Disappointing, but then again whens the last time you worked on your car? There are many factors that go into all of this, not the least of which are service and technical expertise to repair the systems, parts availability and costs for purchase and maintenance. Simply pop in a pod and enjoy your herbs. In the past decade, high-tech pod drives have changed the face of powerboating, and for the better. If they dont increase the odds of hooking up, who cares? Theres no free lunch, so there must be a hidden cost that no ones factored in.. Lets have a look. Ongoing maint costs and difficulty of changing/replacing props over time. The other companies give you a metal lid aluminum or steel, so you would only replace it to your liking when the taste gets yucky. Goes without saying: Its got ZF Smart Command 5000 drive-by-wire. With it, fingertip operation of any vessel became possible. Are the Zeus drives still being produced today? You might not think of Cat as a pod company, but since ZF offered its pods to the market, hes helped several manufacturers build ZF or Zeus pod with Caterpillar engines. Trawlers dont benefit much from pods. I am considering buying a Meridian 441 flybridge motor yacht, which is 47 LOA and 31,000lbs. Zeus ArcPods are finally here! Of course neither of these statements is true. Warranty concerns may shorten the list of service providers. For more information and/or quote, please complete the contact form below. His company, Siebert Yacht Management commissions and maintains most new Sabre boats delivered to Palm Beach County, Florida, giving him considerable experience with Volvo IPS drives on Sabres 38- and 54-foot models and with Cummins Zeus drives on Sabres 42- and 48-footers, as well as those same hulls with conventional shafts. Click to enable/disable Google reCaptcha. Draining removes almost all of the dirty oil, while a pump often leaves too much behind. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. You always can block or delete cookies by changing your browser settings and force blocking all cookies on this website. That means a haulout to remove the break-in lube and replace it with the normal lubricant. Zirk fittings require grease in U-joints and at both ends of jack shafts that connect engines to drives. Most pod boats burn roughly the same per mile through a wide range of cruising speeds; conventional shaft boats typically have a narrow sweet spot. Diamond Steel > Blog > Uncategorized > are zeus pods still being manufactured. Painting pods will cost a bit more too. Plan on replacing the anodes at least annually, using the correct alloy: Most pods use aluminum anodes, not zinc. And maneuverabilitywell, any good sportfishing captain can put his ride wherever he wantswithout a joystick. Some really nice high tech features that most will never use. In short, I love my Cummins 6.7 units and I am getting happier each day with the Zeus pods as I learn them and how to care for them. Volvo includes neither a water alarm nor a clear reservoir, so check the single transmission and gear oil dipstick for signs of water. Allow $450 per IPS pod, $350 per Zeus. I simulated backing through a slalom course in reverse, moving faster than any angler could ever gain line. Pods from all manufacturers have proven reliable and trouble-free, when maintained correctly. (Changing engine oil at least yearly is a good idea, too, even if you dont hit the hour limit.). I am after some of Seaboards famous frank and honest advice: should I run away from pod drives.or go for them if they have a solid maintenance track record which I need to commit to maintaining.or go for them without hesitation because they really are the better technology? When you put a pod system in, you try to do more with less.. Ill be limiting my search to non-pod models going forward. Today, pod-powered boats are common in any yacht yard, and qualified service and repair technicians are easy to find along the waterfront. Then Zeus offered Sky Hook, a station-keeping device that combined data from a GPS and an electronic compass to keep the vessel perfectly still within a yard or two. If you seem to be going through zincs quickly, call an electrician, Fessenden warned. Oh boy, the lids. While there has not been a flood of acceptance in the sport-fishing market for pod-drives, the cruising market has seen a larger number of owners making the transition away from conventional shaft-and-wheel boats. The 42 Convertible is up to Hull number 10 but we are up to 36 hulls for the Open version, he says. Pods are something new, he said. The problem vs. Volvo is that the Zeus Cummins combinations are limited by Cummins engine sizes and that limits them on larger boats. As one broker told me, Its like automatic transmissions. Especially if you plan on going on extended trips Pretty much wherever you ventured you would have always found someone to get you out of trouble with your 6BTA 370s and conventional drive line but if things go wrong your odds of getting the help you need and having anything left in your wallet (or hairs left in your head) could be less than favorable. The transmission and steering units are quite robust and