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lisilou

lisilou

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Went out on the Sealine demo day on the F42 and C48. We've never been on a flybridge before and wasn't expecting to like it or feel particularly safe tbh but it was fantastic! Aside from it being really enjoyable etc etc, I am in love with the IPS system and I want one!!! Am I right in thinking that there've been a few threads on here slamming them? If so, why? I could've spent all day just 'parking' tbh.
L
:)
 
lisilou said:
Went out on the Sealine demo day on the F42 and C48. We've never been on a flybridge before and wasn't expecting to like it or feel particularly safe tbh but it was fantastic! Aside from it being really enjoyable etc etc, I am in love with the IPS system and I want one!!! Am I right in thinking that there've been a few threads on here slamming them? If so, why? I could've spent all day just 'parking' tbh.
L
:)
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Repair and maintenance cost are high high high. Also I would believe that the resale value on a 5 year old boat with IPS would be low. I also love the concept with regards berthing in the right conditions.
David
 
Lisa, there's no doubt that the IPS drives have some real benefits, vectoring gives the manoeuvrability, they free space up for cabins compared to shafts, but not as good as outdrives, but are vulnerable to underwater damage, if you remember the thread a week or so ago when a pod ripped out from a hull of a cat which then of course sank. VP claim better fuel consumption than for shafts, but not as good as drives, and the props are in a better position than with drives, again assisting mooring.
So not just the damage problem if you hit something, but they are more complex than shaft transmissions, and I personally don't like the idea of a big rubber o ring being the difference between comfy and dry, and that sinking feeling! :confused:
You then have VP electronics to battle, great when they work, but have been known to be challenging to rectify when fault codes emerge. Maybe a discussion with VolvoPaul will be useful as he will know more than most on here about the up and downsides of Volvo IPS. The Sealines might also use the Merc Zeus Pods too?
 
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Are there any figures for the numbers of boats with each type fitted for a certain size of boat or something like that? I've never seen anything about the actual adoption rate.
 
From the boat tests in the mags, the claimed fuel efficiency of IPS doesn't seem to be apparent in some installations either. In some tests I've read, the fuel efficiency of some IPS powered boats is no better than the shaftdrive equivalent. This seems to be the case more with flybridge boats than sports cruisers. Not sure why that should be the case but IPS appears to be sensitive to weight distribution and positioning of the pods in the hull. I don't think that all boat builders have yet learnt how to design their boats to optimise the fuel efficiency benefits of IPS.
We all know that fuel costs are only going to go one way in the future and potentially, IPS offers a modest but significant improvement in fuel efficiency so IMHO the technology is here to stay and the boat builders are going to get better at taking advantage of it too. Having said that, as volvopaul has alluded to, there have been rumours of IPS reliability and high maintenance costs so it remains to be seen whether the used boat market is as willing to buy secondhand IPS powered boats as it is secondhand shaftdrive powered boats. After all, a few % points in fuel efficiency gains can be easily wiped out by some big maintenance bills. I think the jury is still out on this one
 
I've been catching up on some of the previous IPS threads and it makes some very interesting reading. I'd need to read some consistent positive experiences before committing to that kind of expense.
L
:)
 
We have an IPS powered Rodman 1250 and it's great. We have done about 500 hours on the boat from new.

The boat sits in the water at about 14 tonnes displacement with all our cruising junk onboard.

We get 1.3 mpg at 25 knots.

Our main warranty issues were all directly associated with the Volvo D6 engines, not the pod drives and so we would have had the same problems regardless of it being shafts, outdrives or pods. (Raw water filter caps, raw water heat exchanger endcaps, air temp sensors, engine software.)

When the boat was new, the first IPS anodes needed replacing at the 50 hour service, but since then, anodes are still looking really good after 12/13 months at the subsequent service when they are replaced.

Main service cost for the IPS is the cost of the synthetic oil in the gearbox/pod units, other than that and the odd filter, it's just the exhaust anode to be changed and they are fairly cheap. (I'm guessing, but even new shaft boats have gearboxes which use oil lubrication with an oil that needs to be changed?)

Before we bought the boat my main fear was the vulnerability of the forward facing props and the possibility of catching ropes and the like.

However that turned out not to be a problem. We have been seriously foulled twice, once by a large/huge sail in the water and once by ropes(probably).

