The drums speak of a propulsion revolution

The African prelude was quite purposeful, as the Caudwell Axis Drive was developed in South Africa over a seven year programme to achieve a more effective option to stern drives and outboards.

The larger and heavier stern drives systems rely on a universal joint that can be noisy, unreliable, and prone to corrosion and handling difficulties. Outboards eliminate some of these problems but create others, such as top-heaviness and being more vulnerable to damage due to being hung from the boat’s transom.

The Axis Drive is designed to pass through the boat’s transom close to the waterline, freeing up internal space without protruding excessively or raising the boat’s centre of gravity. A patented mid-section gearbox enables the drive to move in “yaw” (steering left or right) and in “pitch” (trim and tilt) without requiring a universal joint, or having to move the engine, as with outboards.

The cooling system is closed, with no salt water entering the engine, while the entire drive is constructed from surgical stainless steel, reducing friction and making it virtually corrosion-proof.

In addition to reduced emissions, improved drive efficiency and lower fuel consumption than the equivalent stern drives or outboards, the geometry of the new system allows for a trim down component during turns which, coupled with hydraulic power steering, improves handling and safety significantly.