pro27

Speaking from experience with my boat you will definitely want to go with SSM prop.My boat was set up with a brave style sc gear case,and bb super charged motor. I up graded to a brand new Whipple charged Merc 525 EFI with the IMCO SCX4 gear case, motors put out @ the same HP, I gained much better control and handling plus a gian of @ 6 mph. my bottom also has a notch and didnt have to alter anything,also a 12" set back.[ATTACH=CONFIG]536005[/ATTACH]

offshorexcursion

iTrader: (5)

Pro27

I'm super happy that you have upgraded your boat to your satisfaction. And thanks for sharing your story.

But you are spreading mis information. From what I have read you have NOT tried every combination on your boat. You have done multiple modifications at one time. Plus we don't even know if your boat was fully dialed in prior to your modifications.

Arneson drives are NOT more expensive then SCX-4. Especially when you add in the upgraded transom assembly, or at least the gimbal, helment, reservoir, blue printed lower, and extension box. Plus with the arneson you can sell your old parts.

I'm not saying the Arneson is the perfect drive for every situation but its a darn good option and it has proven itself over the SCX-4 on paper and the real world.

pro27

Offshorexcursion
First let me start off by saying I never claimed to have tried every combination on my boat,in fact I spoke from my experience only, and said what my boat had and what I Installed,and the results that I personnally found.I also never said anything negative about Arneson drives.In fact it would be great if salesdeity goes with the Arneson option so we will have another option to look at.Also I believe my boat was the first single engine V hull to run the SCX4 gear case,and in my opinion is a great package as far as maintinance and durability. I also dont understand what you mean about miss information I am speaking stricktly from my personal experience.Sorry if I missled anyone.

Kurt Hamilton

I'm curious, and this is probably a question for Rik here.
I completely understand the benefits of an arneson vs conventional drive in cat and step bottom v applications. If I had enough money to own one of those high end boats an arneson would be my first choice.
However, in a straight pad bottom or v pad boat the aim of the game is to get as much wetted surface of the boat out of the water as possible to gain top end speed. I may be wrong here but I wouldn't imagine the arneson would have the trim ability to achieve this like a conventional drive?
Also, how does the arneson compare to conventional drives for high speed cornering (smaller single drive apps without rudders)?

I'm not trying to knock your product Rik, it certainly is the obvious choice for a lot of boats. I just wonder at what point on a straight bottom v the reduction of drag on the drive would outweigh the drag on the hull, if you know what I mean?!
Cheers

salesdeity

When I'm running the fastest which isn't fast compared to many here, the force of the prop is directed almost horizontally in the opposite direction of travel. I think the running angle is largely dictated by the hull design. If you think about the simple physics of it, I think you would want all the force to go directly backwards to the direction you are going to be the most efficient. Leveraging the boat out of the water might not be more important than letting the hull settle in naturally and run as it wants. Just my $.02.

offshorexcursion

iTrader: (5)

Its all good buddy I tried to write my response as nice as possible. No hard feelings, and let me again honestly thank you for sharing your experiences. Dude your boat is SWEET.

I just don't want your excitement and enthusiasm taken the wrong way by other members. Not trying to argue or nit pick apart all of your post, but some might read into them the wrong way. Just trying to help others understand. There is so much bad information on this site, especially about the Arneson drives, it drives me nuts. Not singling you out just annoyed that every time I turn around I am reading something incorrect about the Arneson.

Myth "why don't they sell more"

Arneson sells drives only, they are not packaged with engines. Funny part is Arneson actually DOES sell plenty of drives, new and conversions, for offshore boats, sport cruisers, and yachts. Mercury and IMCO have ZERO yacht sales on high performance drives. Plus IMCO doesn't sell many new drives on new boats for the same reason, they don't come packaged with an IMCO engine. Funny how Arneson gets questions on this but not IMCO.

Myth "Arneson drives are hard to dock"

How would an Arneson, with a skeg in the water and the same herring prop dock much worse then a IMCO SCX-4, Mercury #6, etc?

