Axius, Zeus, New Stuffies!!!

Uhhuh uhhuhh he said... Joy stick

But what I would really like to know is how do you trailer them? Particularly if it filters down into the 27-35 foot range.
 
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Hello everyone...


Friday April 18th, my wife and myself went to the Sarasota Boat Show. While there we boarded many SeaRay models but were disappointed to find out that there was no Axius equipped models at the show. A sales manager came over to us while we were talking to a salesman and confided that an Axius equipped 31 was at the MM dealer docks next door and we could head over that way and go for a test if we so desired. Since we were running short on time, we politely declined the offer and headed to the parking lot with the intention of starting back towards Clearwater. While passing the dealer ,we decided on the spur of the moment to stop in the marina area to see if we could get a look at the helm. It was our great luck that Captain Chris, a Sea Ray Captain was there and offered to take us out for a spin... This time we jumped at the chance and had a one on one with Captain Chris and the 31 in Sarasota Bay. Watching Chris maneuver the boat from a tight marina space only using the joystick was a sight to behold - he then proceeded through the narrow entrance with a 5 mph crossing current switching out of dock mode still using only the joystick. Next, I found out, it was my turn.Chris turned the controls over to me.... I went through the procedures as he instructed, spin in place using the joystick to hold the boat in position, move forward and reverse , then sideways. all with a slight current, all with just the joystick. The more force i would use, the greater the response. What an incredible experience, I was walking a boat I had never controlled, sideways towards a dock. After about 10 minutes Captain Chris took over control and said that since it was Friday and there were no people waiting for a test ride, did we want to feel full throttle and high speed turning maneuvers with the direct response steering... Heck yes.... He throttled up in the open water running full speed and proceeded to make several sweeping turns before pulling a hard over at 80 % throttle. We leaned into the turn as I remember my old Scarab 38 did... incredible handling !!! We then headed back again into the marina where Captain Chris demonstrated the back in docking maneuvers with just the joystick. What a great afternoon. Captain Chris who reminded us of the actor Owen Wilson was extremely personable and helpful. I love that boat... the Axius is the clincher for me. Just gotta work on that pricetag..... Thanks for reading my rambling... piratzbob
 
piratzbob said:
Hello everyone...


Friday April 18th, my wife and myself went to the Sarasota Boat Show. While there we boarded many SeaRay models but were disappointed to find out that there was no Axius equipped models at the show. A sales manager came over to us while we were talking to a salesman and confided that an Axius equipped 31 was at the MM dealer docks next door and we could head over that way and go for a test if we so desired. Since we were running short on time, we politely declined the offer and headed to the parking lot with the intention of starting back towards Clearwater. While passing the dealer ,we decided on the spur of the moment to stop in the marina area to see if we could get a look at the helm. It was our great luck that Captain Chris, a Sea Ray Captain was there and offered to take us out for a spin... This time we jumped at the chance and had a one on one with Captain Chris and the 31 in Sarasota Bay. Watching Chris maneuver the boat from a tight marina space only using the joystick was a sight to behold - he then proceeded through the narrow entrance with a 5 mph crossing current switching out of dock mode still using only the joystick. Next, I found out, it was my turn.Chris turned the controls over to me.... I went through the procedures as he instructed, spin in place using the joystick to hold the boat in position, move forward and reverse , then sideways. all with a slight current, all with just the joystick. The more force i would use, the greater the response. What an incredible experience, I was walking a boat I had never controlled, sideways towards a dock. After about 10 minutes Captain Chris took over control and said that since it was Friday and there were no people waiting for a test ride, did we want to feel full throttle and high speed turning maneuvers with the direct response steering... Heck yes.... He throttled up in the open water running full speed and proceeded to make several sweeping turns before pulling a hard over at 80 % throttle. We leaned into the turn as I remember my old Scarab 38 did... incredible handling !!! We then headed back again into the marina where Captain Chris demonstrated the back in docking maneuvers with just the joystick. What a great afternoon. Captain Chris who reminded us of the actor Owen Wilson was extremely personable and helpful. I love that boat... the Axius is the clincher for me. Just gotta work on that pricetag..... Thanks for reading my rambling... piratzbob
Click to expand...

Your post reminds me of several that I've read from first time IPS drivers. No matter your skill level you walk away impressed with the boats ability to manevuer. I've never driven a Zeus or Axius powered boat but I think you'll only see more and more of this type of technology.
 
I got an Axius demo last Saturday in a new 330 Sundancer. It was incredible! I'll save repeating what everybody else said, but to add: one driver used less finesse on the joystick, and got a lot of jumping around. I found that a smooth input would make the drives shift, and increasing pressures added increasing amounts of power. I get some of the finesse from years of flying RC helicopters. It was incredible to see the boat move sideways, fully under control.

My only question is regarding the number of shifts that take place. I'd like to see some data showing how many actual "shifts" on the SeaCore units take place compared to somebody docking the old fashioned way. Two of us guessed that the number of shifts taking place was 2-5 times the normal, but maybe that was because we were playing around. It would be different on a typical day out, when I'd use the joystick only for getting in and out of the slip, consisting of a move sideways and a 180 degree turn.

