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thoughts on annual cost to run 4 ips 600 pods on an 04 68 Azimut?

Discussion in 'Azimut Yacht' started by Neptunus56, Nov 11, 2019.

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  1. Neptunus56, Nov 11, 2019
    #1
    Neptunus56

    Neptunus56 New Member

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    https://www.boattrader.com/listing/2008-azimut-68-103357904/?refSource=standard+listing

    ran across this boat which is well underpriced compared to other similar vintage models and I am thinking the fair price is due to the 4 engine layout. Admittingly have never even seen that layout before, anyone else?

    possible to run just inside or outside motors at off idle chugs for fuel mileage?

    great info on the other thread on the savings on a dual pod boat over V drives but once get into 3 or 4 engines the savings drop to near nothing or worse, even with heavy hours per year.

    Thinking 10 grand a year in pod annual servicing alone on a decent 100 hour a year use.

    Any thoughts from the well seasoned captains on this site?
  2. Maxwell, Nov 11, 2019
    #2
    Maxwell

    Maxwell Senior Member

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    I think $10k sounds high for routine maintenance. Our last boat had twin IPS 500 and if I hired it out, the maintenance was roughly $1700 total with labor for the pair. Doing myself was roughly $800 in parts and fluids.

    Max
  3. Neptunus56, Nov 11, 2019
    #3
    Neptunus56

    Neptunus56 New Member

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    thx for the input Max, are your numbers yearly or based on hours, if hours how many? 800 times 4 is not too bad at all. Have no experience on IPS but always learning.
  4. Maxwell, Nov 11, 2019
    #4
    Maxwell

    Maxwell Senior Member

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    That was annual maintenance that I did every winter... it was a 2008.

    Maintenance cost was not horrible. However keep in mind that if something major goes wrong, that's a whole different story. A dock mate this summer had a clutch fail on his stbd (IPS500) pod which required replacing the whole pod. It was north of $25k by the time he was done.

    IPS is a neat system and I loved the maneuverability and fuel efficiency of our pod boat, but that will likely be the only one that I'll ever own. We only had 1 significant issue over the 4 years we owned the boat which required a fair amount of corporate contact... Volvo was not at all the upstanding company that I expected them to be. We went back to straight shafts on our current boat and will likely continue this on our future vessels.

    Max
  5. Capt Ralph, Nov 11, 2019
    #5
    Capt Ralph

    Capt Ralph Senior Member

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    Please do a search for Muts on this forum. You may find the 11+ year old tub itself a PIA.
    There are NO warranties. Let me type these important word slowly for the reading impaired;

    NO WARRANTIES. NO BREAKS. NO DEALS FROM ANY MANUFACTURER..
    Your looking at expensive Volvo hardware PLUS a MUT with no support at all.

    IMO, it's over priced for what it is.

    To be open and honest, I don't like MUTs.
    Worked on a few; thank goodness I've retired so I never have to step on one again.
    Last edited: Nov 11, 2019
  6. Neptunus56, Nov 11, 2019
    #6
    Neptunus56

    Neptunus56 New Member

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    have done quite a bit of research on them and agree they get beat up from many, specifically on the idea of farming out electrical work to the lowest bidder by the system, not even the same firm wiring the entire boat. Flew out to a Sunseeker Manhattan last month and they seem to get better reviews from those in the know beyond an "as-new" review. It had MANs however, which opens up other cans of worms. Like a 20K 1000hr service cost or so. ouch.

    thanks for the reply, never stop learning!
  7. GhostriderIII, Nov 20, 2019
    #7
    GhostriderIII

    GhostriderIII Senior Member

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    I started out with IPS but Volvo was worthless for standing behind it's products. Went to Cummins-Zeus which was better and support was there, but ended up with azimuth drives - which we will use in the next tug build.
  8. Pascal, Nov 20, 2019
    #8
    Pascal

    Pascal Senior Member

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    4 IPS in a 68 footer? I d love to see pictures of that ER... if it s as packed in there as I guess it will be, your maintenance costs will be twice as high
  9. Fixinbones, Nov 20, 2019
    #9
    Fixinbones

    Fixinbones Member

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    I’m not sure if the $20000 1000 hour service cost for the man’s is an issue if you compare it to caterpillar which requires you to change after coolers at 1000 hours or six years. On a pair of C 18’s it was $25,000
    I would go with mans over IPS any day
  10. mapism, Nov 20, 2019
    #10
    mapism

    mapism Senior Member

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    +1.
    Actually, I would go with anything over IPS any day! :)
  11. Pascal, Nov 20, 2019
    #11
    Pascal

    Pascal Senior Member

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    The 1000 hours requirement is just plain silly. I ve put almost 5000 hours on a pair of 3412Es with original old aftercoolers (13 years old when boat was sold). So far we re 3 1/2 years and 1500 hours on a pair of new C32 aftercoolers replaced as a precaution because they were the original design. Not getting repacked any time soon...

    Sound like a CYA legal department requirement to me

    And on the 3412Es, I don’t think we spent $20k engine maintenance in 5000 hours... (oil and filter changes excepted)
  12. Fixinbones, Nov 20, 2019
    #12
    Fixinbones

    Fixinbones Member

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    Do you know when the aftercooler design changed? My boat was delivered in December 2012
  13. Pascal, Nov 20, 2019
    #13
    Pascal

    Pascal Senior Member

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    Not sure. But your cat mechanic should be able to tell right away
  14. Capt Ralph, Nov 20, 2019
    #14
    Capt Ralph

    Capt Ralph Senior Member

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    I don't think their was a better fitting marine Cat motor than the 34xx family of engines.
    In the last few years, they all left town (Jax) sold or traded in.
    One ******* 3408 boat left in Jax (dock queen).
    I would still luv to put in a pair of 3406s in my Bert.
  15. Pascal, Nov 20, 2019
    #15
    Pascal

    Pascal Senior Member

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    The C32 is an evolution of the 3412...

    I loved these 3412Es... bulletproof
  16. Capt J, Nov 20, 2019
    #16
    Capt J

    Capt J Senior Member

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    I agree the 3412's are bulletproof. The C30 was an evolution of them, the C32 is not, it's now an overhead cam motor. The C32 is very reliable, but not as bulletproof as the 3412 was IMO.

    As for the 4 IPS, I've heard that same combo on the 75' Lazzara's would really tear up the IPS drives and they'd have to be rebuilt every 2-3 years (the drives). Perhaps them trying to get such a heavy boat on plane? I've dealt with a pair of IPS 600's on a 2015 boat and they've been good and no issues with the drives besides the owner induced on them when he touched bottom one time.
  17. Capt Ralph, Nov 20, 2019
    #17
    Capt Ralph

    Capt Ralph Senior Member

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    I loved these 3412Es... bulletproof

    YEP
  18. GhostriderIII, Nov 24, 2019
    #18
    GhostriderIII

    GhostriderIII Senior Member

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    Still liked the 3208s and the N14 Cummins. Can't kill them.
  19. Capt Ralph, Nov 24, 2019
    #19
    Capt Ralph

    Capt Ralph Senior Member

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    The NA 3208s were bombproof.
    Not any time in a N14. Have to look that one up.
  20. Fixinbones, Nov 24, 2019
    #20
    Fixinbones

    Fixinbones Member

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    Checked serial numbers and CAT of course mine apparently should be replaced at 6-7 years.
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