JamesT
Active Member
I would never change a Zeus prop underwater, I'd get towed to haul out.
POD uppers resealed, Ceramic coated shafts installed
- Thread starter JamesT
- Start date
- Nov 4, 2019
- 2,480
- Boat Info
- 2010 Sundancer 500
2015 Brig Falcon 330T
- Engines
- Twin Cummins QSC550 w Zeus Pods
why not?
JamesT
Active Member
Too much room for error, in my opinion. Plus if you lose a blade like I did, you have a 75% chance it damages the hull. I had a nice ding on my keel afterward.
blaster
Well-Known Member
- May 23, 2011
- 3,468
- Boat Info
- 2010 sea ray 205 sport
F-250 CCLB 6.2 4x4 3.73 rear.
- Engines
- Mercruiser 4.3 mpi alpha 1.62
I was wondering if you kept scuba gear along with the extra props.
- Mar 25, 2008
- 5,522
- Boat Info
- 2006 Sea Ray 58 DB
- Engines
- MAN CRM V8-900s, Twin Disc Drives; Onan 21.5 Generator
I've got one of these in the dingy. Works great for fun explorations or bottom/prop inspections.
https://airlinebyjsink.com/collections/unit-type/Electric-Units
JamesT
Active Member
You guys are braver than me, but I don't ever plan to get under my boat unless it's on land!
blaster
Well-Known Member
- May 23, 2011
- 3,468
- Boat Info
- 2010 sea ray 205 sport
F-250 CCLB 6.2 4x4 3.73 rear.
- Engines
- Mercruiser 4.3 mpi alpha 1.62
It’s not as scary as it seems as long as the water is deep enough.
- Mar 25, 2008
- 5,522
- Boat Info
- 2006 Sea Ray 58 DB
- Engines
- MAN CRM V8-900s, Twin Disc Drives; Onan 21.5 Generator
and WARM enough!!!
blaster
Well-Known Member
- May 23, 2011
- 3,468
- Boat Info
- 2010 sea ray 205 sport
F-250 CCLB 6.2 4x4 3.73 rear.
- Engines
- Mercruiser 4.3 mpi alpha 1.62
Just pee in your suit!
JamesT
Active Member
Launched today with my new ceramic shafts. All went well! Photos in chronological order. Yes I went for a 2nd ride and anchored out after stopping at my slip for a few hours.
Henry Boyd
Well-Known Member
- Apr 24, 2007
- 6,014
- Boat Info
- ‘09 Sabre 38 Hardtop Express “Serenity”
- Engines
- Volvo D6 w/IPS450 Pods
The skeg on the Volvo pod extends well below the prop arc. So there is a solid hunk of metal that is going to contact the bottom well before the prop.
I suppose it also provides some small "rudder" effect, and if we really want to overthink it there may also be some tip turbulence mitigation (re passenger aircraft with vertical winglet tips).
JamesT
Active Member
Love my 470. Going on my 8th season with it so that alone should say something. Longest I’ve ever owned a boat by 2X. Dislike canvas and not having sliding glass door but I do like driving with the aft wide open. I added custom 90 degree down canvas which keeps heat and a/c in when needed and with great aft visibility; the factory canvas offers terrible visibility. Dislike the fact the helm seats don’t swivel like they do on the 48/50 and 510. Like the aft sunpad with the backrests that swing open, we use it a lot. She handles great, can turn 180 degrees in 2 boat-lengths. You can see the horizon out the sunroof window and the engines don’t give up RPM in the meantime. I added the hydraulic swim platform, but I suggest buying one with it already. I ditched the dinghy and now carry a Yamaha VX on it.
Knock wood I’ve had better luck with my pods and transmissions than some others. I have 1430 original hours on all. I’m crazy about PM and spare no expense to keep myself on the water to maximize a short season and busy work schedule. I check all three pod fluids before I leave the dock and after I return. I know guys who never do that. One pod owner told me MarineMax checks all that for him when he launches in the spring. He’s had problems!
What year are you looking at?
GMAN1
Member
GMAN1
Member
The reason why your skegs fall off is because you need to apply Green loctite 271 to the base of the skeg and dowel pins too. Its in the manual. Never had one come loose on me an I do alot of pods down here in Florida. Just words of wisdom.
GMAN1
Member
GMAN1
Member
If your prop blade fell off from non impact Mercury will cover a new set from a casting issue. If it was from impact then you are out of luck.
JamesT
Active Member
The trouble is, how would I prove it was non-impact?
The fracture will prove it
JamesT
Active Member
Before I decided to run without them, I asked a tried and true POD expert. I confirmed with him there is absolutely no rudder effect or performance improvement that the skegs add. If you Google "ZF Pods" you'll see those don't have any skegs at all, which adds credibility to his assertion. Plus I've run my boat with both skegs, one skeg, and no skegs and I can tell you I've not discerned any difference at all. In the Zeus pod, the skegs' sole purpose is to protect the props and they're designed to break off to help protect the pod itself by absorbing some of the shock if the grounding is minor. Contrast that to IPS skegs which may or may not protect the props depending on the contour of the sea floor and probably offer no protection against floating debris. Also the IPS skegs are not "break-away" so they offer no impact absorption to help you keep from losing the pod entirely.