Cat & Mice

We are woking on a 312 Formlua with twin 454's. Since we are adding Whipples and new Heads, We need to upgrade the drives. The customer was considering Arneson drives and since I have no experiance with them I just wanted to get the real deal. I was suggesting the New Imco SC with 1or2 inch shorter Lower's. I know all about the Bravo and how it works and handles but I have never been in a boat with the Arnesons. I know that both will handle the Power that we are making but I don't know how they handle and perform.

Any Info would be great.

Pyle

Boatlesss

Why don't you ask Arneson?

[email protected]

kaamacat

C&M. Did you know that you will then need to go with a transmission if your are converting from a Bravo drive. As for the surface drives. Formula did have them on their boats in the 80's (KAAMAs), but its really the same thing. There are (2) members on OSO with 1986 formulas and surface drives that could give you some great input on that size boat. (go back to the members boat listings section). My own thought is that once you go with the surface drive, you kinda rule out any water sports. The drives sit high, so they would probably get a better chance to eat the tow line. You wont be able to see whats behind you. But on the up-side.........you have far less drag than the bravo, less HP loss because the Arneson does not have the bevel gears and angles. The Arneson is also much more reliable with larger boats and hp. (just look at the board entries with the heavier boats and hp, and how many have blown the bravos).

Bob

Cat & Mice

KaamaCat, What about maneuvering?? I would think that the Arneson would make a larger radius turn??

Pyle

kaamacat

True....They do. Very wide arc, and not good at slow speed. Although, when I'm docking just having twins makes it ok. Its not th thing to have if you wanted to (at slow speed) manuver around a bunch of boats in a cove or something like that. But then again, I just use one side or the other to steer slow versus even turning the wheel. Now. You also have to consider the shallow water capability is excellent. I really think these drive types are more for the person that has a larger open area to cruise in. It does have the "cool factor". No doubt that someone will see you comming before they hear you.

Bob

Rik

Mr. C&M, email mail me and I will explain the cost of the Arneson’s. More expensive than IMCO might not be correct, especially when everything is taken into consideration. Our Bravo to Arneson Conversion is very competitively priced.

As for skiing, we have customers that ski with Arneson’s. At 25 mph there is no rooster tail to contend with, and all one has to do is trim the drive lower to eliminate it at most speeds. If he is speed skiing, get a longer rope….

We are doing a project with a few ski boat manufacturers to test an Arneson Surface Drive on an actual ski boat. Some people must think it will work.

With regards to maneuverability, last week there was a comparison test done of two 42’ Fountain Lighting’s, one with 500 EFI/Bravo’s and one with Yanmar 440/Arneson’s, everything else was identical. The Arneson boat not only went faster (83 vs. 77), it stayed on plane at slower speeds, handled better at slower speeds, docked better and was able to make tighter and faster turns than the Bravo boat.

We just finished making an adapter to allow a Mercury Outboard Propeller (Over the Hub Exhaust) to fit the ASD6 Drive, eliminating the higher cost speedmaster propellers.

Your customer sounds like a smart man!

Sutphen39

My husband had Kamma drives on his 30' Scarab in 1984 and Arnesons on his 1987 34' Sutphen and his current 1995 39'Sutphen. We actually are still using the same drives from 1987, he thinks they have been great.
Minimal upkeep. Yes, it takes a little while to get used to them, but he can manuver his boat anywhere and our friends see us coming before they hear us.

Blueman

Rik
Sounds like you know what you are talking about. I have a ?. on a 47 fountain trip. with arneson type drives I have heard they will list or lean to one side real bad and not ride on plane well. I looked at a 51 and was told this by some that worked at the dealer, of coarse not by the owner. I have heard this later also. Maybe you can tell us what the diff. would be in the speed, handleing and weight to bravo drives.
Thanks for any info

IRONMAN

With Arnesons on that hull there will be no appendage below the keel at most trim angles so that shallow water or a stray log will probably not ruin your day.

Rik

Blueman, sounds like someone had a boat that did not have counter rotating propellers. Two or more propellers spinning the same direction will cause a boat to list to one side, regardless of outdrive.

Depending upon the engine power, the rotation change (RH and LH) is handled by the Arneson outdrive. Larger diesel engines rely upon the Marine Gear for the change of rotation as well as the reduction.

We have Arneson’s on some big boats, and they plane very well, as well as stay on plane. This is another area that was tested recently with the 42’ Fountain. The Arneson’s could maintain a lower plaining speed than the Bravos.

Depending upon your engines power, (to use the appropriate Arneson Surface Drive) the ASD6 drive weighs 157 lbs, including the steering and trim cylinders, trim pump and bolts. I do not know what a complete Bravo assembly weighs.

Speed gains are different boat to boat, naturally a boat that runs a very deep X dimension will gain far more than a boat with an extremely high X dimension. With less drag and more power going to the water, the boat will run faster with the Arneson Surface Drives.