[BrandName]

I am looking for info on how the IPS system fits in sportfishers. I have checked out the various builders sites (Sculley, Freedom, etc..) and I have yet to find any good info on how much space they free up. I would love to see some layouts for a sportfisher in the 55-65 ft range with IPS. Does anyone know where I can find this info?

[AMG]

I am not familiar with the brands using it, but the idea from Volvo Penta is that you can fit an extended shaft between the engine and the drive to get a lower working deck. Or you have it all back and get more internal space.

[Blair]

Originally Posted by BrandName

I am looking for info on how the IPS system fits in sportfishers. I have checked out the various builders sites (Sculley, Freedom, etc..) and I have yet to find any good info on how much space they free up. I would love to see some layouts for a sportfisher in the 55-65 ft range with IPS. Does anyone know where I can find this info?

You may want to look at the Salthouse Marine website and check out their 65Q variant that has quad IPS's. In their case it appears that with shifting tanks forward for trim purposes, the need for accommodating the usual gen sets and other gear the amount of extra cabin space created below is fairly limited but nonetheless welcome. There's a comparative weight advantage and less fuel is used by the quad IPS set up so the benefits are not limited to the amount of useable room gained. 4 engines means more servicing costs perhaps but heaps of redundancy if one dies of course. So far the ones built have apparently travelled on their own bottoms with their owners for delivery from NZ to a home in Western Australia so those voyages are several thousand miles including the 1200 mile first leg to cross the 'ditch' (Tasman Sea) to Aussie's East Coast. A confident decision has been made to do this rather than any foolhardy act of faith so I guess Volvo would be quitely pleased that transoceanic reliability is also being demonstrated by reputable people. Good publicity for the design/build quality too naturally enough.