New VP drive

Graham R · **Posted:** Thu Feb 12, 2015 1:38 pm

Forward facing outdrive !

http://www.volvopentaforwarddrive.com/

RotaryRacer · **Posted:** Fri Feb 13, 2015 9:42 am

I think it makes sense to have a separate thread for the drive itself.

While this new Forward Drive is obviously being introduced and marketed to the wake sports market, I wonder if we will see it being used on other boats types.

I could see VP pushing to use this on midsize cruisers.

babbot1 · **Joined:** Tue Mar 12, 2013 3:46 pm **Posts:** 570

I doubt they will use this on larger vessels because they already have the azipod for that and I don't see an advantage over the duo other than for watersports.
To me this looks like someone put peanut butter and chocolate together with the duo drive and the azipod. The top is a duo drive and the bottom is an azipod.

RotaryRacer · **Posted:** Fri Feb 13, 2015 10:23 am

babbot1 wrote:

I doubt they will use this on larger vessels because they already have the azipod for that and I don't see an advantage over the duo other than for watersports.
To me this looks like someone put peanut butter and chocolate together with the duo drive and the azipod. The top is a duo drive and the bottom is an azipod.

Right. They have the IPS for large cruisers. But in the 30-35 ft range this could be marketed as a good alternative to traditional sterndrive or IPS.

Also, for all the tooling and development dollars they will want to get the volume up and I guess that is the point I was making. Where else will they try to push this product.

I'm not saying it is better or should be used in place of a regular DuoProp....it could however be marketed as such.

ric · **Posted:** Fri Feb 13, 2015 10:24 am

I'd have to see this in action, but at least from the visual standpoint I see this working better than a v-drive for wake surfing. This, if successful, will totally **** up the mega inflated inboard wakeboard boat market. The days of a 23ft wakeboard boat for $120k might be over soon

babbot1 · **Joined:** Tue Mar 12, 2013 3:46 pm **Posts:** 570

good points. I think like Ric said we need to see this thing in action instead of speculating. It could be a way better performer than a duo which is already very good.

babbot1 · **Joined:** Tue Mar 12, 2013 3:46 pm **Posts:** 570

Ric, I vote you buy one for the iFourWinns test site facility.

ric · **Posted:** Fri Feb 13, 2015 11:00 am

I don't see using this over a duo prop on a cruiser, but eventually that might be the case. The benefit of this drive is that it puts the props in the right position on a boat to create wakesurfing/wakeboarding waves. It's also trimmable so you can really jack a boat to get really big waves without tons of ballast. On the right design hull (and it will take all new designs) with a combo of ballast, trim, and wedges, this system could produce wake surfing waves like nothing we've seen before. It might also give the ability to design a true watersports boat that can handle like a standard bowrider.

One of the largest issues with inboard is prop rotation. Prop rotation screws up the wave and one boat is only good for a wave on one side of the boat. If you surf goofy footed, you purchase a boat with reverse rotation. Well, that's great for you but if your buddies surf regular, the wave sucks ass on the other side.

This drive system doesn't have that problem. One boat for all riders.

GottWhat · **Posted:** Fri Feb 13, 2015 1:01 pm

This setup has to handle much better in no-wake situations when compared to regular i/o.

ric · **Posted:** Fri Feb 13, 2015 2:35 pm

GottWhat wrote:

This setup has to handle much better in no-wake situations when compared to regular i/o.

Don't seesaw the steering wheel and regular I/O's handle perfect in no wake situations.

GottWhat · **Posted:** Fri Feb 13, 2015 3:03 pm

ric wrote:

GottWhat wrote:

This setup has to handle much better in no-wake situations when compared to regular i/o.

Don't seesaw the steering wheel and regular I/O's handle perfect in no wake situations.

My technique is not the concern.

An example of when no-wake handling is poor is when we are in the channel entering our in-law's marina. The several hundred feet before the inlet drops down to no wake there are many boats including cruisers (some 50'+) that are coming off of plane. There is traffic going in and out so you have boats at no-wake speed going in and out at the same time as boats coming off plane and speeding up once they pass the no-wake markers.

At no wake speed, handling is not optimal and can get down right white-knucklish avoiding the markers on one side and the traffic on the other.

TX H210SS · **Joined:** Thu May 27, 2010 9:10 am **Posts:** 1488

I don't see how the forward propulsion increases wake...explain why you are saying that ric. I get the duo prop evening out the wake but no more than standard duo prop. I would like to see the wake without ballast and lowering of wake plate on that boat.

alex8q4 · **Posted:** Sun Feb 15, 2015 8:28 am

The new drive is pulling rather than pushing. When trimming the drive up the props will face downward and pull the back of the boat down, thus making a large wake.

alex8q4 · **Posted:** Sun Feb 15, 2015 8:33 am

LouC · **Posted:** Sun Feb 15, 2015 10:31 am

Another rather impractical design that will have poor shallow water flexibility and difficulty launching and loading at shallow ramps.
Let's go back to a keel drive inboard with a bow thruster......

Anybody running one of these keep your insurance paid up

www.iFourWinns.com

New VP drive

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