Max Power

Max Power only makes one kind of thing: thrusters and the controls and accessories that go with them. The company was founded in 1987 in Mandelieu, France. Production moved to Italy at the end of 2011, and the brand is now part of Lalizas, the marine equipment group based in Piraeus, Greece, which announced the purchase in 2012. Max Power's site lists its headquarters in Cambiago, outside Milan.

There's a common assumption that Max Power belongs to Lewmar. It doesn't. They're separate companies with separate engineering, and we compare them directly in Lewmar vs Max Power.

Product lines

CT electric tunnel thrusters

The volume line. Eleven DC models from the CT25 (30 kgf, 110 mm) to the CT325 (325 kgf at 24V, 315 mm). The interesting ones are the twin-prop units in small tunnels: CT45 in 125 mm, CT80 and CT100 in 185 mm. Max Power calls the CT80 its best seller. Most use Max Power's patented composite drive legs. See our CT series review.

ECO proportional

Brushless, fully proportional tunnel thrusters: ECO 90, 110, 130, 150 and 225, in 185 and 250 mm tunnels, 24V or 48V. Each ships with a proportional joystick and CAN cable, and Max Power lists run time as unlimited until the battery runs out. Reviewed in Max Power ECO and VIP ECO.

Retractables

This is where Max Power stands out. The flange-mounted Compact Retract covers 30 to 52 ft boats; the VIP 150 and VIP 250 electric units go up to 250 kgf; and the hydraulic R200, R300, R450 and R600 scale all the way to 167 ft yachts. Details in our Max Power retractable review.

Also in the catalog

Hydraulic CT tunnel thrusters, ignition-protected models, stern pod thrusters (CT 45, CT 80, CT 100) for boats that can't take a stern tunnel, a CT550 three-phase AC unit, and the usual control panels, remotes, props and fuses.

Strengths

• Thrust in small tunnels. Twin props in 125 and 185 mm let you get more push without cutting a bigger hole.
• Retractable breadth. Few brands cover 30 ft sailboats and 160 ft yachts with retracts.
• Honest rating notes. Max Power says plainly that 12V units are designed to run at 10.75V and that thrust figures assume a short tunnel at one diameter's depth.
• 48V options on several larger models, which Max Power says cut current draw by 48 percent versus 24V.

Weak spots

• US support depth. Max Power works through authorized dealers here, including EC Ruff Marine in Pompano Beach, Florida. That's good in South Florida; elsewhere, line up service first.
• The ECO app is Android only, per Max Power's listings.
• Rating comparisons take care. Some figures are quoted at 12V and others at 10.75V. Compare like with like.

Installer notes

A few things we plan for on any Max Power job. The 12V CT models draw heavy current, so battery location comes first and cable sizing second. Max Power's spec sheets assume a tunnel no longer than two diameters at one diameter's depth; long tunnels on deep-forefoot hulls will see less than the brochure number. The control electronics include a port/starboard reversal delay, which owners sometimes mistake for lag; it's there to protect the drive. On retractables, the Compact Retract's flange still has to be laminated into the hull properly, and that hull work is most of the job. Our bow thruster installation and retractable installation pages explain how we approach both.

Who should look at Max Power

Owners with a hull that limits tunnel size, sailboats that need a retractable, and 24V boats that want proportional control without going hydraulic. If one of those sounds like your boat, start with the review that matches, then get in touch for an install quote. For sizing, try the thruster sizing calculator first.

Questions people ask