Zeus and ZF have only a few thousand pods in use. Full details on shipping can be found here. One issue that early pod adopters discovered, usually to their financial surprise, was the necessity of checking the shaft seals regularly, and replacing them on a scheduled basisevery five years is about right for most folks. Everyone fears the unknown, especially boaters, many of whom still consider pod drives something alien. If you get to know these pods and keep regular checks on fluid levels, they will treat you well. When pods shear off, their recovery might cost a huge percentage of their value. Fifty dollars per prop should do it. But pods makers thought just a few years ago that one limiting factor of the pod market is speed. The boat never missed a beat, much to Pareds elation. How much of the additional initial cost will you get back at trade-in time? I liked the idea of being able to handle the boat from the helm seat instead of standing up all the time. Estimating the yearly cost isnt easy either, since yard rates vary and some pods need more upkeep than others. 2875 Jupiter Park Drive Suite 1700, Jupiter, FL 33458, All the Benefits of a Garmin Yacht System, 5 Romantic Destinations for the perfect Valentines Day, A Buyers Guide to the Intellian v240MT Satellite Antenna, Extended Warranty for Your Marine Leisure Products, Follow These Best Practices for Safe Boating, Essential Navigation Equipment and Tech for Your New Yacht, Keep Your Yacht Secure with a State-of-the-Art Security System, 3 Pieces of Tech Every Yacht Owner Should Invest In. International service is also a concern for pods. Anderson acknowledges that pods have advantages in some areas and disadvantages in others. Some had forward-facing propellers. Mark their location any way you can, with a waypoint or a buoy, said Steve Little, president ofTowBoatU.S. And hitting something hard at speed would strip the pods off the bottom as neat as you please. Its important to maintain good antifouling. Pods have water intakes, exhausts and other places that are inviting to marine critters, and keeping them out is important. Are the Zeus drives still being produced today? Each pod has 2 props and they are different. You cant take the grate off to clean or paint in there. His solution is to spray Interlux Trilux 33 or Pettit Alumaspray Plus from aerosol cans inside the seawater intakes. All with a simple push or twist of the joystick. Volvo doesn't offer the option of in-water service. Volvo Penta introduced the first pod-drive system in 2004. Copyright 2023 Marlin Magazine. Thats the environment marine propulsion engineers entered when they envisioned a new pod-drive system, a form of propulsion for boats that could change the way anglers pursue big game. While it is possible to reuse lids to reduce your consumption cost, they will impact the flavor negatively, same way as a disposable cup will impact the flavour of your coffee negatively if reused. The pod version of the 42 Sabre, for instance, adds a queen bed and more stowage to the guest stateroom, as well as the option for a washer and dryer. SeaVee no longer builds inboard boats, but that was a neat one. Outboards are easy. Pods also increase fuel economy and decrease vibration. They also dont have cutlass bearings or shaft seals to monitor and replace, nor separate rudders and steering systems to maintain, saving money on those items over the long haul. Sophisticated diagnostics go with every engine now. The biggest thing marketed to promote the system was its efficiency compared to a regular shaft and prop system, as well as joystick maneuverability. We recommend consulting with a licensed physician before using a vaporizer. Yes, pods have sheared off upon striking something immovable (as theyre designed to do), leaving the hull intact and the owner with a five-figure repair bill. I was always an outboard guy, he says. Its like a carnival ride. Finger pointing is worse in any situation when it is out of warranty, then you are left on a deserted island. While Buckley gets an impressive 50 mph with his pods, quad outboards would likely get another 5 to 10 mph. Each pod turns independently of the other, giving remarkable maneuverability. Siebert prefers Boeshield T-9. Gear, people, supplies, fuel and water lug a boat down, and the more it settles in the water, the more impact it has on your speed. We had a few bugs in my first IPS boat. By turning pods in opposite directions and running one in forward and one in reverse, the vessel can be pivoted more quickly and easily than in either outboards or inboards. The props themselves are patented. Spencer Yachts was one of the first to embrace pod-drives, including Volvo Pentas IPS and ZF Marines pod-drive system with Caterpillar engines. 