42' too big for stern drives

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matm

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Evening all,

Have been pondering a Bavaria 42s as a step up from our current S34. Whilst I know they're not in the Princess/Fairline (and now possibly Sealine) categories, you get a whole lot of boat for the money. It gets us into 2 cabin, 2 heads territory which is where we want to be.

One of the major concerns that I have is that the IPS models are difficult to find and the rest are on sterndrives.

I kind of thought I wouldn't go stern drives again due to costs etc however this might be the only option available.

So, the question - is a 42' boat too big for sterndrives? Will the weight etc give them a pounding and I'll be spending a fortune on maintenance.

Cheers

Mat
 
You could look at it this way power to weight ratio
SS portofino35 ( actually 39)
Manufacturers weights dry Kg,s and no stores
SS --P -- 570/8100= 7 VP 285's
SS -- p 700/ 8100= 8.6 VP 350,s
Bav42. 740/11700 = 6.3. VP 370's
Prin V 45 . 740/ 12600 = 5.8. VP 370,s
". ". 800/126000 = 6.3. VP 400,s. Latest

Bav is kinda in the " zone" basically as HP has increased by VP this has enabled the builders the fit sterns in proportionally bigger boats , working on arrond 6 .the greater the No the more agile/ faster the boat
Hope this helps
 
More boats in the 40+ ft category are going stern drive, to support the packaging of bigger master cabins in the mid berth. New materials and lubes are also helping outdrives to take the loads of bigger and more powerful engines.
 
matm said:
So, the question - is a 42' boat too big for sterndrives? Will the weight etc give them a pounding and I'll be spending a fortune on maintenance.
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I don't think thats the issue at all. A 42ft sportscruiser will be just fine with sterndrives. After all, Princess's V39/42 and Sunseeker's Superhawk 48 have been around for years on sterndrives. The problem will be controlling the bow when mooring in a cross wind but providing the boat has a good sized bowthruster, that shouldn't be an issue either
 
Deleted User said:
I don't think thats the issue at all. A 42ft sportscruiser will be just fine with sterndrives. After all, Princess's V39/42 and Sunseeker's Superhawk 48 have been around for years on sterndrives. The problem will be controlling the bow when mooring in a cross wind but providing the boat has a good sized bowthruster, that shouldn't be an issue either
Click to expand...

yes agreed.

and you need to drive it like a sterndrive boat, not a shaft drive.

Forget leaving the wheel in the middle and splitting the throttles, use one engine at a time and the wheel to manoeuvre.

Sterndrives aren't worse but they are different. Too many people are taught to drive sterndrives like shafts, it sort of works when there's no wind, but when the wind gets up it just doesn't, and the longer the boat the more true this is. Then there is a moan that they're more difficult. Not true.
 
Vital that the drives have been properly and regularly maintained.This costs real money year in year out.
The first owner will not have much to do and will certainly have the time,inclination and money to get the man in white coat to do the business.
The next owner will be probably in the same boat :).The owner after that will want to keep up the good work but will not have quite the same budget and biggger and bigger bills will start to arrive,from there on in its pretty certain that the strict servicing needed on these beasts will start to slip.
Just out of interest,if you intend keeping the boat long term,ring round for some prices on worst case major outdrive rebuilds and major servicing costs,not merely the regular rubber and oil changes.If the costs appear reasonable,then eveything should be OK.
 
Matt, I'd say in this climate you would get a great deal what ever you choose, just bearin mind the running costs, and the service costs of an ips engined boat, the d6 motors would only be a fraction more than the d4 s you have now, that is after the warranty period.
 
All good advice guys, thanks. More than familiar with how to drive sterndrives at the moment so not an issue there. Just had always read with interest the sterndrive vs shaft debate and thought bav might be "cheating" with stern drives on this boat.

Reassuring too that the D6s won't be too much more to maintain than the D4s.

Thanks to all. Guess I've got no excuse not to have a proper look now.
 
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