What's up with the drive spacing on this 50?
 

They seem reallly far apart? Are the Yanmars that wide?

Just curios.

http://www.offshoreonly.com/classifi...o39871-en.html

Must B cuz of the "smokers"

drive spacing
 

The yanmars are too long to stagger, and obtain optimum drive spacing (18-20 inches) so they get put 3 across the back. Spacing is didctated by how close you can squeeze them together (somewhere around 30-32 inches as I remember) . Just be hope you never have to change a water pump or starter...it usually means pulling a motor.

Yes they are that wide. And they are side by side by side.

Thanks, Terry. Guess that does make sense, you would have to give up some cockpit space to stagger the center motor.

How big an effect if any does the spacing make on the performance?

I assume at the speeds a 50' diesel / bravo boat runs the gains would be minimal?

I rigged a 50', triple yanmars with arneson surface drives with 20 in drive centers, the center motor was in the middle of the cockpit floor....the speed increase was almost non-existent. The 470 yanmars just don't have enough steam to get the weight of a fully loaded 50 going fast enough to take advantage of closer drive centers.

I checked by build book...side by side diesel trips used 30" drive centers

3 bravos hang'n out the back of a 50 is just not right!!!!:bsflag::evilb:

The first Outerlimits 47' had triple HP500's, bravos on boxes, ran 85+ MPH, was not an epoxy boat. But I guess being 4,000 lbs lighter might have had something to do with it. And it never had any hull/glass issues...ever.......gee....go figure.

No joke! This looks much better :grinser010: