prostock3

this might have been talked about before, so im sorry. But surface drives, are they just crazy money? It seems like you can just run a **** ton of power through them and not worry about blowing a drive. I could be wrong but would it make sence for someone with say bravo one drives, to just loose them put some surface drives on and build a 1000hp motor? If there is more to it than that please chime in, im just wondering why you dont see the surface drives more often

JasonSmith

I think (know) most recreational boaters are under the false impression that they make the boat handle poorly around the docks. Along with that, they also believe they stick out too far, which is also incorrect.
Rik Wimp is on here (Arneson) & there are several threads he has answered these very questions in.
All in all, you are on the right track. Why most don't do it is because it is the fear of the unknown......and the money.

HTRDLNCN

Not everyone has the money for $50k-100k drives and 1000hp motors
Those that do have the money do use them..
Many of the fastest run surface drives as do many big power yachts especially overseas..

Randy Nielsen

I know Arneson makes a bravo conversion kit & it obviously works pretty well cause you dont see them for sale used very often like you do bravo drives, but I think they are kind of spendy to buy them. Does anyone make a less expensive setup? Dont know about others but I could use the xtra space in my garage if I werent collecting bravo parts for my next failure. Randy

Philm

Couple reasons
People are afraid of them. They think they will make the boat handle like crap around the dock, make it more dangerous to swim off the back of the boat, ect.

They are expensive to convert to from a bravo style boat. An arenson ASD-7 conversion kit comes with everything you need but it is still right around $25k a side. Now if you were rigging out a new boat, the cost comes out about even between that and a full Imco SCX setup with extension box, steering, trim pumps, all of which are included in the conversion kit.

prostock3

thanks guys

Wolford

Why not use a #6 drive? They seem to hold up fine. Plus they look cooler.

sutphen 30

heres a project i finished up w/ the boat owner.has just what your saying,1200hp whipple 581's and theres was no way bravo3's were holding up.boat stock,49mph w/496ho's,now best is 66mph w/ a big azz prop,this was at 49-51% throttle.year before we had real small 5 blades on and went 68mph at 5700rpm,thes props were for hi rpm testing.now we have enough data for herring to clip the new props down.goal is 75mph.all this in a 23klb boat.
heres the boat taking off.enjoy,

http://youtu.be/tIMDtAoPM-U

HTRDLNCN

Last time I saw a price for them a few years back a complete #6 drive setup rans somewhere in the range of 75k a side.,That doesnt include the prop..

Its a very limited market which means limited customers yet you still have to recoup
your engineering and research for whatever drive system you manufacture, thus
they are very expensive. At least to the average person..
The people that really need them that have the 500k, 100mph 40+ft boats with 1000hp engines will have the money..
They are a very small percentage when you start talking manufacturing numbers.
The people that have the middle of the road boats that have spent most there money on the
big 700-900hp engine that is just too big for a stock Bravo can not afford it and try to either
cobble up a Bravo to hold up or a Bravo copy , sometimes it works sometimes it doesnt.

The Arnesons are the way to go if buying a new boat,,on a used boat the problem especially
in todays market is most boats arent worth throwing that kind of money into them unless you are
keeping your boat for a very long time.Which means they dont sell many,, which means they cant drop the price,
its a vicous circle.
Speed costs money, the bigger and heavier the boat the more that grows exponentially.
Want a fast cheap boat, get a small 20-24ft cat with twin 300 OBs,, get you 100mph and great gas milage
Otherwise its gonna cost you, the faster and longer the bigger your wallet better be..

waterboy222

Wow, That looks awesome throwing a rooster tail in your other videos.. Thats a monster boat for those speeds