We were having a discussion on another board about the Volvo IPS vs the Merc Zeus drives. Thought I would post some of the thoughts here!
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That is the one thing that I wondered about the IPS drive.
This is pure conjecture on my part, but after seeing how the IPS drives were connected on the Tiara I saw last weekend, it got me to wonder.
If you look at them from the rear they look like this, don't they?
Excuse the simple drawings, and the angles and such are accentuated, but you get the idea.
So it seems to me that when you go into a turn, and the harder you go into a turn, that the drives are like this:
Have to look at the drawing a bit to see what I am talking about.
Turning to the right (starboard) would require the drives to go to the left - to kick out the rear, just like an outdrive.
But since the drives are at an angle, the thrust is not parallel to the boat's keel, so I would think it would increase the boat's heel in the turn.
If you can visualize an outdrive, when you turn, unless the trim is way up, the thrust will be parallel to the boat's keel.
If on the other hand, the IPS drives were built into "pockets" in the hull, then this might lessen the "experience".
So as I see it, its not so much that the props are facing forward as it is that the angle of the drives are not parallel with each other nor are they perpendicular to the waterline.
So is the particular drive angle geometery an asset or a liability?
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As I see it both drives will force new hulls to maximize the effectivness of the drive systems. It appears on the boats that I have seen that it is the same hull made with some provision for the IPS. It is just to fast for the boat manufactures to design new hull designs to utilize the performance of the these drives. In about two years there will have perfected the designs and then we will see a contest. Although Merc has already dictacted pockets for the zeus drive. I am sure with the right stepped hull and the pockets we will be seeing faster more stable boats with higher mpg. Note that the weight distribution is farer forward than that of a I/O wonder how that will effect the living area space.
One thing that has me bothered though is merc is offering this drive only through their Cumings line. Wonder if it will be availble in the gas line up!
Mike -
