Re: outboards vrs merc cruser i/o
to me it don't this don't seem like an i/o vs ob question from delsol even though that is his question. at this point i have no druthers one way or the other ob vs i/o. i grew up with ob's and have persoanly only owned i/o's and jetskis (inboard)
to me the question is 1-2K to fix up what ya got and have a
great little 17' runabout
or spend money on another boat that happens to be a classic with an i/o and have to put an unknown amount of bread into that one to get it to be hip. in dealing with boats for a few years now i think that the big question is about the boat, not the power package(generaly speaking). if what ya got only needs 1-2k in repairs. perhaps thats the way to go. not because it's an ob, but because apperenty ya think the boat is worth doing something with. any boat ya get on the open market, to me, is a crap shoot. if it turns out ya got bad stringers, or transom it will make the new boat out of reach for repairs. my old boat had a great floor in it too. very solid. jump up and down solid. but the stringers were toast. no point in fixin anything if the boat aint hip, ob or i/o. so to me i'd go for the 1-2k to fix what ya got. only because ya think the boat is seriveable. the glastron carlson could have hidden problems that go un noticed till ya start tearin into it to repair mech. problems. the glastron with the i/o could get real expensive and time consuming if the boat's toast. if the boat is hip, ya could end up with a mighty nice, hip, classic glastron carlson i/o that would be real fun to own and be a real looker too.
ob vs i/o? for me i don't really care. i like to go boatin and just want something that is servicable and dependable.
in therory i guess i'd go for the ob. less changes of motion on an ob and no gimble assy or u joints so perhaps more dependable. it should be simpler to service and take care of. not to mention that i/o's can be a nightmare to go get at some of the parts depending on what you have to remove to get to the part in question....
i got a i/o and like it. but from what i just wrote. guess i should have went for an ob...........oh well, i got what i got.........good luck with yer decision.......
