Zeus

W

wetpaint

Active Member
Nov 2, 2007
2,370
Cape Cod/Caribbean
Boat Info
41 Lipari Catamaran
Engines
2 x Volvo 30hp
I was with someone this week who said on the Dancer 50 (old 48) that in a good cross wind, the zeus has trouble doing what it is suppose to do.....In calm waters, it is great.......He is now considering putting a separate controlled bow thruster in.....I wonder if this is because your point of control has been pushed back so far in the hull?.......Maybe the Merrit Island waters dont represent what we all face when docking...Anyone with zeus want to chime in...It would be sad if this design has problems on the 48, I mean 50....
 
No.........Sea Ray and CMD know what they are doing.

One of the early Zeus criticisms was that you could get into the throttle with very little joystick deflection. On the 43DA we had here we were able to easily lay first on rub rail in the water then the other, of course we were hanging on for dear life and it wasn't safe in the hands of some unsuspecting new owner.......that boat would run almost 10 kts. sideways. CMD has since dialed down the throttle interface, so maybe your friend needs to get his adjusted to advance the throttle sooner by his dealer.

Why would one even consider adding a $20K thruster before fully exploring this with his dealer or with CMD?
 
I just read this article in Motor Boating, They talk about this.


"I always approach a situation [in a pod-drive boat] like I would with a [conventional inboard] boat," Kivett says. "Give yourself the advantage over Mother Nature. You have Zeus drives, but you have to be smart with them." This is exactly what I found aboard that Sea Ray. With a strong wind blowing off a dock, for example, rather than force the boat even 50 feet sideways, I found it much better to approach the dock while moving forward, get a bowline across and then use the joystick to gently twist the stern into the dock. (I don't advocate spring lines on twin-engine pleasure boats.) That line will keep the bow in place while the engines' thrust — located far aft — swings the stern with minimal effort.



http://www.motorboating.com/articleHtml.jsp?ID=1000087190
 
FW...They are talking to searay now.....The bow I guess gets taken with the wind.....I had a 41 without thrusters and on a windy cross breeze, my bow would get taken......Jack...I will read now
 
I had a friend with zeus powered 38 the first year they came out. SR and CMD came to test and work on his 6 different times, and they never could get it right. It was dangerous, if he'd push the stick too far to the left, the boat would literally veer to the right, and vice-versa. Under threat of a lawsuit (he's a lawyer), SR eventually bought the boat back. I always told him he'd save a lot of money if he'd simply learn how to drive a twin-screw boat.

I'm assuming they eventually got the zeus in the 38's to work right.
 
Just because a pod driven boat will do some things a conventional inboard can't do doesn't mean you can forget all boat handling skills and techniques. The pod drive should be an addition to, not replace the things we normally do to handle a boat. Just because the wind is blowing 30 kts off the fuel dock and I don't have Zeus drives doesn't mean I don't buy fuel.
 
fwebster said:
Just because a pod driven boat will do some things a conventional inboard can't do doesn't mean you can forget all boat handling skills and techniques. The pod drive should be an addition to, not replace the things we normally do to handle a boat. Just because the wind is blowing 30 kts off the fuel dock and I don't have Zeus drives doesn't mean I don't buy fuel.
Click to expand...

It would for me!!!:lol::smt043:lol:

No doubt I need to further hone my skills!!
 
Why do you suppose he said "I don't advocate spring lines on twin screw boats"?

Admittedly, I have a small boat (a 2006 300DA) but we spring in and out of tight spots all the time, especially when wind or current necessitate.
 
jeremyandalison said:
Why do you suppose he said "I don't advocate spring lines on twin screw boats"?

Admittedly, I have a small boat (a 2006 300DA) but we spring in and out of tight spots all the time, especially when wind or current necessitate.
Click to expand...

He was probably inferring that he was SO skilled, he didn't need them. I use a spring line to get on and off a dock all the time.

Don
 
Ok, I'm a boat "dummy"!! How do you use the spring line to get off the dock:huh:
 
That's cool... now lets see that maneuver with nobody on the dock and some real wind!!!!! And with a real Boat with some Sail Area !!!!
 
I have to say I'm disappointed, I thought my spring lines kung-fu put me in the advanced class. Now I find out that it's possible to make your boat crab sideways against a strong wind and current without Axius or spring lines. Where do I learn this new kung fu? :-(
 
jeremyandalison said:
I have to say I'm disappointed, I thought my spring lines kung-fu put me in the advanced class. Now I find out that it's possible to make your boat crab sideways against a strong wind and current without Axius or spring lines. Where do I learn this new kung fu? :-(
Click to expand...

In the water? Practice young grasshopper, practice....
 
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