Sideshift’s series of bow and stern thrusters are specially designed for houseboats up to 75′. (US Patent 10167069) Fully retractable with no interference when beaching, you can now experience stress-free handling and control when docking in any situation.

The world’s first retractable thruster – for a Houseboat!

With their shallow draft and significant windage, houseboats can be extremely difficult to handle around a dock – even on the best of days. With the introduction of the HB series of retractable thrusters, Sideshift has set the standard for a powerful, easy-to-install thruster for houseboats up to 75′.

Installed easily in a few hours as a DIY project, or by any marina or boatyard, the powerful dual prop thruster sits at home under the bow in our rugged, marine grade anodized aluminum housing, ready for use when you need it!

To deploy, simply press the helm-mounted actuator switch and within seconds the thruster 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 quarter situations.

The compact, low profile housing design keeps the thruster out of harm’s way at all speeds, and it doesn’t interfere with beaching or shallow water situations. As an added bonus, our HB Series thrusters include Sideshift’s popular remote control key fob that puts precision control right in the palm of your hand. You or your first mate can now have full control of the bow from anywhere on the boat or dock, to secure the lines and avoid any miscommunication.

And for even greater control of your houseboat, you can add our ST350 Stern Thruster and dual joystick for a complete system ready to take on any docking or close-quarters situation!