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And joystick piloting? With quad outboards, Id get about 0.7 miles per gallon. Zeus Pod Drive Transmissions. After the tests in Sweden, I then did a leg of the trip on that first Tiara Volvo demo boat, heading west in the New York State Canal from the Hudson River to the Great Lakes. This is our premium store warranty and only select units are covered under this program. Lets have a look. Most new boats developed in the 35- to 45-foot class were pods. Please note that to purchase a vaporizer from this website you must abide by local laws and be a minimum of 19 years of age. I simulated backing through a slalom course in reverse, moving faster than any angler could ever gain line. Ten years ago, many old-timers predicted that complex pod systems, with their computer-managed guidance, fly-by-wire controls, and inaccessible drive units tucked under the hull, would need constant repair and maintenance. Unless you get the boat at a knock-down price, I mean really low, I wouldn't touch one without a full service history or a late model. When pods vibrate, propellers or jack shaft bearings are the likely causes. Plus factors and quiet fuel efficient. Part of that comes as a side effect to the benefits of the props angle of attack. We didnt have to touch it until we got back to San Diego.). One drive had a. Another benefit comes from counter-rotating props on the pods. I guess you could say I'm a power user that vapes around 1-2 grams a day and after almost a week of use, I'm still on my first ArcPod. Our drives are made to stand up to a light freshwater rinse, Fessenden said, but dont blast them with the hose. Fessenden suggests a light coating of Mercurys corrosion spray. Pods operate independently of one another to provide vectored thrust in any direction, which makes the vessel incredibly maneuverable. Most pods also require periodic removal and inspection of prop sets and seals, and re-greasing of the propshaftsfigure $250 per pod. 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). They said it was so easy a child could do it, and sure enough, it wasnt long before a lad barely out of kindergarten deftly maneuvered a 40-footer into a slip all by himself. Unless I lived/boated in the same area where existed the Mecca of Zeus Service Centers (wherever that may be) I would steer clear (no pun intended) . are zeus pods still being manufactured. Some pods require draining. Sensors and things like that. Your are officially the first one to publish 4o% percent efficiency benefits for pods. These cookies collect information that is used either in aggregate form to help us understand how our website is being used or how effective our marketing campaigns are, or to help us . The ZEUS ArcPods have hit the 2022 market. Right now, I cant talk anybody who wants pod-drives out of them, says Caterpillars Stephen Smith. The IPS-drives fit well in our boats, and our owners love their maneuverability, Pared says, and he has customers who can back up his word. Zincs every year, costing a few bucks, a new Cutless bearing every once in a while, and a couple of brushfuls of paint for the struts and rudders. Sociability is another huge advantage to pods. 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. Yes, you need to be concerned about steering and propulsion fluids (lower unit) but you are not dealing with shaft irregularities, cutlass bearing maintenance, and thruster maintenance. 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? Otherwise you will be prompted again when opening a new browser window or new a tab. We only go around once anyway, so pay the money, grab the joystick, and have some angst-free enjoyment. I did some work on them but really didnt have the time to become efficient. With a shaft and strut inboard, you can pretty much pull up to any marina in the world and get it serviced. As we have seen many times with sailfish, I am certain one of the marlin swam along with us between the teaser and the boat, looking at the wheels and not at the bait we had moved into position to switch him over to. You must be at least 19 years from Canada and 21 years from USA to buy and/or use this website. Click to enable/disable _gat_* - Google Analytics Cookie. Autor de l'entrada Per ; Data de l'entrada ice detention center colorado; https nhs vc hh cardiac surgery a are zeus pods still being manufactured a are zeus pods still being manufactured 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. There is definitely more maintenance with pods, said John Siebert. Its hard to tell if sport fishermen will take to it. From a long term