Volvo ISP

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mjf

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After the launch there was huge debate on this.

I see now following a couple of shows that even on the Volvo stand the unit was not really 'spotlighted' was albeit at the centre front.....

So who on here has it and wahts it like in practice?

Who builds with this IPS and offers Shafts/legs in same size boat. Whats the opinion?


Keen to hear what others think
 
Sealine are offering the S42 with IPS500(370hp), and claiming 32-34 knots, which is about the same as the outdrive D6(350hp) powered version. I'm guessing that they're guessing, because I'm not aware of any IPS powered ones actually being built yet...

This could be due to the IPS version being £16,294 more than the outdrive version: you could buy the outdrive one, do minimum maintenance on the drives, throw them away & install brand new ones and still be quids in...

Go much larger, and you need more than 370hp, hence back to shafts anyway. imho IPS looks good, but it's stuck in a bit of a niche until higher powered versions appear. IPS800 powered by a D12 ?

dv.
 
I picked up an American magazine "Power and Motor Yacht" whilst on holiday and there is a huge debate going on in there about the safety of IPS. It reads like Volvo are really on the back foot with it, to the extent where they have formally responded in the magazine.

The initial report must have been in a previous edition but trying to piece it together it seems that a boat fitted with IPS grounded at speed and the drives didn't sheer off as they were expected to.

It seems this led to wholesale "I told you so" response from the boating community which has rattled Volvo. Their defence reads like an official accident report and must have cost them quite a bit to compile.

I dont know who is right or wrong but the upshot is, I think, that Volvo in the US at least have a massive mountain to climb if they are going to win the PR battle and convince boaters that IPS is an option to outdrives or shafts.

Martyn
 
The IPS system was only launched this year, January at Excel. There is an acceptance that boat builders will need to design boats around the IPS concept, so you cant expect to see a flourish of new IPS power boats on the market.

However, already Rodman have their R41 & R38 available as IPS models, I know one of the Ancasta chaps was saying they cant get enough of the IPS models. Also on the Rodman side of things the 1250 and the 1170 are due as IPS models.

Am pretty sure at SIBS Jeanneau were there with an IPS boat.

Azimut have an IPS boat.

Sealine have an IPS boat, as mentioned.

The IPS product is onboard so to speak with most manufactures, but for the reasons mentioned above it will take some time to roll out IPS models enforce.

Already demand for the current IPS line-up has out stripped supply, something like 100 units/boats not sure which, but a figure of 100 odd none the less were supplied in the USA in this past 12 months.

The IPS range wont be seen in the lower power areas as this will obviously overlap VP’s outdrive market, but believe me IPS will in time go bigger.
 
Sealine have built at least one with IPS as I had alook at it in the summer when is was on the hard at their sales place on the Hamble, also spotted a couple of boats out on press days with IPS written up the side so there is a few about.
 
It's either going to be the next VHS or the next Betamax.

However whatever the merits or demerits, you'd need to be a brave chap to be an "early adopter" cos if it doesn't take off, you're going to be absolutely stuck with your IPS equipped boat. It's not like having the "wrong" engines whereby they could at least be changed. Once you've got IPS in as boat, thats it.

Be interesting to see how it fares, but I can't help thinking of how LPG was going to revolutionise the boat world...
 
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