I dont expect any serviceability issues from them. It gets all the bubbles out of the wake, he says. The pods synthetic oil is dark, making it hard to see the telltale oil discoloration of a slipping transmission, but it will likely have a burnt smell. International service is also a concern for pods. But conventional wisdom no longer applies. When pods vibrate, propellers or jack shaft bearings are the likely causes. A Bonnier LLC Company. In many ways, fishermen a nongendered term that embraces both sexes trust what weve learned over decades of personal experience and the experience of our mentors. For those first 25 hours, we use a break-in lube, said David Fessenden, a marine applications engineer with Cummins Atlantic. Maybe.) The New York State Canal is just one of the many great scenic boat trips North America has to offer, and the numerous locks create a lot of tight-quarters maneuvering. Fashioned out of high quality aluminum, the Zeus ArcPods are designed to hold up to 0.3 grams of dry herb and work perfectly with the Zeus Xtruder which directly connects to, fills up, and automatically ejects the pod once the optimal amount of dry herb has been loaded. But how much more, and how complex is pod maintenance? Inboard fans argue that the pod-drives lack torque. But now thats all gone away. For more information and/or quote, please complete the contact form below. We created Lids for you to reuse your Aluminum ArcPods. They tasked ZF Marine to bring them a transmission that would mate with their Zeus pod, electronic controls and joystick steering. I'm concerned that I won't be able to get my hands on a replacement drive if one were to sheer off 5-7 years from now. Ill bet everyone whos read this far is asking, How much does all this cost? Maintaining pods is a lot more involved than maintaining conventional running gear, and therefore more expensive. The Arc GTS is no . Note that blocking some types of cookies may impact your experience on our websites and the services we are able to offer. lost surfboards santa cruz. (Have they also reduced the docking-related divorce rate among powerboating couples? As you will find by reading the articles on this forum about prop load and engine life, the resulting need to swap out your props with the Pods is expensive when compared to regular shafts and props. Dont cheap out on anodes, Petzold advised. I am looking for a larger boat in the same size range as you. But pod-drive engines use counter-rotating props. Check to enable permanent hiding of message bar and refuse all cookies if you do not opt in. Copyright 2023 Marlin Magazine. If you do not want that we track your visit to our site you can disable tracking in your browser here: We also use different external services like Google Webfonts, Google Maps, and external Video providers. And often, pods do have less torque than shaft-driven boats. ZF Marine entered the pod fray when its exclusivity agreement with Zeus expired. Heck, Mercurys Verado 400R comes with a two-year warranty, even though its got Racing painted on the cowl. Stephen Smith is the southwest sales representative for Caterpillar. Much more service options down there. No thrusters are required, saving more cash. I opted to avoid Volvo as my experience with them as a car dealer was poor. Not cool to open two threads on similar subjects, yup, definitely my bad, rookie mistake, thought I was posting in the forum the first time around. (And when the struts rip out, they can take parts of the hull with them, something that probably wont happen with pods.) The pod-drive boats were clearly more maneuverable and accelerated more quickly than strut, shaft and -prop-drive inboards. Having the ability to move sideways, spin and dock raises the comfort level, especially for an inexperienced boater who wants to weekend but doesnt want to train on an 18-foot vessel, Meissner says. Reply To: Cummins QSB Low Battery ECM Voltage, Marine Age the REAL age of a Marine Diesel Engine, Propellers Move Boats, Engines Just Turn Them, Everything you Need to Know About Marine Exhaust Systems, Continuous Duty A Different Perspective, This topic has 9 replies, 6 voices, and was last updated. However, I think the best application I have run to date was a 39-foot SeaVee with pod-drives. Then realized it was a conversation which I figured was private so I reposted here. I was always an outboard guy, he says. Zeus Transmissions are available at ZF Marine! If you lose oil or get water in the lower unit, an alarm will sound before the problem becomes catastrophic, Fessenden said of Cummins drives. Simply pop in a pod and enjoy your herbs. Four different fluids just to service them. Care should be taken prior to using a vaporizer, as vaporizing will not necessarily eliminate any and all toxins found in vaporized blends. "Cummins says you don't have to haul, but it takes a lot more time to suck that heavy oil out than to just drain it from the bottom," Siebert said. The lids are essential and for one-time use only. The ZS-3000 is Snell M2005 certified in the small shell size (XS to M). And, if you preferred to stand, Viking built the helm so you could control the pods with