maintenance perspective you are better off with a conventional drive line. It turns out that if I went with the new Cummins 550s and straight shafts, the IPS is a little cheaper., Sport-fish mode. Whether you have pods or conventional props, if your anodes have short life spans, have a pro check for stray current, problems with the marinas shore power, etc. Over time, fishing line will damage the seal, and it can score the shaft, too. What customers are choosing is maneuverability. On the Cummins side, only two Cummins dealers on the Chesapeake have been to Pod school. Goes without saying: Its got ZF Smart Command 5000 drive-by-wire. Okay, the last bit is trueas if running over a submerged jetty or grounding hard on a shell bank wouldnt damage conventional props. But how do you compare boats? You always can block or delete cookies by changing your browser settings and force blocking all cookies on this website. The other issue was when the owner sold the boat they did a oil sample and found water and both lower units had to be resealed and a main shaft had to be changed. (I know you're supposed to replace each use for both the other companies, but it is possible to get more than one sesh out of each pod). The lower units (gear housing) will need to be resealed and I expect to have to do this every 5 years or so. More interior room? These are often second- or third-told tales with a questionable provenance and few verifiable facts. The aft placement of pods has added to usable space on board. Thats not chump change, but neither is it likely to produce heart palpitations in the owner of a million-dollar vessel. Over the years, Ive found online forums to be some of the most ready places for first-hand accounts of engine-related problems. By turning one engine pod at a sharper angle than the other in a turn, they could narrow its radius. I understand in order to get pods cheap they had to use this cardboard-like substance, so seeing how you can't even try to clean it because of the material makes the company seem like they are fishing for my money every month unlike Healthy Rips and Storz and Bickel with their "pods" (IDK what to call them). Both throttle and steering. The drive can be simultaneously connected to electric propulsion too. The company has built exactly one 42-footer without pods since, versus a dozen boats with the pods option and another 50 of the new, pod-only 42-footer. Somewhere in between the cost of straightening conventional shafts and rudders, and possibly even repairing transmissions, the advantage shifts back to pods. Hes president of Petzolds Marine Center (petzolds.com) in Portland, Connecticut, a dealer for both Sabre and Regal, two boatbuilders that moved into pods early in the game. Boats do sink from that very thing. Initially, I too was surprised at the lack of trained techs in my area but once I realized you can use Mercury techs that have been to Mercury Diesel school, more options opened up. The result is a perfectly consistent amount of dry herb in each of your ArcPods each and every time, meaning you get the same great results with every session. Our white marlin came in hot on the teasers we fished up close to the boat. Whats another three grand, compared to the cost of a boat big enough and upscale enough for pod drives? . The following cookies are also needed - You can choose if you want to allow them: This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Todd pauses thoughtfully before answering: We didnt run into that problem., While nobody can predict the ultimate size of the pod market, as more and more people experience them, the polarity between love and hate is apt to change. Thats the biggest attraction and why [pods] gained acceptance among a lot of enthusiasts, who wanted a certain size of vessel and want to move from a 28 to a 34 to 40 but were not comfortable with maneuvering inboard boats. You need go no farther than your marina to hear a list of suspects. Click to enable/disable Google reCaptcha. Pods are robust.. Inboards are virtually maintenance-free, while pods require lots of servicing. Click to enable/disable Google Analytics tracking. Zeus offers dramatically improved high-speed handling and delivers up to: 30% improved fuel economy 15% faster cruise speed It seems like this new tech gadgetry would have been off-putting to the salty captains, and it was, particularly among the sport-fisher crowds, who already had their docking and fish-fighting skills well honed. But this was a first for the recreational segment of the marine industry, and there was a lot of buzz and excitement. The biggest difference between IPS's and Zeus pods is the position of the propeller. That said, I have heard