you're chasing 6-8mph for a big increase in drives($) over a bravo.
would be better(especially resasale) with beefed sbcs and bravos.

if you're worried about fuel, dont get a boat.
What, $500 more a year than if it was 2.50/gal gonna stop you from boating??? come on!

What you think you're annual nut a year cost to boat?
OH, and have a problem w/ your arneson? like your local shop gonna know what to do w/ it. :rolleyes:

Texoma powerbtr,

My 30 Sutphen with SBC's and arnesons runs great. She runs just under 80 and it is as stable as can be. It used to run 92 but I got tired of using av. gas everytime I wanted to run. Toned the engines down to about 360 HP and now run 92 octane in it....a little more practicle. She also has absolutely no problem getting on plane what so ever.

Nice Sutphen, Was that factory rigged with Arnesons or did you do the conversion? Does it have a cabin or is it more of a race layout?

walter, your boat is sick no doubt... and very cool w/ the drives it has.
But if you were to build it from scratch, would you do it the same way?
you think if it had bravo's it would have sold already?

What do you mean by "lots of rocker" in the hull? Sorry for the ignorance.

Storm - your probobly right, but until somebody tries - who knows. Goop point on the maintenance. Its gonna be hard to find somebody to work on them, but there can't be that much to it. We know that it works pretty well on a 30ft sutphen.

Its my understanding that the surface drives are a lot more popular in Europe. I don't think they've caught on here yet because we are so used to seeing the traditional bravo.

Ironman, thanks it is a sweet ride. It came from Sutphen unrigged and the guy who raced it rigged it with the arnesons. It didn't have a cabin but I finished one out last year.

Storm,

The boat has sold and I am delivering it next weekend. If I built it from scratch I would rig it with arnesons. The only thing I would do differently would be to put the fancy new extension boxes on it.

Wade

Texoma,

The are very simple to work on if need be but the only thing I've had to do to mine was change the fluid once a year. Plus there are several people around me that work on Arnesons. If you ever have any questions on the drives or how they handle on certain boats, just call Rik at Arneson. Rik always answers the phone and is more than willing to answer any questions you would have.

Wade, glad you sold it. its a cool boat.
I'm interested to see how this 28at works out.
imo, after growing up w/ twin IBs, i think a sigle io sucks at the dock... so i can't imagine it getting better w/ the prop that much farther back and the drive not being able to turn as much. guess i'm just spoiled being able to spin a boat on a dime w/ the control of straight inboards.
i'm guessin twin asd's would be much better to control than a single. how does the boat react w/ one in forward and the other in reverse?

It definitely wants to pull more towards the one in forward. The one in reverse doesn't pull quite as much because some of the prop thrust washes out on the stern. It's just like everyhting else......once you do it five or six times you can do it with your eyes closed.

It is nice when I drive my brother's Trojan with the twin screws directly under the boat......now that thing can spin on a dime.