Each time the pod drive sensed the torque overload and instantly dis-engaged the drives, switching the gears into neutral and at the same time shutting down the engine revs to idle, thereby protecting the engines, gearboxes and drives.

All that was needed to be done was to re-engage drive and a bit of forward and reverse, the torque sensing cutting in if needed, and the foulling was cleared and we continued on unaffected.

All boats have problems, and all problems are expensive but so far, the IPS has been excellent.

When it comes to shaft driven boats, I've seen plenty of salmon pink props caused by failure of their anodic protection, as well as the odd engine ripped from its bed and the odd broken gearbox caused by serious prop foulling at speed. All engineering, particularly when used at sea is subject to failure and it's all expensive to fix.

In reality, most people have no personal experience of IPS and while everyone is entitled to an opinion, generally, few have a background in engineering, science or technology. Heaven knows, I get exasperated with VP and their customer service but their engineering and technology is pretty solid and they have a solid reputation built up over decades.

Other than the integation of the entire system, IPS is still just a couple of forward facing duoprops with electrical steering and some right angle gear assemblies - I've done some work on rockets and aero engines, and this stuff ain't rocket science.

There are some real benefits to IPS, as others have listed and with which I agree, one that we find important is that my wife, who rarely gets the chance to helm, is perfectly happy and able to helm, dock and manoeuvre the boat whenever need demands.

Would I buy another IPS boat? Probably - if we bought another boat, IPS or not IPS would not figure in the equation - buy the boat you want, it will cost you an arm and a leg whatever you choose.

Enjoy your boating.
 
galps said:
In reality, most people have no personal experience of IPS and while everyone is entitled to an opinion, generally, few have a background in engineering, science or technology. Heaven knows, I get exasperated with VP and their customer service but their engineering and technology is pretty solid and they have a solid reputation built up over decades.

Other than the integation of the entire system, IPS is still just a couple of forward facing duoprops with electrical steering and some right angle gear assemblies - I've done some work on rockets and aero engines, and this stuff ain't rocket science.

There are some real benefits to IPS, as others have listed and with which I agree, one that we find important is that my wife, who rarely gets the chance to helm, is perfectly happy and able to helm, dock and manoeuvre the boat whenever need demands.

Would I buy another IPS boat? Probably - if we bought another boat, IPS or not IPS would not figure in the equation - buy the boat you want, it will cost you an arm and a leg whatever you choose.

Enjoy your boating.
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At last, somebody who actually has experience of IPS! I have been helming on them for some years now, and have two friends who have them. Both are very comfortable using them and IPS has increased their enjoyment of boating. One has in fact just ordered the new Targa 48 on IPS. he is moving up from a T44.

There were some problems with corrosion on the early pods, but as long as they are well maintained - just like stern drives - there should not be any problems.
 
Lisa you're comparing a sports cruiser with drives and a flybridge with ips. Howsabout you try a flybridge with shafts (and a sternthruster if you want one) and you'll have the same go-sideways ability as ips (though without the joystick, but ultimately better control and less white foam in the water) and all the accommodation/quietness-up-top benefits of a flybridge.
 
You've a good point there Jfm. Yes the manouveuring (jeez..how d'you spell that word?!) was a doddle with the ips but it was the smoothness, quietness, response etc that really impressed. But yes, you're right...I need to experience both to get a balance.
L
:)
 
As an IPS doubter its good to hear positive experiences - especially when getting tangled up! I think they are here to stay in one design or another.
I tried to get more info about running costs at the boat show especially service and an alleged three year rebuild - would anyone care to expand on this or is it a myth?
 
jfm said:
but ultimately better control and less white foam in the water
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To be fair both Mrs P4Paul and myself were onboard at the time. There certainly wasn't any foaming water and Lisa berthed the boat like she had been doing it all her life. I then berthed the C48 using IPS and was hugely impressed with the amount of control available without kicking up the water.
Both boats also handled really nicely at speed and I wouldn't think twice about owning an IPS boat. I know where we cruise and could see IPS enhancing our boating experience by giving Mrs P4Paul confidence to berth the boat, leaving me to throw around the fenders and sort the lines.

Mind you, if IPS is the kiss of the devil, please let me know quickly................... :cool:
 
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