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Sea Ray L590

Discussion in 'Sea Ray Yacht' started by hat4349, Mar 21, 2022.

  1. hat4349

    hat4349 Senior Member

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    I looked at these yachts on-line and watched a video on them. I can't help but wonder how maintenance is with 3 engines in stead of two. I'm also wondering how well it handles with 3 engines. I know what they claim but their claims in advertising a yacht and the real world tend to be different. I know on my Riveria with 2 engines I could spin it in a tight circle and docking was easy. I am wondering what kind of effect 3 engines will have.
  2. RER

    RER Senior Member

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    Well, one of the effects it had was Sea Ray getting out of the motor yacht business.
    Capt Ralph likes this.
  3. olderboater

    olderboater Senior Member

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    That was the penalty for Zeus. Not enough hp for two engines from Cummins/Zeus at the time. I think this boat was an abomination. The 650 was a good design albeit lousy execution, but the 590 and Zeus and under torqued three pods was desperation failed. Spinning and handling would be it's strength, however. It's the other areas where it fails.
  4. Sea Gull

    Sea Gull Member

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    SR built one L590 with twin MANs. That’s the one to find.
  5. dcwjd

    dcwjd New Member

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    Azimut 55s has 3 motors as well and it continued on in the S6.
  6. olderboater

    olderboater Senior Member

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    The three on the L590 just don't have the torque you'd like. With something other than Zeus, two would have been adequate. We have there on our AB but not Zeus pods.
  7. Capt J

    Capt J Senior Member

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    It's a pig, burns 78 gph to do 21-22 knots at cruise. Also the boat is too heavy for it's hull, express is wet in 1-2' sea and the FB when make tight turns at slow speeds feels like it's going to completely heel over.
  8. mapism

    mapism Senior Member

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    You're saying that as if it were a great reference, but actually also Azimut do NOT fit pods in their more serious boats (all Magellanos and larger MYs).
    'nuff said...
  9. dcwjd

    dcwjd New Member

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    S7 has triple IPS as well and the Lazzara has quads on the 92. It’s Zeus that sunk sea ray as IPS powered boats are thriving.
  10. gr8trn

    gr8trn Senior Member

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    So had SeaRay or whoever owned and ran them at the time would have gone with VolvoPenta IPS we would see SeaRay larger boats thriving? While I see IPS in a lot of boats now, I am not sure the boat in question would have been a winner with IPS. Although I never understood three of four motors and drives in one boat either...
  11. mapism

    mapism Senior Member

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    There are two main reasons why IPS powered boats are thriving:

    First and foremost, they are cheaper to build.

    Second, differently from what used to happen in the past, many newcomers jump into 60+ footers as their first boat, with no clue about what helming a boat is all about. And these folks are lured by smart sellers that a joystick will make them great captains in no time.

    The proof of the pudding is that no serious bluewater boat is IPS powered. None, zero, zilch. Name me a single one if you can.
  12. dcwjd

    dcwjd New Member

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    You can’t run a Viking on an ips 1350. They don’t make a powerful enough motor for larger blue water boats. I don’t think there’s any other reason beyond that. Riviera which is primarily ips goes over to mans in the big model 72 as an example.
  13. mapism

    mapism Senior Member

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    Nice try, but that's an argument that doesn't hold water, if I've ever seen one.
    Let's stick to Azimut, which you threw into the debate.
    They are not shy of using IPS in their somewhat flashy boats, up to the rather large S7, as you correctly said. BUT, the very same builder went for 350hp Cummins on shafts even for the smallest of their boats more aimed at serious cruising, the Magellano 43'.

    Now, don't you think that the need to liftout the boat wherever you are after grabbing a fishing line with a pod has more to see with that choice than the available power? Which would be plenty not only for the Mag 43', but also for some larger Magellanos - all strictly shafts powered.
    And this is just one of many reasons why you really don't want an IPS powered boat unless your typical cruises are from Antibes to Saint-Tropez for lunch, or something along these lines.
    Don't get me started with the rest.
  14. olderboater

    olderboater Senior Member

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    Magellano 43 and serious cruising. How about slow cruising as that's what using them on S7 and not Mags is about. The IPS targets speedier boat and efficient planing speeds. The Magellano line doesn't fit their profile at all. No trawler like boats do. You'd never benefit from their efficiency. Now, I'm not an IPS or Zeus fan but let's not confuse the issue.

    Now dcwjd initially did the confusion and he is also very off target. So called blue water boats wouldn't benefit from IPS regardless of hp. On the other hand 80-88' Delta's do benefit as they're geared to performance, not to slow cruising.

    Whether you could run a Viking or Riviera with pods, you could with enough of them or a different pod other than IPS but triples and quads and quints make no sense, nor do pods make sense for sportfishing. SF builders aren't pods fans and I can't imagine a Sportfishing person ever wanting pods. Talk about a group set in their ways and believing in sound and vibration.

    None of this has anything to do with the Sea Ray L590 with Zeus pods, which I have called an abomination and Capt J called a Pig and we have both been on them so have first hand knowledge. That boat is not a reflection on pods in general, definitely not on IPS, not even on Zeus really, just a reflection on horrific pairing of boat and propulsion.
    daydreamer4 and wiredup like this.
  15. mapism

    mapism Senior Member

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    Not sure of where you see any confusion.
    Absolute Navettas are direct competitors of Magellanos, but they are IPS powered.
    Neither pretend to be passagemakers of course, but both pretend to be LRCs.
    Now, which would you rather want for offshore cruising, if given only a choice between them?
  16. olderboater

    olderboater Senior Member

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    Neither.
  17. leeky

    leeky Senior Member

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    You didn't answer the question. You gave an answer, but not to the question asked.
  18. mapism

    mapism Senior Member

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    Haha, I sort of agree.
    But our views aside, what is actually happening is that both Magellanos and Navettas are rather successful, but with different buyers profiles.
    The former is mostly selling among experienced boaters, often former sailors, while the latter appeals more to youngish newcomers.
    Call it a coincidence if you wish, but I don't think it is.
  19. olderboater

    olderboater Senior Member

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    Well, if I must choose between those two, choosing between a Navetta 68 and Magellano 66, I'd choose the Magellano and has nothing to do with IPS, but the fact I can't believe Absolute is building a 68' to CAT B specifications and not A.
    PremierPOWER likes this.
  20. mapism

    mapism Senior Member

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    Funny how I sympathized with your previous statement, and I couldn't disagree more with this one.
    Not because it's wrong, but because the difference which would be the most relevant for you is imho the most trivial among many others between those boats.
    It takes all sorts, I suppose.