterline
- Can be installed by any marina or boatyard
All Sideshift thrusters are protected by our comprehensive 2-year
warranty. If you have any issues at all with your thruster, just give
us a call. At Sideshift, we always work to make sure every customer is
completely satisfied!
PT230 Pontoon Thruster
The PT230 Pontoon Thruster from Sideshift is a fully retractable bow thruster
made for pontoon boats of any size.
Description: PT230 Pontoon Thruster, 12 V DC, 300 Amps,
Single Prop, Anodized Marine Grade Aluminum Housing
Horsepower: 2.5 HP
The PT230 Pontoon Thruster from Sideshift is a fully retractable, 2.5
horsepower thruster that is perfect for pontoon boats of any size. The unit
mounts on the underside of the deck, above the water line on any dual or tritoon
boat. To deploy, simply press the helm-mounted actuator switch and within
seconds the PT230 drops down into position, stopping automatically at the
perfect depth. From here precision guidance is right at your fingertips with the
simple joystick control to swing your bow in any direction, regardless of wind
or current. An audible alarm and position sensor ensure operator awareness of
the thruster at all times, preventing accidental damage.
Saltwater proven, whisper quiet and water-cooled, the PT230 Pontoon Thruster
features a rugged 8” aluminum prop, rugged marine-grade anodized aluminum
housing and stainless steel hardware. Shipped as a complete kit with thruster,
controller, wireless joystick, wireless remote key fob, wiring harness and
mounting hardware, installing the PT230 Pontoon Thruster takes only a few hours
and can be done either in-water or on-land.
Resources
Click to view the Pontoon
Thruster Data Sheet
Click to view the Pontoon
Thruster Installation Manual
HOUSEBOATS + PONTOONS
WARNING:
This product can expose you to chemicals including Di-n-hexyl Phthalate (DnHP)
which is known to the State of California to cause reproductive harm, and
Vinyl Chloride which is known to the State of California to cause cancer. For
more information go to 
