[Txtruckerpaul]

This is not related to Mariah whatsoever, that's why I'm posting this in here. I have the opportunity to buy a Gibson houseboat. It is equipped with twin chrysler 360's with v-drives. I've never dealt with a v-drive before, so I would like to hear from someone that knows about them and the advantages/disadvantages. Are they better or worse than an inboard/outboard such as a mercruiser?

[Hudson River Steve]

V-drives are a lot simpler than outdrives, many fewer moving parts. The downside is they are no where near as manueverable, particularly in reverse, as you are relying on water moving past rudders rather than outdrives for steering. V drives are more compact than standard shaft drives, it allows the engines to be located closer to the stern rather than amidships.

[ShabahZ280]

HudsonRiverSteve hit the nail on the head. They are much more simple from a mechanical standpoint, but have some notable downsides, as steve mentioned. Another pretty important downside is that you need to be much more aware of depth and the risk of running aground. You can run an outdrive into the ground and not do too much damage thanks to the protective skeg. Run a v-drive shaft into the bottom, your propeller's going to be toast, and that just might be where the damage begins.

If you boat in deep water, a v-drive might not be bad, if you don't run the risk of grounding. You can always install a bow or stern thruster to overcome the maneuverability issues. After all, it's just money, right ?!?

However, with twin engines and a little practice, you might be really impressed with the maneuverability! Keep us updated!

[Txtruckerpaul]

Thank you guys for the input. The lake I would put it in has a decent depth to it, so running aground wouldn't be an issue. This is the type of boat that would be left in a rented slip and only removed from the water once in a great while for bottom side repairs. The boat is a twin engine, two props and a rudder, so I would need to learn how to move it around at slow speeds using the engines. I guess a bass boat trolling motor could be mounted up from for a bow thruster, lol.
Seems to be a good solid boat, well taken care of, always parked in a covered slip and owner said he had a bottom job done a year and a half ago. It's basically a floating rv, with all the amneties

[ShabahZ280]

I'll bet it'd be a lot of fun! If it's solid, well maintained, has the amenities you want, and the price is right, go for it!

This video goes over two of the best pieces of advice I've heard from twin engine boaters. The "Thumb Method" and "Bumps". Once you get the hang of this, it'll be easy!
Quick Tips with Captain Frank-docking a twin engine - YouTube

And always remember, never approach a dock any faster than you'd want to hit it.

[Txtruckerpaul]

That's a big help, shabah. Great video, thanks!

[Andy b]

Originally Posted by ShabahZ280

And always remember, never approach a dock any faster than you'd want to hit it.

Now there's words of wisdom

I know a couple of people who could use that as a fender sticker.......lol