good things. x 33 ft.), SMX Bronze Freshwater Flush Cap for Groco ARG Series Strainers, Bronze Tee Adapter and Freshwater Flush System, Military Style Top Post Battery Terminals, Heavy Duty Marine Grade 316L Stainless Steel Washers, Cummins Marine Diamond Performance Series Engine Sticker, ZF Marine Transmission Sales & Current Inventory, ZF 45-85 A/IV Shift & Troll Cable Bracket, ZF Marine Transmission Oil Drain Line Kit, Suredrive Coupling for Borg Warner & ZF 220A, Suredrive Coupling for ZF 301 & 302 VLD/IV with Vulkan L, Marine Flex Plate (Velvet Drive, SAE 11.5), Vulkan Vulkardan-E (2K3411S004) SAE No. Theyre a whole different animal, Siebert said. And often, they are recoverable and repairable. How many buyers do you think reconsider upgrading to pods because of the extra maintenance cost? There are many reasons why everyones not on the pod bandwagon. Being new to power boating, I selected this configuration for ease of docking and it has been fabulous. And once the numbers are crunched, are pods worth it? Ill be limiting my search to non-pod models going forward. One hardly noticed the greatest benefit to the end user: The engine systems were so compact, many boats could gain an aft cabin or at least a sleeping berth where diesel engines once thrummed away. If water is suspected inside any pod, get a mechanic aboard right away or risk internal damage. 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. Martin Meissner of ZF Marine says engine makers still dont have a handle on the potential volume. If your zincs are gone, your warranty might be gone too, Siebert said, so all his clients boats with pods are cleaned and checked monthly by a diver. Cummins Marine Diesel Repower Specialists Forums Cummins Marine Engines Zeus Pods: Good, Bad, Ugly?? Not on the pods. Its a whole new world of boathandling out there, one all of us can enjoy. Check the status of an existing order here. How to Manage Boat Finances During a Recession, Gamefisherman 43 Express on the Drawing Board, Marlin Expeditions Offers Light-Tackle Paradise in Guatemala. Those meridians are not as over propped as other boats in the Brunswick family, based on my reading of boattest.com performance tests, but you will need to change out the prop set eventually and that means 4 different props for the ZEUS. Because these cookies are strictly necessary to deliver the website, refusing them will have impact how our site functions. A Bonnier LLC Company. However, the patent on forward-facing props a feature that Volvo Penta claims gives its drives better traction by letting the broad blades and narrow hubs of their counter-rotating props turn in clean water well below the surface was not utilized. After that, it wasnt up for discussion any longer: The marlin didnt mind the pods at all. Great contribution Blue Magnolia..that rings true and honest. With its forward-facing counter-rotating propellers, Volvos IPS pod-drive is a unique system. They get people excited about buying a new boat.. I had seen massive tugboats using a similar pod-drive system for their tight-quarters work, pushing huge container ships into the wharf. Are there particular production years that performed better than others. But its also highly dependent on the application of the vessel. In the past decade, high-tech pod drives have changed the face of powerboating, and for the better. Then forward-thinking builders (Tiara, Cruisers, Regal, and Sabre among them) redesigned their boats for pod power and the technology became mainstream. A Bonnier LLC Company. Oh, and if youre a do-it-yourselfer, youll discover that a lot of pod maintenance requires specialized tools and training. I opted to avoid Volvo as my experience with them as a car dealer was poor. Its docking. In sum, with todays technology, the best combination might be a shaft boat, bow and stern thrusters, and the Cummins power plant with electronic joy stick controls. I agree with Rob. Rob makes a very good point about service network and availability of skill in your intended cruising area. Once hes inspected everything and put it all back together, Petzold paints the pod. Copyright 2023 Marlin Magazine. The Zeus ArcPods are the convenient method of preparing, loading, and transporting your dry herb for use with your, 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 service includes changing 0w30 SAE transmission oil, hydraulic steering oil and filters inside the hull as well as 90-weight gear oil outside the hull. ZFs pod-drive includes a jackshafted transmission, which can mate to any diesel engine the owner prefers. Make sure to do this, and if buying a used boat, make certain the first owner did it, too. 