inboard vs outboard, whats your preference and why?

[acecv31]

Hi, im new here and im enjoying all the good information. i could not find any past forum on this so i decided to start one.
whats your preference between an inboard and out board? i personaly rather an outboard, i have never owned an inboard to be judgmental on them so im asking your opinions.
I feel repowering, mainence and overall general repair and up keep is easier.
i currently have a 1995 17' starcraft bowrider with a 120 hp outboard on it. idealy i would like around a 19' bowrider with an outboard, deep v preferably but i havet realy seen any.

so whats you thoughts and preferance?

 

[guy74]

Re: inboard vs outboard, whats your preference and why?

I like the versatility of my outboard boat, easy to maintain, and our boating season stretches into freezing temps. I do miss the performance of my Ski Nautique, but sure don't miss the maintenance or winterizing. I've nerver had an I/O, and don't really see one in my future.

 

[Tahorover]

Re: inboard vs outboard, whats your preference and why?

It should be inboard or outboard or I/O.

 

[NYBo]

Re: inboard vs outboard, whats your preference and why?

I voted "outboard". No bellows, gimbal bearings; easier maintenance, winterizing and complete powertrain replacement; less weight; often more room in the cockpit.

It should be inboard or outboard or I/O.

Word.

 

[Lyle29464]

Re: inboard vs outboard, whats your preference and why?

Ir really depends on what you do in a boat and where at. A lot of my boating is in big water and miles from other boats. 3 and 1/3 inches of freeboard is just not an option.

 

[Borgey401]

Re: inboard vs outboard, whats your preference and why?

outboard for sure

 

[25thmustang]

Re: inboard vs outboard, whats your preference and why?

Inboard, not I/O but true inboards!

 

[mnypitboat]

Re: inboard vs outboard, whats your preference and why?

Well, here we go again. Oh well. It kinda depends on the boat, but I like my I/O. No not inboard, but similar. Easy car like maintanance. Simple oil filter and oil changes, fuel seperator, and outdrive and yearly maintanance done. Takes about 30 minutes. 8 spark plugs every other year and maybe wires and cap/rotor, takes about 30 minutes. Bellows every 3rd year. OK that takes me a couple hours, but I am not very good at it yet. Lots of room in there to reach everything and simple because it is a basic car engine. They are quiet, they dont get you covered in smoke every time you start it up. Outdrive and prop is tucked up nicely under the rear deck when you are skiing or tubing so when people jump in they wont hit it.

Never owned an outboard, but when I was looking, I took a look at the new 4 stroke Yamahas and they look pretty simple to do maintanance. Would sure hate to have to replace a power head though. Or any part on there. Looks pretty complicated and expensive to me. I can buy a complete remaned 305 or 350 for about $1400. Outdrives are plentiful used, but you can also get them new, or remaned for about $1200. Although I have never had a problem with one. So for less than $3k I can replace pretty much replace the whole thing. Throw in the gimbal bearing and bellow kit and you add another $150 and a days work if your quick, or 2 if you take your time.

Of course if you do the maintanance regularly, you probably wont have to worry about it. If I were to have bought an offshore or flats boat, I would have gone with a Yamaha 4 stroke. But in a Bowrider, I/O is the way to go.

 

[acecv31]

Re: inboard vs outboard, whats your preference and why?

sorry guy's i did forget to include the I/O. by inboard, i was meaning( car motor) in general, but my mistake, i should have included all three. for the most part, the majority of boats around me are outboard or I/O.

like i said i never owned an I/O, and honesty, ive always heard that they were much more expencive to maitain and rerpair. thanks mnypitboat for the information, you have peeked my interest some. im looking forward to more replys and others thoughts on the matter.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: inboard vs outboard, whats your preference and why?

anything under 20' should be an outboard no question. No point in taking up that room in the boat, easy to repair and replace, no winterizing, great for shallow water.

 

[ewenm]

Re: inboard vs outboard, whats your preference and why?

32 footer twin 4.3 efis, ultra reliable reasonably quite and out of the way, cruises at 26 mph and 3600 rpm burns 50 litres per hour

serviced once a year and moored in salt water year round, couldnt be easier,

but i do regularly check it over ,usually at least once a week, and pull it out of the water twice a year, once for service and anti foul etc and the other for check over and touch up of anti foul

 

[H20Rat]

Re: inboard vs outboard, whats your preference and why?

Ir really depends on what you do in a boat and where at. A lot of my boating is in big water and miles from other boats. 3 and 1/3 inches of freeboard is just not an option.

Not really sure how the motor choice has anything to do with freeboard? I can name specific examples of every single one of those choices that have very low freeboard, as well as examples of all 3 that are very capable ocean going...

 

[acecv31]

Re: inboard vs outboard, whats your preference and why?

what is freeboard?

 

[PS94]

Re: inboard vs outboard, whats your preference and why?

I/O or I for me. Looks way nicer, usually results in a nice sun deck, quiet, no worries about ropes hanging on it, parts are more plentiful, and you can get your engine parts re-worked at any auto shop.

As for smell....2-stroke outboards are the way to go! MMMmmm...

 

[DBreskin]

Re: inboard vs outboard, whats your preference and why?

what is freeboard?

Freeboard is the height of a ship's deck above the water, but with small boats it's generally considered the height of the gunwale above the water.
Many outboard-powered hulls have a low transom where the motor is mounted. In heavy seas it is possible for water to enter the hull over the top of the transom.

 

[haulnazz15]

Re: inboard vs outboard, whats your preference and why?

As was mentioned, it depends on the type of boat and the intended use as well as the geographical region you are going to be boating in. Inboards are amazing ski boats and have little to fail which would allow water into the boat, which makes them great for cruisers and open water vessels. I/O's are the most versitile in allowing more HP/speed while allowing the hull to be trimmed up or down. Outboards are the lowest maintenance and are self-draining, so cold weather operation is of little to no concern. Each has their purpose in the boating world.

 

[briguy2817]

Re: inboard vs outboard, whats your preference and why?

As for smell....2-stroke outboards are the way to go! MMMmmm...

I thought I was the only freak that liked that smell on start up. When the boat is back home in the garage it has another smell of oil and gas that if I could bottle it up and sell it as cologn, I'd be a millionaire!

I like the simplicity of outboards. Last year I never had time to take the boat out after September so it sat. I didn't touch it until June of this year when I changed the fluids and plugs on it. Now, granted it is garage kept year round so that helps a little with the freezing in Ill-anoy.

While I have never owned an I/O, I'm leaning towards getting one due to the fact they have a sun deck and usually a bigger swim platform. But as a mechanic by trade, a motor is a motor to me.

 

[sbooy42]

Re: inboard vs outboard, whats your preference and why?

I'm an outboard person... easy to work on. easy to swap out. extra room. the 2 strokes are light and can be real screamers...

Plus you can trim them up and spray people....=) lol

I like the smell too....

 

[QC]

Re: inboard vs outboard, whats your preference and why?

My standard line on these threads (and there are a lot of them) is "Chicks don't dig OBs". It makes me a sexist, and it also implies that I favor I/Os or Inboards. None of that is really true, but most OB powered boats have cluttered and inaccessible transoms, no sun lounge and are poor for swimming. Ask your wives/GFs, they prefer to see no evidence of propulsion, and in my house their opinion still matters . . .

 

[INJUN]

Re: inboard vs outboard, whats your preference and why?

No. 1 = inboard; easy to work on.
No. 2 = outboard; easy to maintain, exchange, built-in trim


No. 3 = I/O; too many parts to the prop, large hole in hull below the waterline