Volvo DuoProp (long)

[argonaut]

I have a FourWinns with a 280hp Volvo Penta with Stainless Steel DuoProp outdrive

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Boat delivered in June 2020 … used first season, no issues other than needing prop changed to alternate pitch set.

Did first full season in 2021 … very pleased with the DuoProp it provides a massive increase in torque, over single prop, and many other benefits.


The first problem
…. Towards end of last season I noticed some bubbles in the paint immediately after the prop (bearing carrier)
Reported it to dealer … no worries we will record it and can be dealt with end of season.

OK in Oct booked the boat in for annual service & sorting out of corrosion.

They examined and found significant corrosion on drive, near the props.

At end of week, told service complete, just waiting on VP response on Corrosion issue.
Each week I phoned in to be told same story …
Then end of Nov I get a call ….. “we have ceased trading, come collect your boat, or it will be locked in by Administrators”
Wow … not expected.
OK … fair enough, these things happen … “can you give me the reference for warranty claim with VP?” …. To be dumbfounded when told “ We have not reported it”

Each week you said you were waiting on VP ? … so you deliberately misled me ?


Collected my boat, Contacted another VP dealer … this time 100 miles away …. Take boat in, they examine, confirm corrosion … plus additional corrosion on transom shield & particularly around hydraulic rams … assumed to be some issue with Earth bonding allowing electrolytic corrosion … Bonding especially important due to significant amount of stainless props …
but as never moored unsure why it’s having this impact.

VP wanted full examination .. and to be 100% clear they stated this is fully covered by warranty, and they have decided to swap out the complete drive including the transom shield, as this also needs engine out …. a significant job.
No arguments at all from VP that they will fund all of this.

Now the 2nd part of the problem …
In Dec told all was approved, but parts out of stock .. will take up to 3 months to get parts.
In Jan … same answer up to 3 months.
Same in Feb & Mar.

I get a report from a US forum that VP drive castings manufacturer in Mexico is no more (factory fire) and VP have no new drives … and cannot even advise when they will have them in stock.

So having thought this would all be fixed for start of this season, looks like repair will not be until after this season at the earliest.
VP have said use boat as normal, no impact to the warranty claim.

VP have stated they will put this right, and as standard warranty runs out in June .. they will honour this work after that date.

Final comment though …. Would I buy the same again .. YES.

[Ianfs]

Wow, that's some story Rick. Why is it always a fire that stops everything marine? A number of UK boat builders back in the early days lost everything to a fir.

Now it's interesting that your outdrive has corrosion issues. One of the chaps at my marina has a Regal with a Duo prop drive, I'm not sure which one, but he hit something underwater and had the drive replaced through his insurance. Rather than repair they fitted a new Volvo drive. Now I think this was in 2020 sometime and we were chatting early 2021. Whilst I looked around his new drive, I spotted some paint bubbling and further corrosion elsewhere. Sadly I don't know the outcome as I haven't seen him for a while, but it does seem a bit odd.

I do agree with you though, that Volvo are stepping up to the plate on this one and yes, I would buy Volvo too.

[argonaut]

Update

I wrote that original post in March …. and at that time it had been several months waiting for the parts.
It’s now November, and still waiting on parts … been 12 months now.

I had a message in Sept that dealer had built up the drive and just needed to add electrics.
In Oct Volvo Penta advised that they have now provided all the parts to the dealer.

Dealer now advises that the drive still needs work, he will build up new drive, in readiness for my boat to come in, take engine out and new drive fitted mid Jan 2023.

That is a very long time.

[ian h]

Did you ever hear what Volvo thought was causing the issue with your boat.
From memory you store ashore so seems strange that this is happening all too quickly from new

[argonaut]

No cause.

Initially they were sure it was galvanic corrosion, and were talking about incorrect mooring hook up....when I pointed out boat has never been moored.
No mention again.

When it goes in in Jan I will ask them for a report of why it failed.
Big blister bubbles under paint esp near prop. As prop is SS I suppose it could well be galvanic if Transom shield & drive not earthed properly.

[Ianfs]

I thought their new drives have an ACP (Active Corrosion Protection) system which is similar to a Mercathode on Mercruisers. As far as I know, it works via the on board Electronic control system and is powered by the Aux battery. But I think it also has a back up Zinc anode. However, as we all know, these only work when in water, but as your boats are always flushed and rinsed its very odd to have galvanic corrosion when yours is always stored under cover on land.

Yes, it's possible that maybe that one of the straps was not connected correctly which would mean instead of a protective current to the drive, galvanic action would take the most sacrificial metal, but I am shocked it would happen so fast having been in salt water for such a short time whilst being rinsed thoroughly every time.

It would be interesting to see what they report back to you.

[argonaut]

No ... as standard just earthed connections and sacrificial anodes.
The Volvo Active Corrosion Protection, 1 an add-on and advised not needed for trailered boats ... main benefit is when moored.
Particular issue with stray currents from other boats.

[shibbs]

If it makes you feel better Argonaut, I had a whole new transom assembly fitted at great cost last year ( although Mercruiser), mainly due to the steering pin seal leaking. It was an engine out job to change the pin and the whole assembly needed maintenance anyway so it just made sense to replace the whole thing with new ( to match a new engine the year before, even though I asked the engineer to check the steering pin at the time…)
Anyway, through no fault whatsoever to the company that did the work, the brand new rams that were fitted completely peeled all the paint within the first 2 weeks of being fitted. Thai is being taken care of under warranty, but there was clearly as fault there with the paintwork in the first place.
I hope yours gets sorted effectively to stop it happening again..

[argonaut]

The problem I saw was bubbling of paint around the gearbox near the prop …. VP refer to it as the bearing carrier.
When they did full inspection they found the paint was bubbling on both rams and on the bottom of the transom shield.

Incredible amount of corrosion on a drive that was not moored and only 30Hrs on the clock.

The comments from the dealer were they thought there was some continuity break on the earthing …. and the big mass of stainless DuoProps then caused electrolytic corrosion.. Next thing was, ‘we are changing the drive.’

Be good if I can get a ‘post incident’ report or similar, but have a feeling it won’t be forthcoming.

[shibbs]

I imagine, there may be no such report ( in brackets, admission of fault….?) but, who knows.
But hopefully you get sorted out..