I've always been a fan of buying 10 year old depreciated boats, but driving that 330 changed my opinion. I find myself looking at the maintenance on my 12 year old Silverton and comparing the monthly costs to new payments.

thumbsup.jpg
 
Nice photo. I've wondered about the number of shifts, the agression of the shifts, and rate of rotation of the drives. As an example, if I'm moving to port toward the dock and then decide I need to slow down, I move the joystick to stbd, and then what happens? Both transmissions change from fwd/rvrs to rvrs/fwd and both drives rotate from port/stbd to stbd/port. Then, I need to go a little more to port, so I move the joystick to port again...

How fast/abrupt is all of that? Did the 330 have 8.1's? Did it "clunk" a lot during maneuvers?
 
The 330 I was in had the 496 Magnum SeaCores (375 hp) with Bravo IIIs and DTS +Axius.

Depending on the smoothness of the input, we got everything from little clicks to big clunks on the drives. Smoothness and small pressures on the control seemed to make a big difference in how nicely the boat moved and felt for the passengers. Forget to be smooth for a moment, and you'll get a big lurch. Just like the brakes on your airplanes.

It was a fun demo, and yes, I'm ruined. We're still saving for college, so it may be a little while.
 
Kameroo said:
The 330 I was in had the 496 Magnum SeaCores (375 hp) with Bravo IIIs and DTS +Axius.

Depending on the smoothness of the input, we got everything from little clicks to big clunks on the drives. Smoothness and small pressures on the control seemed to make a big difference in how nicely the boat moved and felt for the passengers. Forget to be smooth for a moment, and you'll get a big lurch. Just like the brakes on your airplanes.

It was a fun demo, and yes, I'm ruined. We're still saving for college, so it may be a little while.
Click to expand...

You are absolutely right on the smoothness. It takes a little bit of time to get the feel of the joystick. We are getting to feel really comfy docking ANYTIME now, even the admiral insists on taking her out and says she wants to dock it on our next outing (tomorrow if the weather is good).
 
what is the premium on the axius system
 
I played with a 31 with the Axius and it really impressed me. The docking situation at our house is treacherous, to the point that I'm afraid to let my wife try it. This would certainly make life easier.
 
How much?..........our dealer says its about a $20k option on a 496 powered boat. He's scratching his head figuring how to sell them with an option cost worth about 8% of the value of the entire boat and that puts the cost within shouting distance of the cost of the same boat with diesel engines.

Its a big premium for an unnecessary option. We've all been enjoying Sea Ray boats for years with conventional v-drives or i/o's.....how important is it to walk sideways without shifting from the panel or turn with a tighter radius? Guess we'll see pretty soon as the early adopters jump on them.
 
Frank,

I agree that *we've* been enjoying these boats for years, but anybody new should jump at the chance to own these. I think they would be crazy not to.

I have a neighbor who has bow and stern thrusters on his 53'er. I've heard lots of people complain that he has an advantage, but he can come and go as he pleases without help from the neighbors on the dock or even anybody on his boat. Who wouldn't want that kind of capability? Are we better boaters? Does it matter when the guy with the advantage maneuvers better?

Eric
 
It may seem like an unnecessary option now, but it wont be long before this technology is standard equipment and v-drives and standard I/O's go the way of the rotary phone. People scoffed when metal woods were introduced in golf, saying it made it too easy for the average guy to hit it longer and straighter, but it sold more clubs and got more people involved in the game. Now you can't find a wooden club unless you're at a garage sale.
Getting more people boating and in bigger more expensive boats is the name of the game. No extra credit for learning the hard way.
 
Lake Union Sea Ray in Seattle has their demo days this weekend. They got a 310 in with Axius late yesterday afternoon and got her ready late yesterday evening. I was going to go out on a test at 2pm, but when the boat came back to the dock, it was sold. I asked the same question about the premium and the best the salesman and I could figure is that it adds about $21k.

I did manage to take out a 330 with standard v-drives. They let me play with it for about 5 minutes (my first time with twins) but we were low on gas and decided to swap her for another boat. There was a light wind and the salesman said... take her in... I thought he was serious (found out later he was kidding, but since I took it in, he figured, why not). It was tight, but plenty of people (staff) around so I wasn't worried. The thing went in so easy I couldn't believe it. With my 240, that wind would have pushed me everywhere and the 240 has close to zero control in reverse. If you ask me... just having twins is cheating!

After that, took out a 340 with 496s and twin Bravo IIIs. A very quick boat, but it took all of about 2 minutes for me to know that I prefer v-drives. With the Bravos, a 7kts, the steering isn't real smooth and engines push the boat around, just like my 240. With the Vees, the boat just went straight and stayed there, didn't need anywhere the attention that the Bravos did.

Happy Boating!
 
Great day on the water, Jim! I bet the 340 with BIII's did go fast. If only the Zeus drives behave the same, the future is ours.
 
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