www.iFourWinns.com

We are looking to purchase a 328 Four Winns preferably within the next 4 months in order to have this boat in our well for the start of the 2010 boating season. We boat in the Great Lakes area (fresh water) so our season really starts in early May.

In our search for a 328 I see it seems like the majority of 328's came with the Volvo Penta DuoProps. Some have the Mercruiser Bravo 3's.

Question - Would you have a preference for either drive? If you have a preference could you breifly explain why? Would your preference be strong enough to avoid persuing a 328 depending on the drives? Everything else being equal I wonder if resale would differ slightly depending on the boat's drives?

Ok, enough questions......

Thanks for your comments,

Mike.

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Current Boat
- 2001 Four Winns 328 Vista "Hour Decision"
- 2010 310 Mercury Inflatable

Previous Boats
- 30' Doral Prestancia
- 25' Doral Citation

Historically, Volvo's have tended to be a bit smoother shifting. With all the digital stuff these days, that's pretty well negated.

Alpha's are a pain to maintain. But, they are cheap.

Bravo's are great drives.

Things to consider:

1) Who's going to service the boat and which brand are they most comfortable with?
2) Your personal experience?

Go with whichever power package has the most power, least hours, and least corrosion.

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2008 318 Vista -SOLD, but I am still around!
All Night Long, Seattle WA

I agree with cougar. I have the duo prop on my vista, and from what I know they are easier to service.
I have also read some were that the bravo drives had corrosion issues, not sure if they have retifies this issue with the newer stuff, and my only be a problem if they were in salt water or brackerish water!

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2001 328 Vista "Nauta Dream 2"
AB Inflatable 10AL "Little Dreamer"
2000 248 Vista
1997 225 Sundowner


Mike

I can't comment on Merc vs Volvo never having had either (only OMC for now) but I would not buy a boat with the Volvo Ocean Series drive because they have had a lot of trouble with the bellows leaking on them and now Volvo is coming out with yet another salt water drive (Ocean X) which makes you wonder if they will discontinue the Ocean Series (OSI)...I would go by whatever is easier to get serviced in your region....but on a boat that big....here in salt water no way would I want any sterndrive...they are ALL a pain to deal with....a boat in that size range should have straight inboards...lowest maintenance...even tho sterndrives give more speed and better fuel economy....Keep in mind that if you have to replace a Volvo drive and it's not an insurance job they are VERY pricey....like 5 grand for an SX single prop and more for a DP...Mercs are cheaper to replace but some do prefer Volvo....

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88 Four Winns 200 Horizon
4.3 OMC Cobra-4bbl
2002 Walker Bay 10/2012 Suzuki 2.5
2008 Walker Bay 8

1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4.0/Selectrac
2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee 5.7 Hemi/Quadradrive II

Isn't a 328 encroaching on the size of boat where the Volvo IPS ( or Mercruiser Zeus) drives are an option?

Graham

I believe the BIII corrosion issues were finally resolved starting with the '05 model year.

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Mike
2005 Four Winns 230/240
VP 5.7GXi/DP
1998 F-150 XLT
Boat Pic

Here is a poll from another site that asked the same question (basically), and some comments that may be of some use to you. Results VP= 52%, MercBIII= 24%.

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One of 4 Previous (Sold) Boats:
2000 Four Winns 268 Vista

Current Boat: 2004 Chaparral 235 ssi cuddy

Personally we run nothing but Volvo drives in all of our FW. The DP is a great drive!The patent on the props being two different sizes is all locked up in Volvos hands. This makes for a direct line of thrust and great handling. On the corrosion issue.. volvo only has two anodes where a BIII has what seems to be a long list of anodes required. The bravo IIIs do eat themselves alive from corrosion and have only been fixed if you buy the Seacore version. I do agree on the Volvo OSi drives (which were discontinued last year) that you should stay clear of these. We NEVER ordered them on a single boat. Here in the salt you have to paint a drive whether its "plastic" or metal lol. Their new OceanX series is very nice as its a coating on their already great drive package.

and lastly... Graham... IPS is only avaialabe on 37' on up. The 35' is the only straight inboard boat in the lineup. You can get Volvos stern drive joystick option on anything with twin drives though

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Bryan Mutter

http://www.twincitymarine.com
http://www.facebook.com/twincitymarineinc
http://www.youtube.com/user/twincitymarine
http://www.twitter.com/twincitymarine

Bryan,

Thanks for the clarification on the boats on which IPS is available; all out of my price range, I'm afraid !

