drive showers?
 

Yay or nah?

Looking for small things to do while it is cold in FL. Boat really needs little to nothing as I didn't really use it much since i got it.

Re-wire the stereo and add some underwater LED is all I got so far.

However the boat did not come with drive showers. Is this something I should add and if so why?

It's a 2004 Sonic 358 with Mag 496ho's. I have zero plans to mod or add any power to this current set up.

Been lots of threads over the years on this topic with strong opinions for and against. I'm on the for side. I prefer Simrek. I know they work as I wakeboarded with a short rope behind my boat after installing to make sure it indeed was pouring water over my drive!

www.driveshowers.com

They cool off the gears in the top of your drives. Better safe than sorry in my opinion, the harder you run it the more you need them. Are the tops of your drives nice, shiny, and black? Or are they white/chalky? If they're white you should add them.

Shinny and black... No white chalk at all.

This was taken last Thursday

http://i59.tinypic.com/2iawh9u.jpg

That's a sign that they aren't getting too hot. Showers won't hurt anything though, and they're relatively cheap.

The low cost and ease to install is why I brought it up. I see many with them and get the basic idea of them.... Just didn't know if there was a reason I should leave them off my boat seeing as it is prob the only thing this boat does not have.

Nate,
It's cheap insurance for when the water temp goes WAY UP here in the summer, I've had them on all of our boats, and the SIMREKs are the best in my opinion.
Take care,
Dean

Thanks Dean.

That part makes sense with our water temp. I have yet to have this boat in it but prior ones I know the gulf gets warm and honestly I never put the 2 and 2 together

+1 for the Simreks. And they are easy to install, no holes to drill. Only takes 10 minutes to install.

x2 on the Simreks. Paul is a good guy to deal with also. They work well.

I have heard that they can rob a little top end. I do not have one on my 525/XR/imco shorty

That is fine. I am not a top end whore and my boat is not ran all out that often at all.

That was my feeling. I could care less if it scrubbed a tiny bit off the top end, my boats have never been the fastest in the bunch, nor did I ever give a hoot either.

I have the Simreks and they are great. But, it's not as easy an install with external hydraulic steering. You'll have to grind off a part of the mounting ring to make it fit over the steering connection on the top of the drive. I'd recommend the Simrek though, simple design but very effective.

I heard the same thing and was told by fellow OSO'ers that my skeg guard also is robbing me of speed.

So last summer I tested it. Friday after work went out. 55 MPH, on gps..(same as it always been) Removed drive shower, and skeg guard Saturday morning, went back and guess what......... 55 MPH on gps (plus I was probably a little lighter since I didnt re fuel). This was my findings, first hand, real world testing.

This is my exact feelings.

Get there at s good and fun speed and riding nice and pretty.

Doesn't sound too bad if that's the worse I have to do. I am definitely going to pick up a pair now.

Thanks everyone!

I like to see real world testing like that. Others have reported losing 2-3 mph from the extra drag. I DO care about top speed. I've also seen conflicting reports of drive oil temp reduction with a shower. I think that a drive oil temp gauge with sender installed near the top would be the acid test.

2-3 mph seems like a huge exaggeration IMO. I've seen simreks and other showers put on several boats and if there is a performance hit it is not noticeable. Weather conditions and weight in the boat by far impact top end more than those showers will. All showers don't cool the top cap effectively, so there probably are conflicting results across different drive showers. My experience is the simreks are effective.

Choice one or two on this page:

http://shopping.rexmar.com/Merchant2...e=driveshowers

These are a great setup IMHO.

I put the rex marine in the 1st picture on one boat, although it was a single pickup vs a dual pick up. IMO they are one of the nicest looking showers. I thought they worked good, but IMO if you don't care about appearance I found the Simreks to put more water over the top of the drive. But if you want something that looks great and still does the job the Rex's are the ticket. And I suspect the dual pickups work more effectively than my single pickup.

I do like that Rex marine one and it looks like there might be no cutting or anything to install with my steering.

I have 5 newe sets of the Simreks, Let me know if your interested, I'll give you a deal.

Carey Downs
Pier 57 TN
731-689-4000
662-4155350

I may be interested in a couple of the Simrek set ups as well, PM me a price Cdowns.

There's no way it could rob 2-3 mph. Now, I do agree that they may not do anything to cool the drive. The only INDEPENDENT test I saw was on a forum and saw 0 change in drive fluid temps.

That being said I have always run one. Cheap insurance IMO.

FWIW, I have the Hydro cool II drive shower on my drives. Also we installed same on my friend's bravo 1X drive and tested before and after with temperature sensor installed in the upper oil plug hole. We observed 10* oil temperature drop.Not a lot but better than none with money spent. Best system though is the cool swirl system from Drew Marine albeit lot more expensive! >

http://www.drewmarine.com/products/c...coolswirl.html

The hydro Cool II cap encapsulates the bearing cap and water flow down its side where the casting is thinnest, hence better heat dissipation.

http://www3.telus.net/spectrasonly/Drive%20shower

http://www3.telus.net/spectrasonly/Drive%20shower

all finished

http://www3.telus.net/spectrasonly/E...ect%20complete

Hydro cool II can be supplied from the seawater pump as well >http://www.cfm-tech.com/catalog/hydr...vo_4932091.htm

Drive showers should be factory standard equipment on any boat IMO.

Drive showers, speedo pick up, water pick up, skeg guard, can all rob 2-3 mph. IF your boat runs triple digits.

I am quite far off from that speed lol.

Hell my speedo pick up doesn't even work anymore. I should just cut/trim that back.

If you can keep the outside of the drive from boiling the water away and drying... I am all for it. Nothing looks worse than a ratty looking outdrive.

I used those exact showers. Great product.

http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s...ps96df7ccf.jpg

If I'm on trailer trim and my drives get turned the hit my exhaust. I know that my drives should be straight if I'm trimmed that high.... But it happens. Has anyone ever made there own ?

You need some of these:
http://teaguecustommarine.com/em0011...pacer-kit.html

They are a Mercury part; and dealer can get them. It pop INSIDE of your trim rams and limit the upward travel. I installed them myself. Easy install and not much mess.

Great topic! I have been researching drive showers lately myself. Seems like everyone has a different option amd preference. I have a 36 Spectre Cat with XR drives and Sport master lowers. I'm looking for the best shower that will still have flow even at high speeds. I've seem some pics and videos that show the pickup tube almost out of the water (not picking up) when on plane and trimmed up past level. Any suggestions?