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Tiara 4000 Sovran IPS
We took our first look at Tiara's 4000 IPS wonder at the Miami Boat Show in February of 2005 (See Boat Show Article). Six months later there are over 14 owners on the water. We thought we'd take another look and found that our opinion has changed...
Last year we liked it ... this year, she's even more impressive!
"No matter how you look at it, the Sovran 4000 is a very impressive boat... even if you take IPS out of the equation. The styling and amenities are superb. The build meets Tiara's very high quality standards.
When you consider the ride, the quiet engines, and IPS's efficient performance, Tiara Yacht's Sovran 4000 provides the best reason yet to want to get yourself a powerboat and be on the water.
That's high praise from this jaded reviewer."
- Boatman
The Sovran 4000 was the first American Boat designed with a hull exclusively for the Volvo IPS system. The 4000 is not a knee-jerk reaction to the availability of IPS. Tiara was planning and designing the new 4000 for several years designed specifically for Volvo Penta’s revolutionary new IPS propulsion system. The resulting boat ... is in a league of its own.
This boat is a total package of luxury, style and performance!
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"IPS has brought to us a whole new way of looking at propulsion systems. The efficiency that we get out of them (the engines and drive system), the space savings they provide ... has benefited the design of the 4000 tremendously."
- Bob Slickkers, CEO |
Volvo Penta’s performance numbers clearly show that an IPS-equipped boat gains improved maneuverability, speed and fuel efficiency. I’ve driven many express cruisers in the 40-foot range. Some handled better than others, but none have handled as well as the Sovran 4000. The most impressive aspect of test driving an IPS-equipped boat is in making turns. The Sovran 4000 took them tightly and aggressively, without any loss of control.
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On a boat with conventional propulsion, you’ll usually see a drop in engine rpm as well as hear some propeller cavitation. The Tiara’s track was steady and solid and the steering was precise. More like a runabout -- not a cruiser twice the size that tips the scales at about 15 tons
There is no mechanical or hydraulic resistance at the wheel. |
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It turns freely, and a computer interprets the wheel position and instructs the IPS drives accordingly. One of the benefits of the computerized steering is that the wheel is automatically centered (as the drives return to center) each time the boat is restarted. There is no need to count wheel rotations or consult a rudder angle indicator before departing a dock.
Volvo IPS - A Secret Weapon
 Volvo has published test results that show the IPS system operates more efficiently than standard inboards.
Top speed is said to improve by about 20%, acceleration by about 15%, and fuel economy (and therefore range) by as much as 30%. Some tests we have seen have shown increases as much as 35% at cruising speeds.
Safety First, Drive Units Second
What if you strike a submerged log or some other large underwater obstacle? There are no shafts or struts protecting the props! The bad news? There is a potential for extensive damage, just as there has always been for boats with traditional strut and shaft configuration.
The good news? You may be less likely to sink. Boats are lost every year when shaft struts are pushed through the hull or torn away to leave an enormous hole in the bottom. The drive unit on the IPS is designed to break free in the event of a catastrophic collision, and leave the hull intact.
A recent incident reported by Power and Motoryacht seemed to indicate that this did not happen. However, upon further review, the drive shafts responded properly and were not hit with sufficient force to break off. The bow and hull took the impact upon grounding. To Tiara's merit ... despite the high speed of the grounding. There was no significant structural damage, beyond a scratched bottom.
Tiara's First Mid Cabin Cruiser
A secondary benefit of the technology is that the engines are moved well aft to create additional interior space in the boat. The Volvo engines are coupled to the drive units with a very short shaft, perhaps 12-18" in length. As Tiara never built a boat where the shaft angle exceeded 11-degrees, previous models all had fairly long shafts.
The new Tiara is touted as the "first mid cabin Tiara express cruiser",
as there is a new stateroom with a pair of single bunks (athwart ship) aft of what was formerly the forward bulkhead for the engine room.
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Tiara Sovran 4000 IPS: Aft Guest Stateroom
The Sovran 4000’s aft guest stateroom is courtesy of its IPS propulsion system. Normally in a Sovran, inboard diesel V-drive power plants are installed under the upper cockpit. In the new 4000, however, the engine room begins aft of this level, freeing up enough interior space for an extra stateroom and head beneath the helm deck. |
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