NEW MODEL INFO 275 Drive X enhancement

[Julian]

Neil and I got to try out the new Drive X enhancements and both the lateral and pivot modes will be popular with 275 buyers. It makes handling the boat around the dock a lot easier.

We wanted to shoot video from above of how well this works, but unfortunately we couldnt fly the drone due to airforce aircraft in the area. The dock hold feature was pretty cool, and enables you to effectively hold the boat against the dock without needing dock lines. The pivot mode helps you do a complete 360 easily! It moves the gates and steering on both pumps in different directions as needed!

 

[Jakob Grimm]

Did they add a bow thruster? How is the side shift being accomplished?

 

[Judge]

Bummer..... this would have been nice to have on the new '22 275SD I'm in the process of picking up. It sounds very cool.

I did order the Lateral Thrusters so hopefully that gives me some additional maneuvering flexibility. Some guys have said they aren't needed with DRiVE but I thought I'd grab them while they were 30% off this month.

 

[Julian]

Did they add a bow thruster? How is the side shift being accomplished?

No bow thruster. They enabled this by being able to point both gates in different directions - both steering and reverse gate. So imagine if you are docked on the port side, the port side gate is in reverse and pointing towards the starboard, while the starboard side gate is in forward pointing to starboard. It works....pretty wild to see the thrust and gates adjusting as you do this.

 

[Jakob Grimm]

No bow thruster. They enabled this by being able to point both gates in different directions - both steering and reverse gate. So imagine if you are docked on the port side, the port side gate is in reverse and pointing towards the starboard, while the starboard side gate is in forward pointing to starboard. It works....pretty wild to see the thrust and gates adjusting as you do this.

Ahhh got it. Sounds like the same method they’re using for joystick control on multiple outboards. Interesting but as a 275 owner I can tell you a bit of wind and that system won’t work well…it needs a bow thruster. I’m debating having one added to mine…

 

[DogDadDave]

Sounds like a very cool feature. I see videos of multi-outboard boats pointing their motors different directions to achieve the same, so it's cool to see that adapted to jet drives.

What I am a bit confused on is the naming. When I saw "X" on the website I thought they were adding wake surf equipment. If they keep up this trend down the lineup in future years they'll be giving BMW a run for their money with confusing nomenclature.

 

[Judge]

Ahhh got it. Sounds like the same method they’re using for joystick control on multiple outboards. Interesting but as a 275 owner I can tell you a bit of wind and that system won’t work well…it needs a bow thruster. I’m debating having one added to mine…

I'll be picking up my 275SD this week. I'd be interested in hearing how you intend to add a Bow Thruster. That would be a major project with a major price tag. I'm not sure what type of access there would be under the floor at the bow. A serious hole through the hull would need to be cut as well for the tunnel.

I will be docking in Southwest Florida on the river at the entrance to the Gulf and there are often breezes. I'm going to have guide poles with my dock lift so that will help a bit when I'm coming back. I'm also adding the Lateral Thrusters since they look like they would help in those conditions.... but with a boat this big having a bow thruster would be a be a bonus in the wind.

We went to the BVI for a Boat US Flotilla last May. We rented a 51' Power Cat. It gets pretty windy down there and those boats have no bow thrusters. Watching the experienced captains dock them in some pretty stiff winds was very impressive.

 

[HangOutdoors]

Saw these on boat in the bay. Monohull Bow & Stern Thrusters – Sideshift Wonder if they would help on the 275

 

[Judge]

Saw these on boat in the bay. Monohull Bow & Stern Thrusters – Sideshift Wonder if they would help on the 275

I've seen several type of aftermarket options but they all require an extensive install. One type requires a hole to be cut through the bowl from port to starboard for the tunnel and the other requires coming up through the keel. It also requires access below the floor, which probably wouldn't be easy.

 

[FSH 210 Sport]

This sounds pretty slick ! I would imagine this coming to the rest of the Drive equipped boats in the future.

 

[Ohio]

Here is a video demo by BoatTest

Pretty Cool

 

[GTBRMC]

Saw the Boattest video this morning. The tech looks very good. The interface is complex… why not use a joystick to control it?

 

[tabbibus]

Saw the Boattest video this morning. The tech looks very good. The interface is complex… why not use a joystick to control it?

I don't see it on their YT channel

 

[GTBRMC]

Ohio linked the video on boattest.com website, above. I watched it through an email link to that page. BT's YouTube content sometimes lags their website.

 

[Judge]

Damn...... now I'm half sorry that I didn't wait to order a '23. That looks pretty slick.

 

[tabbibus]

Ohio linked the video on boattest.com website, above. I watched it through an email link to that page. BT's YouTube content sometimes lags their website.

Thanks. Saw it now. I'm honestly not THAT impressed. Maybe the video didn't show it that well. The dock hold option is the only one that seemed pretty cool