quad pods in a hatt?

[nor'easter]

Anyone see this add? I just got my "sea" magazine and there is an add for a 60 C with quad zues 600s (QSC 600s). The boat is unlabeled but sure looks like a new 60C Hatt. Didn't know hatt might be headed that way...anyone hear anything about this?

 

[REBrueckner]

Another article, I think mentioned here on Sam's, discussed a triple screw big Hatt and the fuel "economies" which resulted....Did not seem significant to me...

 

[nor'easter]

I googled quad zeus sportfisher and found it featured on the cummins-mercruiser site. No mention of the boat make, but the forward chines, sheer, transom tumblehome and windows make her a hatt to my eye.

Nice looking rig minus the flashy paint job. i would be curious to see the ER. No mention of pods on the hatt website...just made me curious.

 

[saltshaker]

She sure does look like a Hatt 60C. She has similar dimensions but weighs 18,000 lbs less and carries 520 gls less fuel. Maybe the fuel tanks were changed to allow for the 4 engines and machinery but where did the rest of the weight go? If she is a Hatt she is faster and more economical than a 60C with 1550HP C32 Cats. 33kt cruise at 91gph in a 60ft Hatt is impressive to say the least. Still not as fast as the 60C with the Cat C32 Acert's. I believe that still is the fastest production Hatt ever made. 36-37kt cruise and a 41-42kt top end.

 

[Walter P]

Tom Slane may know something about this...

Walt

 

[stormchaser]

Looks interesting: http://www.quadzeus.com/

 

[nor'easter]

Never been on a boat with pods, but the pics and video in the link sure has that 60 showing her stuff in the zig zag run. Looks to me like some tight turns for a serious boat!

No pics of the machinery spaces unfortunately. I would love to see what was moved around to accomodate a big change like this. A few thousand pounds in the weight difference must be from the weight dropped from the 3412/C32s.

I would imagine that this is a prototype and won't be hyped by Hatteras until she is really shaken down with some miles under her keel.

 

[SKYCHENEY]

I hope that's not the latest trend in paint jobs. It looks like a city bus.

 

[stormchaser]

Its not paint, its a vinyl wrap...like the advertisements you see on city buses...very easy to put on and remove with no damage to the underlying paint.

 

[sgharford]

Wonder how great the benefits are of 4 pods verses 2 are that warrant having 4 engines, 4 transmissions, 4 pods, and 4 props? Honestly - that sounds like a nightmare to me - would just assume own 2 boats at that point. Seems to me they are trying to do too much with what they have sitting on shelf.

 

[stormchaser]

Part of it is the power requirements. Zeus pods can only take up to 600hp, so twins would not be powerful enough to get decent performance.

 

[saltshaker]

Part of it is the power requirements. Zeus pods can only take up to 600hp, so twins would not be powerful enough to get decent performance.

Then maybe they should make a version that can handle higher HP. I would think 2 1200HP engines and 2 pods would be more efficient than 4 of each. Anyone know what the typical Z drive set up is on large ships? A friend of mine was telling me they are similar in concept to the Zeus.

 

[stormchaser]

Yup, the Zeus drive is just a smaller version of the ones used on ships and tugs. I see no reason they couldnt make a bigger one to take 1200hp...they just haven't yet.

 

[Boatsb]

They can make the 1200 HP unit but will it make financial sense? It's a lot of R&D with a smaller market to sell to.

 

[TopHattandTails]

That Zues Hatt was at the FLIBS this year. Taking 15 minute trips all weekend long. The wrap is great (once you see its a wrap and not paint). The boat was literally walking down the fairways at about 10 knots at a good 45* angle. Pretty cool seeing it go sideways and such in the overcrowded harbor - sort of watching and waiting to see a train wreck. Definitely a crazy wrap though. The boat looked a little weird though. Looked like it a had a T-Top form a center console as the bridge roof. Not bad looking, just different.

Wonder if I talked to my yard and if they install all the latest and greatest gadgets - I'd let them put a wrap on her for a season. Garmin, T-Diesel, Moen, Nu-Teak, etc... Might be an even trade...

 

[saltshaker]

Wonder if I talked to my yard and if they install all the latest and greatest gadgets - I'd let them put a wrap on her for a season. Garmin, T-Diesel, Moen, Nu-Teak, etc... Might be an even trade...

I was looking into doing something like that with my 46C. Mack would install new engines if I painted and updated the entire boat. They wanted to use the boat in the boat show circuit to market the engines for full repower/update projects. Volvo bought out Mack and nothing ever came of it. I never seriously pursued the project but thought it was an interesting concept.

 

[Northcott]

The boat was at the show this year and I went on three rides as my brother-in-law is the VP of Cummins Marine. It is a Hatt. shell and they put the new propulsion on it. The drives are all four mounted under the cockpit. It was an amazing ride! I operated it several times... acceleration is VERY quick (40kts) and it handles like a dream. I am not sure that it is really going to catch on, but an amazing boat.

 

[TopHattandTails]

Hows the ride with all of the weight and motors in the aft?

 

[Northcott]

The ride was fine. But the weight is not all aft. Thte enigines are still under the salon.

 

[Walter P]

How did they accomplish maintaining the engines in their original location with the drives aft....or were the drives aft. Did they use jackshafts or other system?

Walt