(Be sure to click through all the images in the gallery above.)When it comes to offshore trolling, twin-diesel inboards have long reigned supreme, proven to lay down clean trolling alleys and raise fish. For many veteran trollers, there’s nothing better. Or is there?The advent of diesel pod drives from Mercury Zeus, Volvo Penta IPS and ZF Marine has introduced major advantages. Unlike the straight-shafts, twin pods can swivel independently, providing directional-steering thrust that results in superb control. An integral joystick allows for precise low‑speed maneuvers.Thanks to horizontal thrust (versus the downward-angled thrust of inboards), less drag (as a result of less running gear) and twin counter-rotating propellers (for less prop slippage), pods are also more efficient than straight-shafts. You don’t need as much horsepower ...![pod-drives-02]()
