Buying a boat that’s been grounded?

[Ship of Fools]

Hello, I’m considering purchasing a boat that was grounded with Zeus Pods. They were both replaced and I assume they dropped upon impact. The boat was repaired by MarineMax. Does anyone have any experience with this happening and how worried should I be long term, since in my mind I compare this to buying a car that has been wrecked and worrying about long term issues that could crop up? Thanks!

 

[Espos4]

There is a ton of info out there about Zeus pods, grounded or not. Do a lot of research before purchasing a boat with Zeus pods.

There are some horror stories.

 

[Carpediem44DB]

There is a ton of info out there about Zeus pods, grounded or not. Do a lot of research before purchasing a boat with Zeus pods.

There are some horror stories.

Plus 1 on that. Its one thing to just have the pods replaced but you would definitely want to know the specifics of the grounding. Rocks or just a shoal? Was the damage limited to the pods or was there also hull damage? Do as much research as possible and definitely don't buy it because it looks like a good deal. You really have to want a Pod Drive boat specifically not just a boat that happens to have Pods.
2 cents

 

[Shaps]

Go in with your eyes W I D E open.
Pods can be great, but there is additional maintenance that must be done on them. That maintenance can get pricey.
That said, the joystick makes these boats a pleasure to handle. Make sure there is someone nearby that will be able to service them for you. Not just a cummins mechanic, but someone specifically experienced with pods. my .02

 

[Henry Boyd]

I’ll reiterate; do your research. That said, both Zeus and IPS are designed to snap off at grounding. Fixing it isn’t cheap, but commonplace and life goes on. I’d put it more on par with a car that has had an engine fail, than a wreck. And in the specific case, I’ll also echo concern about other damage from the grounding that took out the pods.

There has been some bad press about the Zeus design, and a lot of it has been here from Sea Ray owners who have had bad luck. I also belong to two other Sabre/Back Cove owners groups and the response there from pod owners there has been much different and more positive. I might add a lot of the negative press is from people who have no direct experience, or knowledge, but have read something, or knew somebody who had a friend...

My suspicion is that as Shaps mentioned above, you need a pod centric service organization, these aren’t sterndrives you can change the oil in once a year and forget about. Quite honestly, having seen our local Sea Ray dealership go from family owned to MarineMax, I would not be surprised if the Sea Ray experience with Zeus was caused in part by MM dropping the ball on proper service.

Our luck with the Volvo IPS has been good, in large part because we have both an excellent mechanical contractor and dealer. Volvo is different in that they have specific certified people who only do pod and hardcore engine mechanical work, and dealers who do general service.

As for driving with pods, it’s just night and day. Our big issue is we are in the river mouth harbor of one of New England’s largest rivers. Beside the five knot river current, we have tides that create cross currents that change with the state of the tide. Throw in a little wind and docking can be a challenge. Pods are the big equalizer.

 

[Ship of Fools]

Go in with your eyes W I D E open.
Pods can be great, but there is additional maintenance that must be done on them. That maintenance can get pricey.
That said, the joystick makes these boats a pleasure to handle. Make sure there is someone nearby that will be able to service them for you. Not just a cummins mechanic, but someone specifically experienced with pods. my .02

I’ll reiterate; do your research. That said, both Zeus and IPS are designed to snap off at grounding. Fixing it isn’t cheap, but commonplace and life goes on. I’d put it more on par with a car that has had an engine fail, than a wreck. And in the specific case, I’ll also echo concern about other damage from the grounding that too

thanks for your thoughts, insights, and info Henry! I agree the pods make life so much easier when it comes time to take off or dock!

 

[Doc O Rock]

But also "If you haven't been aground, you haven't been around."