Arneson Surface Drives

More difficulty maneuvering at slow speed, over-reving, not as many service options.

Your inboard clutches will still require maintenance.

I am not a fan but others like the set up.
I still think of it like a Z (I/O, Stern drive) requiring service. Later models are bronze and aluminum cased also.
I still hate that bellows that barnacles, divers and fishhooks can damage undetected.
TD still supports them well.

Quick check found this, there should be other post.

Starting around post #37.
https://www.yachtforums.com/threads/sterndrives-in-salt.29534/page-2

You either like them or you don't. We wanted speed but we're not fans of Surface Drives. Our criticism is their performance in close quarters but more their performance at moderate speeds. Often times the minimum RPM to maintain being on plane is higher.

However, they are faster and more efficient than traditional drives and for high performance there are only two good options, Surface Drives and Jet Drives. Most people are fans of one or the other but not both. We are jet fans.

As to being problematic service wise, well maintained Arneson drives should require less maintenance than traditional drives.

If you like how the boat rides and performs, there is nothing that would make me discourage you from it. Now, Arneson has made many improvements in the last 20 years and offers a good many performance upgrades that may be worth considering too.

I would want them only on a brand of boat well known for surface drives, not on a one of a kind.

My experience years ago; Can not draw a straight line. Attention will make you sweat around a dock.
Others have told me I'm daft and they can drive very straight lines and work well around docks.
If you looking to purchase, make provisions that you can operate it well and the boat has nice manners.
No need to purchase a hard to operate boat. Supposed to be relaxing, these boat things.

We just got a 7 year old 60 ft w surface drives. It drives like a center console as there is no rudder. But I find it very easy to dock. Pops up on plane easily. Still dialing in the trim. But generally can cruise 32kts at 30-32 gph per engine. Fun to go fast.

I would add Baia to the list and put it on top. Possibly the best and the first to have a hull fully designed for the propulsion in the early eighties.
A Baia Azzurra is not much inferior for hull design and sea handling to a Magnum 63. Also 70 feet and up big Mangusta's are no slouches eighter and they run well.

I've only seen two Baia's in person and they were both horribly underpowered or had some other issue as both had an extremely difficult time planing with load and maintaining plane at anything under nearly full throttle.

Based on my very limited experience, I'd be very comfortable with Pershing and Magnum and Otam with Pershing the best compromise for a high performing family boat and Otam slightly more toward speed and less toward family comfort while Magnum geared almost completely toward speed. I've heard good and bad on Mangusta and believe it's by size and year, but now they've left the under 100' market altogether.

They do have a ton of torque. I assume most newer ones ( like ours) has troll mode on electronic shifter which lets you go as slow and easy as you want. In normal model idle speed is 6.5kts

6.5kt idle must make maneuvering in a tight marina interesting. I can really only see one reason for going with surface piercing drive. That's a few extra kts. at the top end and there's a cost for that.

As I said in troll mode I can take it down to 1-2kts. Last 62 sportfish was also a fast idle and threw a massive wake... but it had no troll mode