Shaft drive trailer boats
Submitted by bradz on Sun, 2013-06-30 12:48
What's the general thoughts on shaft drive trailer boats. Some in the states, such as Shamrocks, seem like a nice option. Centre mounted engine would give great weight distribution. And the shaft rive would require minimal maintenance.
At only 21 feet long they look nice. Pretty shallow v at the transom though
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I did then the best that I knew how. When I knew better, I did better.
carnarvonite
Posts: 8667
Date Joined: 24/07/07
Preferred
I would prefer to have a shaft drive boat over sterndrive or outboard any day.
Better sea handling, easier to steer and cheaper to run with less moving parts to maintain.
Doooma
Posts: 791
Date Joined: 05/12/09
Fair dinkum??Wish I had known
Fair dinkum??
Wish I had known that before I bought my current tub... So there is a big difference in maintenance between shaft drive and sterndrive?
I was eyeing off a trailerable shaft drive with small diesel for bloody ages before buying my reef runner as I thought outboard would be best...
I think it was about a 20-21 foot durban with 30hp diesel??..... I have no idea what a 30hp is equivalent to in an outboard in relation to power..
Rob H
Posts: 5796
Date Joined: 18/01/12
in all honesty Doooma Id
in all honesty Doooma Id guess maybe itd do 10 or 12 knots tops, though itd do it noisily on the smell of an oily rag.
There is the difference between horses and ponies, but unless its setup just right advantage is lost.
Give a man a mask, and he'll show you his true face...
The older you get the more you realize that no one has a f++king clue what they're doing.
Everyone's just winging it.
Rob H
Posts: 5796
Date Joined: 18/01/12
double post
double post
Give a man a mask, and he'll show you his true face...
The older you get the more you realize that no one has a f++king clue what they're doing.
Everyone's just winging it.
Rob H
Posts: 5796
Date Joined: 18/01/12
maintenance? Aside from the
maintenance?
Aside from the reliability factor from a shafts simplicity Id dispute that maintenance compared to a 4 stroke or EFI outboard is significantly cheaper.
Whats the difference-$25 dollars worth of gearcase oil and on the inboard you've got a hydraulic gearbox to maintain.
Then on the inboard you've got shaft line ups.
Stern drives on the other hand-mostly (not entirely) the worst of both worlds when something goes wrong.
Some of the sea handling and safety factor of a shaft drive can be lost when its trailable-keel is usually much smaller and provides less of the safety factor in a grounding situation and for helping steerage/rolling.
If its staying in the water, yep diesel/shaft for me all the way, but since modern 4 strokes (and we're talking trailable here) have come along the lines are a little less clear.
Give a man a mask, and he'll show you his true face...
The older you get the more you realize that no one has a f++king clue what they're doing.
Everyone's just winging it.
bradz
Posts: 693
Date Joined: 29/10/07
Interesting
Carnarvonite...on a 22 footer do you think the steering would be better than an outboard?
I did then the best that I knew how. When I knew better, I did better.
Doooma
Posts: 791
Date Joined: 05/12/09
Te Arvor range of boats...
The Arvor range of boats... are they shaft driven?
Another boat a mate and I have been mulling over!! 20-22 footer.... Carnavonite.(master grasshopper ;-). do you know much about these? How would they go up around the islands?
carnarvonite
Posts: 8667
Date Joined: 24/07/07
Coin
If I had the coin there would be one sitting on a trailer outside not one with an outboard on the back.
Sure they are a bit slower but the ride is that much more comfortable and they can take a bigger pounding due to drawing more water with the deeper keel
Doooma
Posts: 791
Date Joined: 05/12/09
Cool... Give me 12 months!!!
Cool... Give me 12 months!!! ;-)
carnarvonite
Posts: 8667
Date Joined: 24/07/07
Wheel work
There is less wheel work when coming alongside a jetty with a thing called reverse thrust.
Knowing which direction your prop turns when you are I go out of gear as you come along side you hit reverse and the prop thrust will kick the stern of the boat over without the need to turn the wheel.
When travelling you only need very small adjustments to steer a straight course due to the length of the keel.
Most people are scared at the thought of steering a bigger boat say above 35-40 foot yet its easier than a small boat by a long shot