Decline in sterndrive market?

[Deleted User YDKXO]

Quote from editorial page in this month's Motorboat Owner (will I be banned for this?)

The
decline in the sterndrive market, particularly
in the US, is having a beneficial side effect.
We are seeing a whole new raft of entry level
cruisers designed around ‘big’ outboards

I can understand why this may be happening in the US which is predominantly a petrol market, at least for smaller boats, but why should it be happening in Europe which is predominantly a diesel market? Cost? What about pod drives? Are they eating into the sterndrive market at the top end?

 

[volvopaul]

Quote from editorial page in this month's Motorboat Owner (will I be banned for this?)



I can understand why this may be happening in the US which is predominantly a petrol market, at least for smaller boats, but why should it be happening in Europe which is predominantly a diesel market? Cost? What about pod drives? Are they eating into the sterndrive market at the top end?

Had this discussion yesterday with a friend , looking at uk and French builders it seems that up to 50ft it’s stern drives and pods then shafts take over , though we do get some of the lesser known brands with 3 or 4 IPS units .

Can’t see stern drive ever disappear but outboards for sure are a much cheaper alternative these days .
Maybe the US is fed up of the Swedish product and all that goes with it.

 

[Bouba]

About time

 

[rubberduck]

Had this discussion yesterday with a friend , looking at uk and French builders it seems that up to 50ft it’s stern drives and pods then shafts take over , though we do get some of the lesser known brands with 3 or 4 IPS units .

Can’t see stern drive ever disappear but outboards for sure are a much cheaper alternative these days .
Maybe the US is fed up of the Swedish product and all that goes with it.

Are they that bad, I had no problems with mine & have just bought another with them ?

 

[[2068]]

As per my previous post, I am seeing literally dozens of smaller outboard type craft popping up in my marina with large-ish outboards.
Parker, Jeanneau Merry Fisher / Cap Camarat, Quicksilver, Beneteau Antares ... that sort of thing.

Zero new boats along the lines of a Sea Ray Sundancer, although even Sea Ray are now offering a 12m boat with triple Verado 300's as standard!

I guess reduced maintenance costs and the ability to lift it out of the water are advantages.
Fuel burn isn't so much of an issue if you aren't going too far.
Manufacturers have thrown a lot of money into outboard development, and the newer ones are vastly better than the pre-millienial beasts that I remember.

http://boatingindustry.com/top-stories/2017/11/13/sterndrives-shift-to-second-chapter/

 

[[2068]]

I was Googling, and found this.

http://archive.spectator.co.uk/arti...ard-motor-boating-is-becoming-an-increasingly

Puzzled at first, until I read the date!

 

[nicho]

Parker Boats, up to around 37' at least, seem to be all outboard powered. IPS? Not for me - perhaps they are better now, but the Mk1 pods seem to be troublesome? I know of someone who bought a second hand boat with early IPS and had to spend some £14k to repair them. For me, a 45/50' boat on shafts is perfect, but there are not many (any?) made these days. We are on outdrives now, and they are OK, but wish I still had our S48 with TAMD 74's and shafts - sold to pay off the mortgage!!

 

[[2068]]

Are they that bad, I had no problems with mine & have just bought another with them ?

Remember that the USA had the rather special Volvo Penta XDP Composite drive foisted upon them.
It's a candidate for the "worst outdrive ever manufactured" with about 40% of them failing.

 

[volvopaul]

Are they that bad, I had no problems with mine & have just bought another with them ?

If you look after them you should be ok, problem is did the previous owner ?

These days Volvo have more service items than in past years like steering rams and hoses plus trim rams and hoses.

 

[volvopaul]

Remember that the USA had the rather special Volvo Penta XDP Composite drive foisted upon them.
It's a candidate for the "worst outdrive ever manufactured" with about 40% of them failing.

It was never marketed legally in Europe , if you have one it’s a grey import

 

[[2068]]

It was never marketed legally in Europe , if you have one it’s a grey import

Thank Goodness !