My 2004 DPS actually has 3 anodes, not 2; one on the drive, the other 2 on the transom (mounted onto the active corrosion protection unit). Maybe it's because the sea water never got warmer than about 15 deg. C here the last 2 summers, but the anodes did 2 six month seasons and all look like they would do well over another 6 month season! I check the electrical continuity between the anodes and drive at the beginning of the season and the end; no change. The control box LEDs do not indicate it is working overtime to protect the drive.

I have no corrosion issues on the aluminium parts of the outdrive; the only issues I have had are:

Propellors; crevice corrosion of the stainless hubs (first set changed by VP, the second set are now starting to go in a minor way in the same places). They are not electrically connected to anything that will protect them.

Trim cylinder rams; minor crevice corrosion of the stainless bosses where they touch the plastic bushes and also the stainless washer/ "E" clip retainers: I can only assume there is no electrical continuity between the ram and the cylinder body. No corrosion has occured at the other end of the trim cylinders, presumably as the aluminium bodies are connected to the anodes via the connecting cables.

Graham

Graham,

Ok you got me there... there are a few transom plates that use the two smaller anodes intead of the one. To help your prop issue trying using anode p/n 3857857. It is much larger and is recommended by Volvo on drives with Stainless props. We have used them for the past two seasons and they work well.

_________________
Bryan Mutter

http://www.twincitymarine.com
http://www.facebook.com/twincitymarineinc
http://www.youtube.com/user/twincitymarine
http://www.twitter.com/twincitymarine

I have had both drives. Would one drive or the other on a boat keep me from buying that boat, no. I have a preference for VP DP but had zero issues with our '03 Bravo III and it had zero corrosion when we sold it after 5 summers in a wet slip. I think how that engine/drive was maintained by the previous owner is more important.

Bryan,

I honestly wasn't trying to "get you" !!! Just indicating my experiences. I have no idea why my boat has the "MHP" transom assembly (with the higher anode costs; but if they last 3 seasons, it's pretty good value for money I suppose !)

That anode you indicate, isn't it just the bigger anode on the VP parts diagram, that fits on the outdrive? The one on my drive seems about just about a little less than half eroded now. If the stainless props are not connrected to an anode, there is no protection.

Regarding the stainless steel trim rams, I suppose I could attach wires so they are attached to the outdrive/ anodes electrically. Difficult with the props though.

I'm just a little suspicious that the bits that show corrosion are probably the points furthest away from the active corrosion protection unit!

Graham

Just use a really long wire.

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Mike
2005 Four Winns 230/240
VP 5.7GXi/DP
1998 F-150 XLT
Boat Pic

I agree with Wet Doggg. I think both set ups are comparable in many ways. I'm not sure you would be disappointed with either. Knowing how it was maintained would be my bigger concern. If serviced properly either set up should be fine.

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Norris Lake, Stardust Marina, Andersonville, TN
2005 Four Winns 230 Horizon 5.7L Volvo Gi/DP
2001 Maxum 1900SR 5.0L V8 (Sold)
2011 Nissan Armada Platnum

I have had merc drives on four boats to date and will say that the Alpha drives don't hold up. Our current 318 has merc BIII's with the newer seacore option and running in salt they are fine and have been trouble free to date.

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2008 318 Vista "Ka-wai-ola"
350 MPI/BravoIII DTS Seacore
2006 1500 Key West -70 Yamaha
Previous Boats
Key West 2300CC
Pacemaker 270 Sport Fish
290 Sea Ray