Volvo IPS - CMD Zeus

Trust me, it's an option, not at the end user level but at the oem level.

It's in the price. Nothing is free. The more options that are made stock the more the figures can be played with.

I noticed that Lazzara is pursuing both technologies in their latest yacht offerings. It may be a case of what solution is best for a particular application than a blanket conclusion of IPS or Zeus is the better system. I suspect that these two systems will be utilized for most new boat designs as they offer ease of use as well as more compact packaging.

I agree, especially the "space saving" realized on both units. Lazzara, from what I understand, is really behind the pod systems. I guess they're offering "tri" and "quad" power packaages! Crazy. But you know, I'm learning more and more about TwinDisc Express and the more I read about it the more I like it. Any thoughts?

With this joystick you can do with one hand what you otherwise would need both or three hands to do. It is not the same as with steerable pods but with powerful side thrusters it is not far from it.

I just purchased an 08 Tiara with IPS. Skyhook was not an option on this vintage IPS system. When speaking with Volvo I asked how much it would be to add this (thinking a few thousand for a new joystick and software upagrade) and was told that it would $36k as they have to replace the transmissions etc. I think we'll be just fine without it.

WOW...I'd never have guessed that the trany would have to be replaced? That's a lot of bottle returns!

Doing a rebuild now. I had purchased the engines and decided to go with DP. Volvo took the lot back (twin IPS 300) and sent me new engines & pods for about 24K.

Axius

Does anyone here have experience with Mercruiser I/O AXIUS system? I've run several 31's with it and it handled pretty well, but the other day I had a 37 out. The owner put the boat into a bad situation with up to about 20mph wind on our beam, which required pushing it to the max (of docking mode). One engine died twice. It happened a few days before with that motor and once with the other also in similar circumstances. Wondering if it's a software glitch or mechanical; something systemic or just something with this boat. Any ideas?

It gets my vote and my next build money. A pair of QSM 705's on a 46 is in my future.

I'm getting the feeling that this is more about a competition between Cummins and Volvo than between Zeus and IPS. Both claim to have done the crash tests although I can't find Zeus' on the net, this is Volvo's http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nLmlWgLHZAc I haven't personally run Zeus, but I've run a fair amount of IPS and like them very much. I found them smooth running, and good handling. I question why I hear so much talk about Zeus and can't find the back-up, whereas Volvo (the originator of the concept) have everything out there including specific performance claims and video.
Wolfsong, I assume that you videoed your test. Would you mind sharing it with us? Also, Could someone please tell me what Cummins' specific claims are regarding fuel economy, turning radius, top end speed, etc.?

CABO has pretty good info on their 40' (only boat offered with zues in their line-up) along with tests and stuff on the website. I know that boat extensively, with 600hp Cummins it's 1 knot faster at cruise than the 800 mans........32 knots versus 31 knots, it burns 45gph at cruise versus 60gph with the mans......25% more efficient, the turning radius is also much improved and the boat does a 360 degree turn at cruise in about 2 boat lengths.......I saw pictures of a Searay that ran aground on the west coast of FL and broke both pods off. The bill was $3200 to put them back on and fix everything, and they did sheer off without hull damage or water intrusion.

That's anecdotal. I've know of a local Formula that ran aground with IPS with the same results. Where is the test data of say a 600hp Cummins with Zeus vs; 600hp Cummins with conventional shafts in controlled experiments? Where are the videos of the Zeus crash tests? I would expect this to be published by Cummins, not a boat company or anyone else. Truthfully, I'm starting to suspect a covert marketing plan by Cummins. Not to say they are worse than IPS nor better, but I'd like to see more than flapping gums from them.

Just had a few boats hauled up in the yard, some with IPS and a few with Zeus drives.

One owner had IPS for 2 years and had no problems with them, changed to Zeus and is still scratching his head as to how they work after 6 months. He's not happy with them.

Another owner had IPS and on a long-ish passage one of the drives went 'wonkie'. By 'wonkie' I mean one was pointing dead ahead and the other was off-set 25/30 degrees to Port, not the best way of making a crossing. We hauled him up and attatched our custom built IPS allingment gear into the hubs to reset the senders. After hours of testing, Volvo sent us a new sender unit. Not cheap but fixed.

All I can say is, whats wrong with a set of shafts?

I've had enough of drives, IPS and Zeus. Too much hassle and money for too little gain.

Does all this sound a little grumpy? Its the time of year I think. Too busy, busy.

Sorry, a little anger vent.

You have to learn how to dock. I had a guy out on the bay yesterday, and explained how to figure out which blinking light is which at night by counting the seconds and checking the chart. His reply was that he'd just look at the chart plotter. I had to explain that electronics sometimes go down, and usually at the wrong time. He still doesn't get it. People don't think the basics apply any longer.

In the old days, we'd take a 35hp Johnson and mount it amidships in a 20ft workboat. Only thing below the hull was about 8 in of shaft and the prop. The remainder of the engine and shaft was in a column box above the hull - you could spin the motor 360 deg without a hiccup. It looks like what the two differing drives look like today.

Volvo didn't invent the system - pods have been around for many years - starting with Azimuth (1955) to OMC sterndrive units to Arneson

http://www.nauticexpo.com/boat-manufacturer/pod-drive-20115.html

The most efficient of all is the Arneson system http://arneson-industries.com/

Volvo OceanX stern drives

Anyone have practical experience with Volvo-Penta’s new OceanX stern drives?

They come with an (optional) joystick docking system, claiming performance similar to the IPS drives.

Unfamiliar with them, but it sounds a lot like Mercruiser's Axius system. You'll find a post earlier about them. I too have questions.

The video has been on CMD's website for years: see Zeus Video on their home page. There is a side-by-side grounding shown in addition to the pier crash tests. One of those boats was an inboard, it suffered a lot of damage whereas the Zeus was bolted back in.

IPS has a design flaw that prevents the breakaway from working properly under a lot of real-world conditions, and it also works poorly at low speeds. It can work, but you need to have a really strong hull.

There are quite a few examples now of IPS boats that breached the hull when they crashed. In all the examples that I know of with Zeus, the drive(s) broke properly, and many were salvageable and just bolted back on.

I would say it is Volvo who needs to show proof that they have fixed their problems and can pass an on-water crash test, at high and low speed, and with one of the lower-strength hulls that uses IPS.

Volvo Penta is supplying lamination instructions for their installations, so basically all the hulls should be equal.