Such a nice sailboat! -- QUESTION -- starting to get used to dual rudders, BUT, is there a waterproof bulkhead that isolates the rudders in case they suffer damage and start taking on water? How is the risk of damage to an exposed rudder being dealt with by Hallberg?
The flexible boot of a saildrive can absorb a bump, whereas the shaft log of a shaft drive engine will often crack and leak - fast! There's pros and cons with both systems. Saildrives don't suffer from alignment problems - a major advantage. They tend not to drip or spray in the way that shaft seals do. They tend to change gear more smoothly than shaft drives. Hmmm, lots to think about.
Greeat work! BUT.. It looked perfect until I saw that "sail drive"... aaargh! Can you order this with a proper shaft drive? PLEASE don't start putting sail drives in these as they are so much trouble. To be honest, no one wants them. Maybe a new HR45 with the same width to length ratio of 0.34 AND a proper shaft drive would be the dream world cruiser! (the current 44 is too narrow and seems oldish already in comparison to this great 40).
Hallberg-Rassy has delivered over 3 400 yachts with saildrive and never heard about any trouble. In opposite, it is quiter and smoother, and on an aft cockpit boat a saildrive makes a completely different, better, interior layout possible. You can always do weired things with your boat which may cause trouble, no matter wha type of engine drive you have.
@@HallbergRassy412 ..I really wish that is true as I think that the 400 would be your best boat. I would make one aft room a technical room with Washer and Dryer and parts etc - perfect design except that engine, But here is what I have seen, repeatedly, online. 1) That the huge rubber gasket thing must be changed every time you haul out. It is right in the owners manual for Yanmar (assume that Volvo is the same). 2) that the lower unit is aluminum and is very prone to early corrosion. You also have horrible oil changes in the lower unit and must haul out to do them. So many people are reporting wasted lower units. 3) that because the rubber gasket is so large (about the size of a basket ball) it will easily and quickly sink your boat when it develops a leak. So many Catamarans have this experience that insurance rates are higher for this type of engine. I know that Amel Super Maramu had a "C Drive" that worked very well, but it had no rubber gasket part and no exposed aluminum lower unit. The 400 is nearly perfect but that sail drive is a no go for serious cruisers. Maybe make a 450 that is scaled up in size and has a shaft drive?
