What's a surface drive?

[chuck in WA]

How does it work, and why would you want one (or two)? I've never seen these before. My buddy wants me to accompany him to look at a Formula he found on Craigslist, and it has these "surface drives". Any ideas?

 

[Don S]

Re: What's a

Re: What's a

These links ought to explain em..........

http://www.howardarneson.com/articles/article7r.asp

http://www.arneson-industries.com/Arneson Surface Drives.htm

 

[chuck in WA]

Re: What's a

Re: What's a

Interesting reads - thanks Don. I wonder what the maint. costs on these things are. They look pretty simple, but the lack of commonality will probably getcha!

 

[WillyBWright]

Re: What's a surface drive?

Those are for pretty hardcore go-fast boaters. I'm sure they're driven by some rather unconventional motors. Definately not for your typical weekend captain. Maintaning Hi Perf boats is not for the financially challenged, to say the least. Proximity of a qualified and willing service facility should be carefully considered. Most places wouldn't touch it.

MerCruiser once made the Blackhawk which fit a conventional motor and a conventional Bravo tansom bracket. It was a twin prop and considered a surface drive. Those might be a lot easier to find service facilities qualified to work on them. They basically look like a stubby Bravo with twin screws. If they were Blackhawks, they would've said Blackhawk.

These are surface drives you might find on that boat...

 

[Scaaty]

Re: What's a surface drive?

Thats a nice looking set up! I'd like to have just that transom mounted on the wall in the Den, like hunters do with a deer big count pointer!

 

[Don S]

Re: What's a surface drive?

The good news is those props are only about 2500 bucks apiece. The bad news, everything forward of them is expensive.

 

[flashback]

Re: What's a surface drive?

Nicely put, Don d