Hi Alan. Thanks for your thoughts. The magnet idea sounds interesting, but not sure how it would work with a steel hull.My side thruster/dive plane axle doesn't penetrate the hull. It's a 2 inch diameter "slug" of stainless bar stock rotating in a section of 2 inch stainless pipe with ears welded on for mounting to the hull.The electric actuator will rotate the dive plane through a 120 degree arc from straight up vertical to down 30 degrees.I had planned on using the Firgelli 12 volt actuators but because I can't see the dive planes I wouldn't know what their position was.I too was planning on sealing the actuator in a stout fiberglass housing, and using a rubber bellows to seal the extension rod. Oil filled with a bladder for compensation.The Minn Kota actuator is sealed better than the Firgelli, and has the position sensing ability. I think the Minn Kota actuator will still need to be encased and oil filled for operation deeper than 10 feet or so I think, but it's a neat little package.The rudder actuator is the same idea but farther from the hull.The thru-hulls I'm using are 1 inch stainless nipples welded into the hull. The connector is a 1"X1-1/4" bell fitting with brass pins epoxied in and threaded onto the nipple outside the hull.Each one has 4 pins. 2 wires for thruster power and 2 wires for actuator power. The thru hulls are located next to the thruster locations so the wire runs are short. The wire runs are sealed inside oil filled clear tubing acting like a bladder.I'm trying to get info on availability and pricing of the individual Minn Kota parts.I'll let the club know what I find out.Frank D.