Outboard or inboard/outboard motor?

[Bcrdi911]

I'm thinking of buying a new boat next year and was just curious if anyone out there can give me some ideas on their opinions about whether to get an outboard or inboard/outboard motor? I'm looking at about a 17ft boat. Any input or suggestions would be great!!

 

Thanks

[boatman]

Outboards are cheaper to service and take up less room.

[Whopper]

You'll get more room inside a 17ft boat with an outboard than an I/O and you can run the outboard in much colder weather because you won't have to worry about water freezing up after you pull it out of the water, where as an I/O you'll have to drain all the water after unless you have a closed water system that has anti freeze.

 

Another advantage is depending on the size of the motor is that I/O's do not like to troll at low speeds without some modifications.

 

Fuel I don't know about, I probably get better fuel consumption out of my 4cylinder 130 horse Volvo Penta I/O than I did with my 75 horse outboard on a smaller/less weight bass boat.

 

My next fishing boat will have a 4 stroke outboard

Edited August 23, 2007 by Whopper

[OhioFisherman]

I had a Searay with an I/O, on a bigger boat ya, smaller no. To change the oil I had to pump it out thru the dipstick hole. Couldn`t get at the drain plug on the oil pan. And like mentioned the other service issues, just easier to work on an outboard.

 

The out drives are pricey to repair or replace, and if you need to replace the motor? Much easier on an outboard.

[jedimaster]

I prefer IO's versus outboards. The gas is the biggest thing. Once you get used to working on them I don't find it difficult at all to work on an inboard. In fact I would much prefer to work on an inboard. Not nearl as cramped and squishy, bending screwdrivers to get in there and squashing your fingers to get this off etc...

 

The gas savings is enormous, but if you are really looking to stretch your season out beyond say october than you will want to go with an outboard.

 

If your going to be tubing and water skiing etc... I would go with an IO. IO's have great decks on the back for fishing and no outboard in he way so you can see the people your tubing.

 

The performance is better on an outboard though as they will turn out more RPM per HP.

But will suck nearly twice the gas for the same speed.

 

If your going to run really shallow waters then go with an outboard. they drive sits higher in the water than an IO does.

 

Are you buying new or used?

 

I really don't buy the thing people say about Outboards having more room. They may gain about a foot of floor space but they lose about 2 feet of rear deck space.

 

I looked at two identical model Glastron's when I bought my boat, both the same year and model, one with an IO and one with an Outboard, and they both had identical seating area but the available space was much large in the inboard.

 

 

 

[Flappn]

I have a Searay with an I/O and I have to tell ya I much prefer an outboard. I bought the boat as it was in mint condition and knew the past owner and the wife was sick of sitting uncomfortably in the fishing machine. With that said....with this topic...I would have to say

your either an outboard person or an I/O person.

 

It all comes down to what you want to get out of the boat. If your going to use the boat on smaller lakes for fishing as well as fun..I would say an outboard it better as you can lift the motor out of the water to flip in the junk as well as pass through areas were the water is shallow. An I/O is great for family boating, skiing, tubing and lounging on the lake as outboards provide a nice area to sit or lie down on top of the motor cover as you see in the picture of the Glastron I/O.

 

I have come to the realization the I/O just doesn't provide me with the same fishing functionality as an outboard as well I just like seing the brick on the back of the boat instead of under a cover.

 

horse power to horse power I still believe an outboard provides better performance (speed) than an I/O does.

 

I have winterized both and they are both easy. The outboard is quicker to winterize though.

 

Hope this helps.

Edited August 24, 2007 by Flappn

[Bcrdi911]

Sorry guys I was away for a couple of days there. Thanks for all the input into this topic. Now I'm really confused!! haha I want to use the boat as sort of an all around boat. I want to tube,ski,lounge and fish from it. I was looking at some fish n' ski boats that seem to have good platforms for fishing and most of those have the I/O motors in them. I think as someone said in their reply, that it boils down to preference. This is my first big boat as all I've had in the past was a 12 ft with a 9.9 on the back. So it's all new to me.

Anyways, thanks again for the input.

[jedimaster]

Fish and Ski's are leaned one way or the other. You can buy a Bass boat/Ski Boat. You can buy an alluminum fish n ski, you can buy a bowrider fish n ski.

Whats the primary use and what water boady are you on? Is it going to be trailered or in a slip, at a cottage etc... How many people are going to use it regularly? Small kids? How fast do you want to be able to go and how fast are you going to want to cruise at? Do you want a better fishing boat than a Ski boat or a better ski boat that you can fish from. Are you going to fish for walleye, Bass, Lake Trout, Salmon, perch etc...

 

I personally find the best all around boats to be Inboard fiberglass bowriders that can convert to fishing boats. Rinker, Glastron and Fourwinns make nice ones. The offer the most seating, and deck space for fishing(if you get an inboard)

 

If you want one leaned towards Bass fishing, Allison and Skeeter make nice ones. The XB 2003 can be moderatly considered a fish 'n ski(100 mph fish an ski hmm) The skeeter SL serires is more reasonable and sedate.

 

For a Walleye or Lake trout I would go with a Lund Sport and Fish Boat. I like the Lund 186 Tyee

 

Budget is the biggest thing. Also new or used.

[POLLIWOGG]

If you get a new outboard you get new technology that can pay of in less emissions and better mileage.

 

If you go to an inboard you get old tech slightly better than the sixties but cheap to fix.

 

I posted earlier warning of carbon monoxide .... a single marine engine puts out the equivalent CO as 188 modern car engines! To put pollution controls on marine engines would cut mileage to unacceptable levels. Outboards are safer where CO is a concern.

[jedimaster]

I guess if I ride around in the ski locker I would be more concerned about CO levels.

Whatever you do make sure you buy what you want not what everyone else thinks is best.