2014 360 RINKER FOR SALE: 2.5 YRS MERCRUISER FULL WARRANTY ON ALL SYSTEMS

Michael T

@Dream_Inn I believe we agree - 40 feet and down X drives or heavy 40 footer XR drives, 40-50 feet PODS OK, 50 feet plus DDs. No disagreement......but a 38 footer or a even a Rinker 400 series with DD stupid,stupid, stupid!!!!!

Black_Diamond

Pods are working into the 30+ foot range now.  

They have their maintenance requirements and your draft is fixed of course. The hassles of outdrives IMO are WAY more.  Especially if you are running longer at plane (hours not minutes). 

Michael T

One friend with pods and two acquaintences. None of them would have them again. Initial expense prohibitive, mantenence a pain and pretty much confined to expert technicians, issues with striking "normal" underwater flotsam, one reported persistent leaking issues, all three reported noticably higher insurance costs, one who travels lengthy distances had HUGE service issues in the Caribbean Islands (had to fly a tech in from Miami - cost him USD $2,000.00 before the tech touched the drive). All three were adamant - they would never touch a pod drive again. One could have had Bravo XR drives the other two could have used DD. Again, all three have deep pockets and could have had what they wanted. Felt they were "hyped" on the concept of pods and said never again. Their 2 cents FWIW.

aero3113

WoW @Michael T that’s good to know if the time ever comes! Glad to see your doing well.

Black_Diamond

Interesting insurance costs were higher. A standard shaft/prop set up can incur major costs also with a strike. 

Look at all the larger Tiara’s, Formula’s.....on and on offer pods, some are the only option. Can’t be that bad now, maybe early on. 

As for outdrives: 2 blown drives <200 hrs @ near $9k to fix.  1, possibly both leaking now at 400 hrs. Always serviced. I’m at ~$800/year if split over the years I have had the boat in outdrive REPAIRS.  Just saying.  They just do not seem compatible with running for hours at a time IMO. 

Michael T

DDs are usually in a pocket or tunnel. Pods hang down a lot farther than most people realize and differ in height according to hull design. As well pods are particularly prone to debris strike. Previous to those discussions I was intrigued with the idea of pods. There was more to the conversations as there were a number of other negative comments regarding them. The three were unanimous  in that they really disliked the pods and would never have them again even given the ability to use them with dock assist or axius configurations. If I remember correctly not only service and longevity issues but fear of finding service/parts away from big cities and certainly trouble in off shore locations - just the type of areas a cruiser needing pods might go. I can not attest to the veracity of the opinions other than to say the men who offered them were very experienced cruisers and knowledgable boaters.

BTW these guys were not prone to intimating they had ever made a mistaken (LOL) so to hear them say they "stuffed-up" lent credibility (IMO) to their comments.

Insuranvce costs being based on acturial tables must indicate that damages were comparatively more expensive.

As for me I have never had a drive failure, even with a Bravo l driven by a 390HP prop twister.

That said, I have owned every drive I have had (12 in total) except one from new. Therefore my obsessive maintenance schedule may have precluided problems.....and some of the drives I owned for 600+ hours.

Black_Diamond

I have a personal friend who knows the owners of Tiara Yachts (built 7 miles from me). I’ll poke on the pod drives from a maker of $1MM+ yachts. Let you know what I hear from him. 

Michael T

That will be interesting, all knowledge contributes to reflection and learning! 

Regarding outdrive longevity I have placed drive showers (to divert water principally to the drive tower cap) on drives whose longevity I thought would benefit from heat reduction due to load and/or speed (significant speed say 70 MPH+). One of the easiest warning signs (way before discolored drive lube is seen) is the formation of chalky deposits on the upper drive - usually around the area of the drive top cap.

I sqw no evidence of this with the Bll drives on my cruisers - 2013 EC 310 or the X Drive of my 2014 EC 360.

Bryan did put drive showers on the X Drives of the EC360 which I consider an excellent preventative decision. If you look at the internal schematics of the new X and XR Drives and actually see, in person, their drive top caps they are something to behold. These purpose built heat sink tops are huge in their awesome splendor and definately contribute to tremendous longevity.

IMO advances in metalurgy , lubrication and heat moderation by Mercruiser in the last 5 years - and getting better each year - have dramatically increased the robust apsects and longevity of these drives. They are bulldog tough and silky smooth - particullary when used with the DTS shifting system. Gone are the days of slam and go and with that longevity and wear has been dramatically reduced.

IM) putting pod drives on a Rinker EC 360 or EC 400 would be as financially irrersponsible as outfitting either model with diesels - you would never, ever get your money back. I costed diesels our for our 2014 EC 360 and is was nonsensical. IMO pods - for those sizes - would be even more wasteful.

From what I have been told, unless money is no object whatsoever and you are prepared to be stranded somewhere waiting for parts and technical support then get pods instead of DD.

That said if you want to spend a truck load of money why not go Arneson or another such derivative that is not a magnet for debris in the water - like pods are.

Black_Diamond

Ever see how horrible surface drives are at docking/low speed? 😆

the cost of diesels in ‘smaller’ boats is certainly a major issue. Agreed. The payback is just not there for a non-commercial type operator. 

