anyone know how they perform on stepped hulls?

All holes line up, that nice, no transom filling or anything. I take it that it is just like an IMCO ext box or something.

And yes, where to set the shafts? Kinda just trial and error i guess?

WWW Yes the Surface Drives work best on a properly designed Step hull.

Reasoning the “Attitude is built into the Boat” .As you do not have the leverage benefit (and loss also) from the Stern drive, Now the surface drive is just that! The thrust being placed on the boat effectively somewhere around the bottom edge of the transom .and Straight foreword.

Unless you use a Propeller with a 3 Foot diameter!!
:p

I pondered the idea last year, I have a single engine cat upgraded imco xr behind 750 hp and was going through drives like underwear. I talked to Rik @ Arneson and was very close to going that route especially picking up 8-15 mph's due to what you lose through gearing in bravo's plus the nice tail that they kick up!! I just didn't want to be the guinea pig although I am still considering it. It is an easy conversion alot eaiser than going to a speedy IIA or IV and for about the same money without moving the engine.

Goody, same money? I thought Arneson Surface Drives cost a lot because they are sorta rare. But a new VIdry sump one cost 21K and I am sure that is with out the trans. plus everyone says its heavy, also like you said, the reduced drag of not haveing a big outdrive in the water.

And ssherman you can get all that you need for 28,500 and that is for twins?

Kinda makes me wonder why anyone would go with a #VI?:confused:

I have an older boat that came in Kaama surface drives and TRS drives. I have heard that for the surface drive, they built a hook into the last four feet of the hull that the TRS drive didn't have. I haven't looked, but I would assume that is correct.

If it is, it seems like changing prop sizes and the number of blades could correct (to an extent) problems associated with the swap.

Your boat builder should be able to give you an idea of the effect that you will have due to the prop's change in height and distance from the transom.

After sending lots of threads about arneson ; I know 2much about them now.

1-with bravos,you change the direction of power two times by 90 degrees, (-)B

2-material used in bravo is weak.(-)B

3-you can read broken bravos on every page of this web-site.there are hundreds of companies building spare parts for bravo.which shows bravo's need parts very often (-)B

4-never heard a broken arneson.(+)A

5-there is no company building spares for arnesons.cause you never need.(+)A


go for arneson. experts say 'the only unbreakable thing in water'
for arneson.

I hope rik reads this,I may need a serious discount for the next year. ;)

they really need to get the price down on the alpha/bravo
conversion kit like 8 or 9 k not 15k
I think its a production problem the low production = higher prices
I really want to do this for a piece of mind. allways worring about
toasting a drive.


performance gain
fuel savings
almost no worries
less chance of that submerged log ruining your day
oh ya I forgot cool rooster tail.

WWW The Military love them,for those reasons.And like I said before Arneson has a real good Propeller program also .:)

for all the talk of arneson conversions why aren't more of them taking place. I wanted to do an arneson for a while. but got a sweet dela on a bravo and transom assemblie and am not running all to much power. (well none as of now cus i still don't have my engine!!!!)

The next project boat will have an arneson or two :D

who knows waybe even arneson with small jet engines :D I foudn aplce to get 300hp 160lbs for 10k each ready for boats.