Not side by side IPS or Zues pods

http://www.asia-pacificboating.com/features/2010/riviera-5800?page=2 Engines staggered but drives together, using an extension.

I feel that if you had some foward and some aft of them, that the foward ones would create too much cavitation for the rear ones.

I know...that's why I clarified it was just the engines but pods were parallel. I agree with CaptJ on the problems you'd likely encounter staggering the pods themselves. I'm sure it could be engineered to work, but not simple and no real reason to do so.

The inventors of the Azipod thought about it.

The IPS and some Zues exhaust through the propellor hubs. Some all of that exhaust on the foward pods would definately create cavitation on the rear pods. The picture Marmot posted, the pods are staggered, but looks like the propellors are pretty much in line.

I have not found any maneuverability issues with side by side zeus pods on a 40,000 lb 50 foot vessel. No bow thruster as is common on many newer IPS boats by Prestige and maybe others. I have not found any need for thrusters in addition to pods.

Are you thinking of larger vessels?

I ran a 50' Prestige quite a bit. The problem is Prestige needs to program the joystick better, if you just push it sideways, the bow always lags behind, but it easily corrects by twisting the knob at the same time. The bow thruster is nice once in a slip. The prestiges and other IPS boats with the underwater exhaust tend to always dance around a little and never totally sit at rest.

How about putting them all in front and having "front wheel drive" boats? Then you could put two in the front and two back and have "all wheel drive."