Michael T

Yes, surface drives are more challenging at slower speeds. I have docked a 65 footer with surface drives but it also had a dock assist system which made the task pretty normal. 

For me 40 feet down - outdrives, well maintained and used with respect. 40 feet up DD. For me DDs on bigger boats 45,55,65, don't suffer from the same crazy inefficiencies as they do on say a 38 footer because you aren't cruising/operating regularly at the same speeds on a 55 foot boat as you might on a 38/40 foot boat.

Anyway, I think we have "drifted" off topic here. I had the financial ability to purchase a boat with diesels and pods if I had wanted to. I chose a Rinker EC360  and 502 Magnums with B lll X Drives and broke it in and treated it with respect. That was one of the best combinations of hull/engine/drives I have ever been on. The MPG/GPH were spectacular when compared to friend's boats. The $$$$$  value per foot LOA and SQF (square foot) of the Rinkers is IMO beyond comparison. If I were purchasing another 40 foot or less boat today I'd buy another Rinker EC 360 fitted-out as did Bry and I. In fact I'd probably buy @bry1429s. 

Michael T

@shawnmjr I'd be lying if I said I hadn't thougt of that! The EC 310 and EC 360 were the most fun I have had on boats, cool looking, comfortable, fast and (boating wise) economic!

randy56

Bry1429 may give you an easy payment plan. 

Michael T

Hey Randy.....youre a lot closer to Bry than I am - just a short haul! :-)

bry1429

PODS =
Manatee Mulcher
Shark Shaver

zaverin1

Good eating right there

Michael T

BAM! WOW!!!!! ....BTW - looks like a small reef shark to me?......but POINT MADE......forward facing props NO THANK YOU! :-(

Black_Diamond

You can read endless stories of people propped / killed by outdrives. 

You can get ski/wakeboard boats with forward facing props too: all for safety. 

Michael T

Agreed, people are injured/killed by sterndrive outdrives but I  am not referring to stupidity or negligent inattention by boat captains. I have been towing water skiers, wake boarders and tubers since 1962 - no prop related injuries - even remotely so.

I do not select my boat's method of propuilsion based on idiot behaviour of others but on the best option for my boat. \

My beef with pods is that the props face forward and are therefore inherently more prone to underwater strike damage and they are expensive to purchase and maintain - but, again, I think are "drifting" off the topic as - thankfully  - Bryan's Ec 360 does NOT have pods! 

bry1429

mattie

That 360 is a beautiful boat. Design engineers finally got it perfect.

odd that they put a cleat by the window though.......




kidding

Michael T

@mattie - in pictures that cleat looks too close to the window. In "person" (IMO) it is right where the hull is "proud" and needs to be there. As you can see in the picture I added a cleat on each side of the hull right under the cockpit window near the 360 insignia. I felt there needed be a place to suspend a fender at that point as well - from docking experience with friend's 360s - so I had my marina technician install them while noting that they were for fenders only not mooring lines. BTW it was very handy to get at from the cockpit window. MT

zaverin1

You still have ON numbers on her lol

bry1429

zaverin1 said:

You still have ON numbers on her lol.


Zav, Good job Matlock ! LOL,
Took that pic 2yrs ago (really like that pic) 

zaverin1

Nice 

Black_Diamond

Tis a sharp looking boat. No doubt on that. 

mattie

Michael T said:

@mattie - in pictures that cleat looks too close to the window. In "person" (IMO) it is right where the hull is "proud" and needs to be there. As you can see in the picture I added a cleat on each side of the hull right under the cockpit window near the 360 insignia. I felt there needed be a place to suspend a fender at that point as well - from docking experience with friend's 360s - so I had my marina technician install them while noting that they were for fenders only not mooring lines. BTW it was very handy to get at from the cockpit window. MT

Totally messin with you MT. I saw that you added those cleats in a previous post. Great idea....

On our boat I have factory stern cleats too far ahead of the swim platform. PIA to stern-in & criss cross the lines. Turns into a jungle gym.

Michael T

Hey Bry, any news????? I bet you've had a few sniffs!

bry1429

Michael T said:

Hey Bry, any news????? I bet you've had a few sniffs!

HEY MIKE ! Yes, I have a few very interested parties. Financial hurdles for the most  enthusiastic inquiry.
 IT IS STILL AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE and I will entertain all serious offers 💵

What sunny island are you loitering 😎🏝 on in your speedo these days ??

Michael T

Hey Bry (and fellow fans of Rinkers),

We are in  Aruba for four weeks. In ten days our best friends join us for the last two weeks. 28 degrees C today with a 20 KPH breeze. Just got back from Eagle Beach..... 400 yards wide and 7 miles long with powder white sand and turquoise waters. Very few people on the whole beach. Right now doing 3 things right: 1. on the Rinker Owners' Forum 2. Cold tall boy beer at hand. 3. Large bowl of party mix treats within range. 

Next beef tenderloins and lobster tails on the barbie!

Cheers lads!

GMSLITHO

Thanks Im working