 

[Hot Property]

I've just bought a 23ft sports cruiser with a 200 verardo outboard. I like the fact that I can bring 95% of the engine out of salt water and then flush the internals with fresh water too. Servicing is oil, filter every year plus check fuel filter. Replace leg oil. Impeller is changed every 300 hours. Plug in a diagnostic laptop at mercury dealer if it misbehaves.

I have digital readouts covering almost everything from water pressure, fuel flow trim levels etc.

Having heard about some horror stories about stern drives plus risers on inboards I'm happy with my choice so far...

A friend has just bought a s23 sealine with a Volvo kad 32 so it will be interesting to see how service costs compare over time..

 

[Greg2]

I've just bought a 23ft sports cruiser with a 200 verardo outboard. I like the fact that I can bring 95% of the engine out of salt water and then flush the internals with fresh water too. Servicing is oil, filter every year plus check fuel filter. Replace leg oil. Impeller is changed every 300 hours. Plug in a diagnostic laptop at mercury dealer if it misbehaves.


I have digital readouts covering almost everything from water pressure, fuel flow trim levels etc.

Having heard about some horror stories about stern drives plus risers on inboards I'm happy with my choice so far...

A friend has just bought a s23 sealine with a Volvo kad 32 so it will be interesting to see how service costs compare over time..

Things may change but fuel availability will be an issue with outboards not to mention fuel costs.

 

[Hot Property]

Things may change but fuel availability will be an issue with outboards not to mention fuel costs.

Indeed, but for where I cruise petrol is available and a seasons boating is still less than my mooring fees...

 

[Momac]

Pod drives would be no good to me - draft too great.

Sterndrives , which I do have, are okay if checked/serviced regularly - a potential disaster if not.

One of the biggest costs is the crane - you need that with shaft drive too don't you ?

 

[alt]

Are we arguing about out-drives yet?

I've had outdrives for approx. 11 years now and have owned 6 (I think?).

Never had an issue, but was strict on service schedule. The most dramatic thing i've had to do is change a prop-shaft seal.

 

[Bouba]

The problem with modern big outboards is there is no problem. They are superb pieces of kit. The attraction to builders like Beneteau is obvious, it’s so easy to make a boat without an engine, just a slot in the transom.

 

[AndieMac]

The problem with modern big outboards is there is no problem. They are superb pieces of kit. The attraction to builders like Beneteau is obvious, it’s so easy to make a boat without an engine, just a slot in the transom.

There are a couple of issues, mainly transferring the engine weight from down low in the boat (where weight should be) to up high and over the transom, which makes them tender at rest.
The transom area is also cluttered with bulky engines, so no swim platform or fishing from the stern.
Personally (in a sub 8metre GRP boat) I prefer the low to mid range torque of the sterndrive when the sea state becomes untidy, in the range of 6 - 15 knots, something that "equally horse powered" outboards don't seem to deliver. Perhaps that's why they install that 3rd or 4th outboard?

 

[mcanderson]

There are certainly some advantages to the newer big outboards. Evinrude are offering a 10 year warranty, servicing costs are down and reliability is up. Depending on location ease of getting petrol is the same as diesel (but more expensive), servicing costs are much lower and access is better etc. However the restrictions on access from the stern are a big issue in the med and I wander daily past a large Beneteau with 2 x 300hp outboards and they are always tilted up with the bottom of the leg pointing at the concrete wall of the quay and I can't help but think that it they clash (wind gust or surge) then it will end up expensive.

Certainly food for thought, but not for me yet.

 

[julians]

Id consider an outboard boat for my next boat, there seems to be much more choice than say 10 years ago.

The only negatives ( for me) is that theres no bathing platform on the back, i guess its not a big deal , but it is a factor.

Before i bought my windy25, I did look at a sessa key largo 27 with twin 150hp outboards, but i didnt like the centre console style of boat.

Now that more companies are producing sports boat style boats with outboards id consider one od those next time i change boats, but that will be a long way off.

In the med petrol is plentiful and it seems most people with outboards moor with the bow to the quay , or at least they do in my marina.