traditional dual levers.. The counter-rotating propellers and large rubber grommets the engine is mounted on means reduced vibration and engine noise. Thats not chump change, but neither is it likely to produce heart palpitations in the owner of a million-dollar vessel. Part of that comes as a side effect to the benefits of the props angle of attack. Richard estimated an average annual cost of about $2,500 for scheduled maintenance on twin pod drives. Indeed, were approaching if you have to ask territory here, and although a magazine writer like myself has about as much chance of buying a pod-driven anything as he does scoring a date with Sofia Vergara, I still think the benefits of pods far outweigh the extra initial and maintenance costs. I can do that on 200 gallons. Pods are more prevalent in the pleasure-yacht category than in sport fishing. Use Volvo or Cummins zincs too, which arent zinc at all. I'll also add that I REALLY like pods for the fuel efficiency (25-40% better) and maneuverability in a twin engine application. Cummins says you dont have to haul, but it takes a lot more time to suck that heavy oil out than to just drain it from the bottom, Siebert said. There is definitely more maintenance with pods, said John Siebert. pathfinder kingmaker river's justice . Sabre seems to be moving more and more towards the IPS units over Cummins especially since Cummins and Mercury parted paths several years ago (both still support Zeus drives). The biggest difference between IPS's and Zeus pods is the position of the propeller. 2023 Active Interest Media All Rights Reserved. I have personally ruled out any boat with PODS, IPS or ZEUS, for those 2 main reasons. I see the cummins split from Zeus around here was not a good thing myself. And hitting something hard at speed would strip the pods off the bottom as neat as you please. You dont have to redesign it to get our joystick maneuvering system. Like most everything, making the decision to go conventional or pod is a personal choice. Most studies show that maximum rpm only accounts for about 10 percent of the total running cycle of most boats and engines. How much of the additional initial cost will you get back at trade-in time? Spencer Yachts was one of the first to embrace pod-drives, including Volvo Pentas IPS and ZF Marines pod-drive system with Caterpillar engines. At first no one trusted them; now you can hardly sell a car without one.. Capt. Many boatbuilders have installed Zeus in existing designs as we did with the Sabre 42 Express. Its a whole new world of boathandling out there, one all of us can enjoy. KISS Keep It Simple Sailor. Learn more about the 3rd Generation of Vaporizers is here: https://bit.ly/3xm5ASYThe patented Zeus ArcPod is a sin. 1980 - 2023 Seaboard Marine - All Rights Reserved, Viewing 9 replies - 1 through 9 (of 9 total), Complete Seawater Circuit Maintenance Kits, Cummins Graphite Turbo Charger to Exhaust Gasket & Bolt Kit, Aftercooler & Heat Exchanger Maintenance Kits, Early 6BTA 5.9 Diamond Hoses (1.5 Raw Water Hoses), 6CTA 8.3 430/450/480CE Diamond Engine Hoses, USCG Approved Engine & Gear Hydraulic Hoses, USCG Approved High Pressure Hydraulic Oil Lines, EnviroVent Crankcase Ventilation (CCV) Kits, Marine Silicone Exhaust 6 x 8 Reducing Hump Hose, Custom Marine Exhaust Design & Fabrication, Marine 316L SS 4 inch Pipe (4.5" OD) 90 Degree Elbow, Marine 316L Stainless Steel 4 inch Exhaust Pipe (4.5 OD), SMX Custom Stainless Steel Exhaust Mixer Kit, 90 Degree Exhaust Elbow Wrap (Long Radius), SMX Mechanical Engine Digital Display Kit, SMX J1939 SeaView Double Digital Display Kit, Glendinning Throttle & Shift Control Systems, ZF220A & ZF220V Shift Valve Lever Repair Kit, SMX Custom Exhaust Flange Kit for Cummins Engines, Borg Warner Velvet Drive to Cummins 5.9 HD Adapter Kit, Commercial Marine Hydraulic Pumps & Equipment, PetroWrap Anti-Corrosion Tape (2 in. Petzold said the most common problem he sees with pods is owners not maintaining the corrosion protection. We backed around and spun both ways with speed I have only seen once or twice before. Like was said before I mirror there thoughts. Definitely good value for the price and performance these offer. Also demanding periodic attention are hydraulic steering, transmission, and lower-unit oils. Yes they are neat and intriguing as to handling, fuel economy and socialability but all at the price of a steep servicing regiment, a potential for high costs and high stress trying to get the proper qualified servicing or repairs and more computer technology to troubleshoot and stay on top of as to firmware updates, gremlins, etc. Inboards are virtually maintenance-free, while pods require lots of servicing. Regardless of prop orientation, the first drives were a far cry from the watchlike beauties brought forth by Volvo Penta and, later, Zeus and ZF Marine. (Volvo Penta soon followed suit.) At that time, the company boat was a 38-foot express cruiser with a pair of Volvo D6 370 hp diesels matched to IPS 500 series drives. Best of the old and the new.maybe. Hes also got a lot of applications engineering in his background.
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