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[ TECHNOLOGY ]
NEW FRONTIERS It’s official – IPS has entered superyacht waters. Having revolutionised the under-100’ segment, Volvo Penta is now ready to conquer the big boat world with new designs on the drawing board to help it super-size! by Paola Bertelli
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The bridge on the Mangusta GranSport 33 equipped with Volvo Penta engines and 4 1,000 hp D13 IPS 1350 units, optimizing cosumption and providing exceptional manoveuvrability. It unleash a top speed of 26 knots
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[ TECHNOLOGY ]
“H
aving been co-opted for the Amer 120, Sanlorenzo SX112,
both small boats and larger ones”.
Mangusta GranSport 33, Wally Why200, and Azimut S8,
In the superyacht arena, Volvo Penta works cheek-by-jowl with
Volvo Penta and its now-famous IPS have very much taken their
the yards and designers from the very earliest stages of the design
rightful place in the over-24-metre and superyacht world. The IPS
process with the result that the hulls and engine rooms are crafted
journey began on small day boats in the early 2000s, but now 35,000
specifically for IPS. This strategy has proved a hugely successful move
installations later, has turned Volvo Penta from a straightforward
and produced excellent results in terms of co-engineering, design,
engine manufacturer to a supplier of an integrated propulsion and
comfort and larger spaces aboard, sustainability and, naturally enough,
control system that, as the company likes to highlight, spans the
performance.
spectrum from throttle control levers to props.
Thanks to IPS, owners of these large vessels can see fuel consumption
“IPS stands for Inboard Performance System,” explains Andrea
slashed by 20-30% in addition to significant improvements in comfort
Piccione, Head of Sales at Volvo Penta Italia Marine. Versatility and
underway with almost no noise, vibration or exhaust produced. For
modularity are part of its DNA so its advantages can be enjoyed by
the yards, IPS is simpler and faster to install than the previous shaft
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The Amer 120. stretching 35.54 metres in length, it is the largest yacht to sport the Volvo Penta IPS. Below, the Wally Why200 and the Sanlorenzo SX112 (bottom page opposite) all have four D13 IPS 1350 units which is the current possible maximum. The Azimut S8 (top page opposite), on the other hand, sports three of the same units
systems. Designers also have more space to play with for owners and guests as the IPS require a considerably more compact engine room. “Then, on top of all that, there is the value of integration,” points out Piccione. “Having just a single interlocutor for the entire propulsion system is an advantage for both owner and captain. If a problem of any kind arises, Volvo will assist them with everything. The same applies for yards who only have to interact with one company”. From May of this year, IPS can also be equipped with the SCR or Selective Catalytic Reduction system which was developed to comply with IMO Tier III NOx emissions standards. “Even though the American Coast Guard has deferred enforcement of the latter until 2023, demand for SCR is growing constantly, partly because owners are increasingly conscious of the environment and partly because it increases the value of a boat. A boat fitted with SCR today will be sell at a higher price on the market in coming years which the standards come into force”. The joystick has played a pivotal role in the IPS revolution too as it really does make manoeuvring in tight spaces much, much easier. But is it as efficient on much larger yachts? “The joystick is even more efficient on bigger boats. Having a very broad beam and so having the transmissions a good distance from each other makes the joystick much, much more effective. We are working on integrating stern and bow drive functions into our system more because of efficiency than effectiveness – the IPS can be used to handle big yachts on its own but integrating the bow and stern thrusters would be a great way to get the same result and move less water and use the engines less”. Volvo Penta fits quadruple D13 IPS 1350 on larger yachts, the system’s current maximum potential. However, because yachts are just getting bigger and bigger, the company won’t stop there: “We are working on a new IPS-derived system that will further improve its characteristics and will be suitable for 24 to 60m craft,” says Piccione confidently. Volvo Penta also has some big news for displacement yachts up its sleeve too: “Until now, IPS has been at its best in terms of performance on planing boats but this new project targets semidisplacement and displacement craft”. www.volvopenta.com 181