V-Drives on Sunseekers

[Deleted User YDKXO]

I'm looking at a Sunseeker which has a V-drive arrangement in which the gearboxes are located forward of the engines with the prop shafts going back underneath the engines. This arrangement is used on a number of Sunseeker models.
Anyone got experience with these, particularly reliability of the gearboxes and access to the sternglands?

 

[byron]

Mike, this is just a personal thing but its never been an arrangement I have liked. Reasons? I have none, I just don't like the idea.

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[tcm]

the leopard has these and erm i think they are the slightly sealed styernglands... umm, v reliable first season anyway. There's more noise than straightthru, i think. and because the aim is space saving, a load of that noise is right under the cockpit, rather than under the sunpads. Best if there's summink like a crew cabin between accomodation and enginerrom cos the full-height engineroom bulkhead backs onto accommodation and gets hot. Ooh, you cd have a look eh? And while you're down there, here's a coupls of spanners,and a wire brush, some oil and a rag and ...

 

[jfm]

IMHO a good idea engineering wise. There's no fundamental engineering issue with the drive being flipped 180deg, it's no different from taking the drive out of the other end of a normal gearbox. Likewise no intrinsic reason for more noise. They are harder to align, so builder must know his stuff. They put the'gines at the very back, that is good or bad depending on circs

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

Er, thanks but no thanks. If there's anything oily to be done, I'll get a bloke in wot does
Interesting to hear that space saving is an issue even on big boats like yours, though

 

[ArthurWood]

Mike - widely used on Sea Rays (Sundancers). Never had prob w/mine (Hurth) attached to 2 X 7.4l mercs in 8 yrs and 1100+hr. Difficult to get to stern glands, but get midget to do that if reqd. Allows more cabin space, but engine room cramped.