<<Of course, you've picked one of the most expensive pod boats to support your position, a Grand Banks.>>
The picked the most expensive pod boat to support his position...and you picked the most expensive SE boat to support yours. That was my only point. Tug style boats are EXPENSIVE....regardless of the reason.
And thanks for listing all of those points. All very relevant and something I did not think about. And I do realize they are more efficient but I have to be honest in saying I have a hard time believing they are 25-30% more so? The automatic transmission pretty much displaced the manual transmissions. I don't think pods will do that to the conventional setups of today??
PS...I used to custom order my cars with manual transmissions and rollup windows.Whenever it came time to sell them, it was always to somebody well over 60 and they were tickled pink to find such a creature in this day and age.
You used to order cars with standard transmissions? What made you stop?
Actually I could have picked ANY high-end forty footer. None that I know of sell for less than half a million or so? Not the Beneteau Swift. Nor the Marlows? How about the Fleming 34' Corvette? One of the participants In this thread must have the time to compile a list of prices for new 40 something new boats?
I'll see if I can track down some of the side by side sea trials of same boats with different power trains? I do know that using the same HP as the Beneteau Swift, the IP435 cruises at 28 knots while the Beneteau Swift cruises at 21 knots. Same GPH. Same LOA and beam. Very similar displacements and LWL. Same brand and model motors. BTW, the IPS is a bit better efficiency-wise than the Zeus.
We have swapped out a pod drive motor in 8 hours. Hard to do with motors under the saloon sole.
I know all the old timers here pride themselves on their boat handling skills developed over a lifetime of yachting. I'm proud of mine, too. When I lived aboard a 45 foot ketch at Dinner Key I used to sail into my slip never starting the diesel. For most of her life, my 25' Bolger Black Skimmer never even had a motor on board - I'd sail off and back into my mooring at Coconut Grove Sailing Club.
But, in less than ideal conditions, I certainly prefer docking a pod boat than a single or normal twin. And you really can't beat the station keeping ability.
I never expect to convince any if you. Pluto asked earlier for ALL of our opinions based on our experiences. Once he mentioned the Great Loop I chose to share mine since that trip has more maneuvering, docking and locking than many boaters experience in a lifetime. Had Pluto a tenth of our experience, he wouldn't have asked the question because he would have already formed his own opinions.
I'm glad to have the chance to air mine.