Myth "Arneson wont give bow lift"

Why will an Arneson not give good bow lift when its spinning the same offshore style herring prop as the IMCO SCX-4, Mercury #6, etc? Arneson drives have a large range of trim motion, and there are prop designs that are designed to help bow lift. Theres a lot more to just lifting the bow, straight forward is the most efficient, but thats another topic.

Myth "Arneson cost more"

Arneson drives are actually less expensive then purchasing all new IMCO or Mercury parts to rig a boat.
I understand that during a conversion you do not need to purchase all new parts, but some boats require more then just a drive change. Worn out gimbals, trim rams and steering rams. Upgraded helmets, fluid reservoirs, and especially gimbal rings. Extension boxes, Drive spacers and blue printing lowers. Maybe even an entire IMCO transom assembly. What I believe attracts customers to IMCO is the payment plan being able to purchase in stages. IF someone is in love with the SCX-4 great, just don't be nieve and think its just by the drive and bolt it on.

Myth "Well I know Arneson work on this or that hull, but it wont work on that or this hull"

Arneson drives will work well on just as many hulls or more then the SCX-4, #6, M8, Indy, etc.

Myth "Concern with Arneson Cornering or handling ability"

Again, prop and skeg in the water, why would a SCX-4 Handle or corner any better then an Arneson?

Myth "IMCO SCX-4 increases speed"

IMCO SCX-4 actually take more HP to turn then a bravo or Arneson. The wider gear case that houses the larger stronger gears causes more drag through the water. The speed increase, which is very rare, actually comes from the ability to run better offshore style props, and the strength which allows the boat owner to better dial the boat in without fear of breaking another drive.

There are some claiming more speed from the SCX-4 but IMO the data is not accurate. They changed multiple items at a time, tested in different conditions, and spent more time dialing the boat in after the drive change then before. Not saying its not possible, just saying its not the normal. Where the Arneson speed increases are the normal and proven time and time again.

If someone is looking for an easier and stronger drive upgrade, the standard complete IMCO SCX spinning a BRAVO (or maximus etc.) style prop hits a home run!

But when looking into running expensive offshore style props, the Arneson deserves serious consideration. There's a reason some of the fastest offshore boats in the world run Arneson drives and NONE of them use a IMCO SCX-4. Many race boats use Arneson drives NONE of them use the IMCO SCX-4.

pro27

With all due respect I dont think we are comparing apples to apples.You odviously have more experience and knowledge about Arneson drives and rigging,and I totally respect that.While I agree that most of the fastest offshore boats run Arneson drives,but we are talking about single engine V hull 27'- 29' boats.Most boats I have read about are twin engine or single engine cats running the SCX4.I have not seen or heard of any other single engine V hulls to even compare data. Like you have said I am not looking to turn this into a pissing match,was stricktly trying to give my experience as a point of reference. just trying to help a fellow performance boater thought that was what this site was all about.Look forward to see how this goes. I would love to see how a 29' fountain would run with the single Arneson drive.

Rik

I respectfully don't like commenting on other's threads other than when clarity is needed.

Not all boats with Arnesons are stepped bottom boats. The older Fountains are padded and they run great, and the Cigarette TG N/S run EXCELLENT. We don't have nearly as many single engine boats in this market as the others. The I/O is widely accepted regardless of who makes it. If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck then everyone likes it and Arneson certainly doesn't look like the same duck.

Don't fully understand the "without rudders" question but the Arnesons have a larger rudder area than the I/O's so we can turn every bit as well as an I/O can. If you meant an external rudder with the fixed drives then don't worry as that makes for a piss poor pleasure boat. For a single engine app it's best to have a tow boat pull them out onto the race course they are that bad.

As for bow lift, the rake of the propellers give the bow lift so as everyone that is running a speedmaster propeller can attest to the more rake the higher the bow runs which in turn lessen's the wetted surface area.

IGetWet

Salesdiety, what did you end up going with? How does it run?