What is IPS

Volvo Penta IPS is the modern alternative to traditional inboard shafts. A complete, integrated system:

 Marine diesel engines

 Steerable drive units 

 Twin counter rotating, forward facing, propellers 

 Integrated, through the drive water and exhausts 

 Electronic wheel-to-drives steering system 

 Electronic shift and throttle

Video link  watch this underwater graphic video of twin IPS drives seen through 360 degrees

How does it work in practice?

Mustang video  demo of IPS drives  

IPS benefits

Volvo Penta IPS ; Inboard Performance System is an inboard revolution. Compared to inboard shafts, Volvo Penta IPS gives up to:

35% better efficiency

20% higher top speed

15% faster acceleration

30% reduced fuel consumption

50% lower perceived sound level

Plus car-like handling and maneuvering and the joystick option for easy docking.

These are the Volvo claims but reports from boats using IPS like the Africa cat 420 which reports low engine noise, low vibration. Regular shafts have lots of vibration due to alignment and the trust being pushed down the shaft which also causes noise. Also the underwater exhaust lowers soot levels dramatically and the same for fumes levels.  

Reviews independent including fuel efficiency & performance

 Yacht Forums review of the Lazzara 75 footer the LSX 75

Power & motoryacht review of IPS over conventional drives.

Joystick Controls

Miami, FL - February 17, 2006: Volvo Pentas new IPS Joystick is designed to improve boating. The Joystick which is making its American debut at the Miami International Boat Show, allows drivers to easily maneuver their boats in all directions. In addition to increasing performance speed, Volvo officials say Volvo Penta's Inboard Performance System (IPS) also decreases the level of noise by 50 percent

Joystick video splashvision A quick look at this video will demonstrate the Joystick benefits.

If you pause the video as shown in the picture above, you can see the boat is going sideways into the slip and you can see the thrust wash from both drives opposing each other to provide the sideways movement.

Volvo site video   the graphic only video takes you to video skip into select joystick to see Volvo presentation

New Joystick control features include; GPS anchor, docking station for IPS, Automatic Boat Trim assistant, and Power Trim assist

The new IPS packages from Volvo

To understand the Volvo Penta IPS designation. The Model numbers refer to what Volvo claim you need in conventional drive shaft for equal performance. Therefore IPS400 means this would replace a 400 HP engine but the actual HP of this engine is closer to 300HP.

The Original IPS packages were theIPS400, IPS500 and then came the IPS600, IPS350. The IPS version II starts with new packages, the IPS 750 with the 575hp version of the D9, and the IPS850 using new 6 cylinder 670hp D11. There is also the IPS500G which is a gasoline engine.

BoatBuilders using IPS

Beneteau flyer 12          1mpg fuel, @ cruise speed 28mph 2750 rpm, 19.8 gph, range 400 miles

Island Packet Trawler

Africa Cat 420

Legacy

Chris Craft roamer 40

Marquis 40

Silverton ovation 52

Mustang

Formula

Summary

We do not see these drives on sportfishing boats yet as they tend toward more traditional props and shafts. However more and more boats are turning to this new technology. I do wonder what happens if you have some sort of computer issue while docking.

While IPS makes huge gains in popularity Cummins Zeus is a viable competitor. Cummins CMD Zeus has more conventional looking aft facing props set in azimuthing pods, but is otherwise very similar..