2005 Nor-Tech w/ triple 525's/XR
 

I'm thinking about upgrading from a 1999 33 Scarab w/ HP500's to a 2005 Nor-Tech 43v w/ triple 525's and XR drives. The guy who currently owns it took good care of it, but run it hard in rough water (and subsequently had plenty of drive problems). I don't plan to drive it as aggressively as he did - how will the drives hold up in this case? It's a sweet boat, but I live in Michigan, and the boating season is short! I don't want constant problems!

That is a lot of boat for XRs. Driving habits will make a huge difference on how long they last. But IMO they will fail with that much boat....sooner or later.

Is this a local boat? I think it also matters who does the work on the drives

Talk to Wrinkleface on BF, he had a 43nt with triple 525's. believe he saw a best of mid 90s and relatively trouble free. Having riden on it and driven it, I really liked it. comfortable boat, nicely put together, lots of room. Wrink is a really great guy and would be more than happy to talk to you in depth about the setup.

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Thanks, guys. I just tried messaging wrinkleface, but apparently his storage capacity is full and can't receive any more messages! Hopefully he'll see this thread. Jbraun, sweet boat - I think I've seen it in Grand Haven before. Yes, it's a local boat - was at the Wharf last year. Precision Power rebuilt the motors a few years ago, and I'm guessing did the drive work too. However, according to the owner, all three drives are brand new during the last year-and-a-half. I've heard varying things about Precision Power, so not sure what to think...

Chris, I just texted him that somebody on oso had questions for him.

Chris, check your pm's he said to pass along his number to you.

Thanks, phragle! I called him, and he was great help.

If anyone has any more feedback, keep it coming!

What was his opinion on the XRs lasting power? I had a pair of XRs on a 43 Sunsation. I ran it around 100 hours before trading, and didn't have an issue. And I babied those drives knowing they were the weak link. But 5 hours after I traded it one XR let loose. The 700s and NXTs were not available yet when the boat was built. But it was always my opinion that the boat needed the NXT, and it was only a matter of time before the XR would have issues. Lucky for me the timing worked out.

He really didn't have an opinion on the XRs on this particular boat, but told me that his NorTech had XRs with sportmaster lowers and some sort of box that brings the drive off the transom another seven inches. I've heard of this, but don't remember what it's called. He put 260 hours on the boat and never had any problems.

Mentalpause, what's the dry weight on the 43 sensation? Nor-Tech 43v is 13,900....

..

He had ITS, which incorporates your hydraulic steering as well as sets the drives back 7 inches. I had the same set up, ITS and sportmaster lowers. Mine had twin 600s though. I suspect having 3 drives helps relieve some of the stress on each drive, so you are likely better off with the triples than twins as far as the drives go. The F4 is lighter than the NorTech. Mine was the first one built, and when they delivered it I believe it was just shy of 12K lbs. Not sure that was dry weight though, I believe that was with batteries etc, and probably a little fuel.

I'm on my second 43. Both had twin motor setup. These are big boats and I have to agree that they will stress the XR's. I also had a 35 Fountain with 525's and XR's, replaced or fixed 4 drives in 3 years of use. One of the failed drives was my fault and the stress on these was mostly caused by the high X dimension and running 6 blade Hering's which are very aggressive.

My current 43 has 1025's with #6's and is for sale if you have any interest.

ZRX, I'd be very interested in your Nor-Tech if I had more money. Sounds like a great set up. I may know someone interested in exactly what you're selling, though. Where is it posted?

It's on www.pier57.com
The boat is very nice and the colors are amazing, pictures don't do it justice!

Standoff boxes. Mostly you'll just hear people say something along the lines of "I ran bravos on boxes".

You really have two kinds of stand off boxes.

1) The Mercury ITS system which was designed to incorporate Hydraulic Steering directly into the (Mercury) drive system. ITS is about 7" of setback.
+integrated system, one vendor, cleaner transom
-not as strong, lots of corrosion problems as there is a ton of metal and components under the cover that really don't get the flushing and maintenance they need
(Without seeing the boat, I agree with what's been said and bet that's what on the Nor-Tech.) Wrinkleface did have ITS on his.

2) Stellings Boxes which push the whole drive mounting off the back of the boat by about 12".
+stronger, further setback
-still need external hydraulic steering from another vendor, and you need modified wing plates to make it work; also a more busier transom

As I told Chris, I did have ITS w/ sportmasters! I also told him I had like 275 flawless hours on the 525's & drives!!! I always tried 2 feather it up on plane carefully & did NOT run hard in any rough stuff!!! Proper normal service, etc!!! I had 5 blade Maximus props!! If I remember right, they tried those w/ the original owner but w/o the ITS & sportmasters it really didn't do much 4 that boat!! Good Luck Chris!!! Call anytime!! Tracy

Thanks, guys. Perhaps this is a question for another thread, but a concern of mine about this boat is that the 525s were rebuilt 120 hours ago by a company in Spring Lake MI. I've heard hugely varying things about their work (some pretty sketchy stuff) - like them billing the customers for top of the line parts in rebuilds but then using low end parts. After they were rebuilt, all three engines were consuming huge amounts of oil (35 quarts in 30 hours between the three). The current owner - a standup, honest guy - said he brought the boat back to the builder, they said nothing was wrong, but after that the problem was gone. Something isn't adding up...

To be safe, I'll assume the engines are still going through oil. Would this be a deal killer for you guys?

Not as long as the sale price has that in mind with where you are comfortable being $$ wise. There is a lot you can do with a 525, fairly easy to get ~600 reliable HP out of one and as long as you go easy on the drives, you should be fine. Stock XRs are easy to source when needed, but you can beef up a Bravo derivative drive as well.