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. Click to enable/disable _gid - Google Analytics Cookie. Charleston. Not a lot of guys know pods yet. For a ballpark number, Im deferring to a well-researched article written by our late friend, Capt. And, if you preferred to stand, Viking built the helm so you could control the pods with traditional dual levers.. A very hard grounding is also likely to cost less with pods, since theyre meant to shear off and then go right back onto the boat with just a thorough service and new bolts. There support network is much better and to me is a better product. And if you have to ask about price, you really dont need one. I stay on top of the maintenance, oil and everything and never had a breakdown., Some people complain about the top-end speed of pods. Im a pessimist, however, and because of this Id budget $3,000, quite an upcharge from just replacing zincs. how to say hello we are blackpink in korean; hawaii energy issues. Painting pods will cost a bit more too. Pods, on the other hand, need annual TLC, and this means skilled work. I see the cummins split from Zeus around here was not a good thing myself. Cummins expert Rob Mirman gives an overview of the Cummins Zeus pod drive system at the 2013 Miami International Boat Show. Neither Health Canada nor the FDA have evaluated the vaporizers, blends and/or statements displayed on this website. FREE shipping on orders of $100.00 and above. Thanks to all.just the practical advice I was looking for. 2023 Active Interest Media All Rights Reserved. The inboard has simplicity and ubiquity. Joystick control? For the first few years pods appeared mostly on company demo boats tested by magazine writers, and received lots of press coverage, most of it extolling their handling advantages. Down sides were in the San Francisco Bay Area there is only one person that can work on them. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. Since these providers may collect personal data like your IP address we allow you to block them here. It seems that the Zeus pods have evolved over the years and later systems are more reliable than earlier ones. Add to Cart. Pod drives have been widely available only since 2007, yet they have the market awhirl. Note that blocking some types of cookies may impact your experience on our websites and the services we are able to offer. The downside is that a boat with less horsepower is more easily burdened by loading the boat. No more packing on the go, just pop in and enjoy. Oh boy, the lids. There are a lot of traditionalists in that market.. The Zeus system propellers are on the back of the pods, as opposed to the Volvo IPS, which are on the front. For those first 25 hours, we use a break-in lube, said David Fessenden, a marine applications engineer with Cummins Atlantic. And the Zeus pods also came with a joystick. Although pod housings are built of corrosion-resistant bronze rather than the aluminum alloy used for stern drives, its still critical to maintain the anodes. Zeus propeller shafts use a double-lip seal. They have shafts, they have props, and they can get more if they need them. Internal bonding issue and corrosion and a bunch of internal parts had to be changed. Petzold said the most common problem he sees with pods is owners not maintaining the corrosion protection. Parts for them now have to go through mercury. Volvo includes neither a water alarm nor a clear reservoir, so check the single transmission and gear oil dipstick for signs of water. In standard shaft and prop boats, props lose their bite in close-quarters maneuvering, Smith says. I rarely say this but if your dead set on a pod option I would put Volvos in. A racing motor with a warranty? Sure the stories are one-sided, but as an aggregate source of information, theyve led me to conclude that pods are no more prone to failure than inboards but that when a pod breaks, the repair bills going to be higher. How Fuel-Efficient Are Pods, Exactly? Most studies show that maximum rpm only accounts for about 10 percent of the total running cycle of most boats and engines. I am looking for one that has been treated well and run as close to the ideal as possible. He gives even higher praise to the Clean Wake exhaust feature. Many boatbuilders have installed Zeus in existing designs as we did with the Sabre 42 Express. Naval architects have also gotten better at maximizing the efficiencies of pods at all speeds. Inboard props slip in both forward and reverse. The pod-drives gave us the ability to manage the narrow locks and small marinas along that route without a bow thruster. In addition, I enjoy the added efficiencies Tony mentions above.
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