Here's a debate

[HTHM]

For a general purpose boat, one that is to be used for fishing and tubing/skiing and bootin' around, what is a better choice. inboard/outboard or a outboard motor. All things are equal, same hull, same HP, load etc etc.

Looking at total operating costs, fuel consumption, maintenance, winterizing, towing, and so on.

This enquiring mind wants to know.

[Sinker]

Less stuff to go wrong on an outboard.

 

A straight inboard is a good solid drivetrain.

 

i/o has a lot of stuff in the drive that can go wrong. Watch out for the older OMC"s, they're hard to get parts for these days, and cost big $!

 

If it was me, I'd go outboard.........but that's just me.

 

Sinker

[OhioFisherman]

Size of boat? Obviously a 16-19 footer is going to be easier to tow, larger boat may require a special vehicle to do it safely? Like a pickup, full size van, ect?

 

I have had smaller boats and one larger, a 25 foot SeaRay, the SeaRay was kept at a marina summer and winter. SeaRay was able to sleep 4 so like a campground on the weekends.

 

Summer dock at the time like 600 bucks, early-mid 80`s winter storage and winterizing around 350. 70 gallons of fuel to fill it (233 mercruiser stern drive I/O). First couple nice weekends of the year were devoted to getting it ready, Bottom paint if it needed it, polishing, teak work, docked about 55 miles from home. Insurance summer and winter! about 450 at the time.

 

200-300 bucks a weekend to spend the weekend on the boat, LOL I was a drinker back then and single. Beer ice food a bottle pop gas dining out.

 

Smaller boat you can trailer, keep at home? Not limited to one body of water, rough windy weather meant being tied up to the dock with the big boat, a bit much to handle in those conditions docking. Smaller boat you can take to an inland lake, maybe not as bad, easier to handle? Even alone?

 

SeaRay was like 12-16 gallons of fuel an hour at cruising speed 24-26 knots, but would handle 4-6 foot waves pretty easily, fuel costs for water skiing? No clue. Imagine pricey. Nice heavy boat, hard to beat the ride over a smaller or lighter boat.

 

Brother had a Bayliner Capri, 19 foot v-8 I/O much faster in calm water, open bow sort of useless if it got rough. Other brother had a Bayliner Trophy? 22 foot v6 4.3 I/O boxy caught the wind, lighter so the ride wasn`t as good, easier on fuel.

 

All my smaller boats have been fishing boats, not too good for much else, no power to ski. The Capri was towed with a older Ford thunderbird 1978? The Trophy with a full sized chevy van.

 

Make sure the car you drive will tow the boat you buy! Unless you intend on keeping it docked.

[waterwolf]

a contained power-plant is much more eco friendly, more quiet, exterior design friendly[better looking] and weather resistant than an outboard ,, but that's where it ends,sharply. unless you have 454 big block ofcourse , no further discussion required really.

an outboard offers accessiblity to controls ,hydraulic lines, and quick visual inspections which are a must. fluid leaks are very obvious immediately and easier to assess . if infact service time is required , the outboard is far cheaper to repair than an intricate outboard due to accessibity.

what if you decide to upgrade in power ? nightmare . buy a bigger boat .

 

the average joe has a sporting chance if his outboard doesn't fire while out ,away from the dock. there are obvious check-points that are accessible to you to pursue ,not so much with the inboard.

 

fuel systems are far less complicated too.

 

that's just my two cents.

[waterwolf]

no changing fouled or empty tanks on in inboard.

 

but would to agree that a large thumper in the bottom of a boat would certainly make for a better

 

ride when things got a little more bumpy than a flat lake'.

Edited February 4, 2009 by waterwolf

[outllaw]

i/o for

no fumes.

more room.

quieter, but this is fofr heavier fiberglass boats, unless you had a larger tinny.then i would go with a 4 cylinder i/o.. in my experiences the new 4-strokes are very sweet on aluminum boats al;so. my friends yamaha 50 on a 17ft crestliner is great for moving lake to lake.

[POLLIWOGG]

First thing is if your talking new or used or vintage. Old inboards and I/O are fairly strait foreword to work on and can be replaced cheap with a motor from the wrecking yard but pollution rate is something like = to 75 cars. There are a lot of 20' to 30' out there that are going cheap but you have to consider the cost of running them.

 

The new outboards are probably the most advanced motors built, most inboards are from the auto industry and might have some catching up to do and might inherit some of the problems of car engines like gasket problems.

 

If it was me and I had the cash, in the 16-19 range it would be a new outboard, 20 and up a volvo I/O.

 

I run vintage and have touched every part of my ford - volvo I/O .

[NBR]

I have had all 3. An I/O, a pure in board and several outboards. I pretty much agree with Polliwog except I'd go for an outboard for 22 feet and under. I/O's and inboards take up too much cockpit room in addition to the other n oted issues.

[diggyj]

If I was considering an outboard and an IO of similar HP, I would go for the outboard. This is my opinion based on years of boating.

 

IOs supply unlimited HP and torque. They are much heavier size for size, they do get better gas mileage than most 2 strokes of similar HP and they burn straight gas. They are much more complicated than any 2 and 4 stroke outboard.

 

IOs have a motor connected to a lower unit by a drive shaft with universal joints covered by bellows that all

need replacing regularly and I think the shift and steering cable hang off the stern with bellows that also need replacing. There is a steering cable on an outboard but it is much better protected, the throttle and shift are almost carefree for an outboard.

 

Also an extra piece of safety equipment needed for an IO, you need to have a fire extinguisher on board that needs to be checked and filled if used.

[DRIFTER_016]

One more note on IO's if the bellows gets torn/worn out your boat can fill with water very quickly.

I have seen inboards blow exhaust hoses and they will fill the boat up pretty quick too.

Both IO's and Inboards are more difficult to work on and take more maintenance.

Outboards are more $$$$ to replace but the 4 strokes get decent mileage.

Personally I would go with an outboard powered boat.

[2 tone z71]

definatly Outboard ,shift shafts, bellows,points condesors ,waterpumps,closed cooling,caps rotors wiring,I could go on ,the Marinas just smile when the I/Os roll in its where they make there $$$$$,unless your stuck on I/O make sure its atleast a Alpha 1 unit with the big 6 or small 8 the rest is worn out hard to get parts for ,hard to find someone to work on crap

[mikeh]

for small fishing boats and small bowriders I'd go outboard .it's easier to take a look back at your motor if you're going into shallow or rocky waters.

Plus they are easier to maintain yourself.

 

I had an old omc (1980) and it was taking on water and found out an animal had chewed the rubber boot and water was getting in thru the hole, , I was told they changed the rubber composite so the muskrats would stay away from them. It had a 4 cylinder that was great on gas.