I like the IPS and Zeus concepts, they possess many advantages and I would
absolutely employ them on any planning design, mono or cat. However they have
a couple of disadvantages: 1. Deeper draft, the outdrives require more water
depth, 2. No prop outdrive protection for running aground. Those these drives
are made to shear off before jeopardizing the integrity of the hull, replacing
them wont be cheap. In a design like the Manta where the engines are already
aft, weight distribution is not an issue, and any boat could be designed to
accommodate that weight aft.  The canoe stern design may not offer enough
water flow to a forward facing arrangement like the IPS as well. I think a
purpose designed displacement design could be made to work though were the
hull stepped up aft enough so the hull would hit bottom before the outdrive.
With a design like the Manta the shaft and prop protection are absolute, the
only thing I think would be an improvement would be to have an enclosed shaft
system like the Seatorque, to eliminate stuffing box, cutlass bearing, and
alignment problems. But with the current CS hull and tunnel configuration the
IPS or Zues would not work well without a hull design modification. I think
the steering outdrives even at lower speed would offer plenty of  steering
control contrary to other opinions.

The primary difference between the Zeus and the IPS is that the rear facing
Zeus can have a protective skeg in front while the forward facing IPS needs
"clean" water, thus no protection. Both have "sacrificial" lower units which
self-seal in case of loss. Finally I do not believe the Zeus rotates 360
degrees, however due to specific boat programming, still enjoys joystick
docking capability without the need for a bow or stern thruster.

Kevin Ralph

Regency Yachts LLC
Office: 954 563 0666
Cell:    954 648 0855
Fax:    954 564 4244
e-mail:  kevinr @regencyyachts.com

-----Original Message-----
From: power-catamaran-bounces@lists.samurai.com
[mailto:power-catamaran-bounces@lists.samurai.com] On Behalf Of Pat
Reischmann
Sent: Saturday, December 29, 2007 12:48 AM
To: power-catamaran
Subject: [PCW] ips and zeus

I like the IPS and Zeus concepts, they possess many advantages and I would
absolutely employ them on any planning design, mono or cat. However they
have
a couple of disadvantages: 1. Deeper draft, the outdrives require more water
depth, 2. No prop outdrive protection for running aground. Those these
drives
are made to shear off before jeopardizing the integrity of the hull,
replacing
them wont be cheap. In a design like the Manta where the engines are already
aft, weight distribution is not an issue, and any boat could be designed to
accommodate that weight aft.  The canoe stern design may not offer enough
water flow to a forward facing arrangement like the IPS as well. I think a
purpose designed displacement design could be made to work though were the
hull stepped up aft enough so the hull would hit bottom before the outdrive.
With a design like the Manta the shaft and prop protection are absolute, the
only thing I think would be an improvement would be to have an enclosed
shaft
system like the Seatorque, to eliminate stuffing box, cutlass bearing, and
alignment problems. But with the current CS hull and tunnel configuration
the
IPS or Zues would not work well without a hull design modification. I think
the steering outdrives even at lower speed would offer plenty of  steering
control contrary to other opinions.

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