Newbie: Inboard vs Outboard tubing

[ba1335]

Hello,

I am still looking for my first boat and need some information/advice on the pros and cons of motors. I'm looking at 16-20' boats, it will mainly be used as a fishing boat for myself. However, I would still like to have the ability to take friends and family out for a good (and fast) time tubing. I haven't been tubing in ages but I would assume you would need to reach at least 40mph to make for an intense tubing experience for an adult. If Im wrong about this please let me know.

So I have basically been seeing allot of bayliners and other larger (most likely heavier) fiberglass boats for sale. Some have outboards, others with inboards. This will be my first boat so my major concerns are difficulty in maintaining the engines (I change my own oil, spark plugs, can handle basic lawn mower issues), and performance. How big of an outboard motor do I need to have to achieve good tuber speed? Does the amount of HP translate the same to inboards? (ie: 125hp outboard push the same boat the same as 125hp inboard). What about other issues such as trolling at slower speeds, is it less stressful on one motor over the other? Also, lets say I find myself in weeds, an outboard I can till all the way up and remove the tangle. Can you do this with an inboard?

Any and all pros and cons would be helpful.

Thanks Much,
Brian

 

[spoilsofwar]

Re: Newbie: Inboard vs Outboard tubing

I would consider "at least" 40mph an extremely fast, if not insane, speed to be towing someone on a tube... Have you ever fallen off a boat/jetski/tube at that speed? I have fallen off PWCs at speeds lower then that, and it is not necessarily a pleasant experience. Water loses considerable softness at speed. Also consider that when your face is only 6 inches from the water surface, the sensation of speed is considerably increased as opposed to sitting aboard a boat. Finally, consider that the boat's speed is not necessarily the towable's speed - centrifugal force and the "sling" encountered during a turn can considerably increase the effective speed of the tube relative to the boat's speed.

25-30mph is a more reasonable "fast" tow speed for an adult. For a child, think 20 or less.

As far as the power question goes, not considering cost, I would go with an outboard. Like you mention, there are many pros and cons to both and in the end its owner preference.

 

[1973Chieftain]

Re: Newbie: Inboard vs Outboard tubing

Welcome aboard ba! I went tubing for the first time last fall, the fastest we ever got to was about 33, but we had to slow down to 25-28 on turns.... this was a group of you adult males being pulled by a boat that could have gone much faster so our comfort was the limiting factor. As such, I would not plan on buying a faster boat solely for tubing.

 

[tpenfield]

Re: Newbie: Inboard vs Outboard tubing

Hello,

I am still looking for my first boat and need some information/advice on the pros and cons of motors. I'm looking at 16-20' boats, it will mainly be used as a fishing boat for myself. However, I would still like to have the ability to take friends and family out for a good (and fast) time tubing. I haven't been tubing in ages but I would assume you would need to reach at least 40mph to make for an intense tubing experience for an adult. If Im wrong about this please let me know.

So I have basically been seeing allot of bayliners and other larger (most likely heavier) fiberglass boats for sale. Some have outboards, others with inboards. This will be my first boat so my major concerns are difficulty in maintaining the engines (I change my own oil, spark plugs, can handle basic lawn mower issues), and performance. How big of an outboard motor do I need to have to achieve good tuber speed? Does the amount of HP translate the same to inboards? (ie: 125hp outboard push the same boat the same as 125hp inboard). What about other issues such as trolling at slower speeds, is it less stressful on one motor over the other? Also, lets say I find myself in weeds, an outboard I can till all the way up and remove the tangle. Can you do this with an inboard?

Any and all pros and cons would be helpful.

Thanks Much,
Brian

Hello Brian:

40 mph for a tuber would tend to be more fatal than fun. 25 mph is more like it.
Let's take a safe boating course, shall we?

Fishing likes center console and an outboard.
water sports and family fun likes an I/O .

So, you should probably decide what the majority will be and 'who rules'.

Take a look at 20 foot boats with both outboard and I/O engines (look at lots of them). Outboards are wicked expensive for servicing, parts, etc. I/O's are not quite as much.

Let's not worry about the weeds right now, if you end up in the weeds it may be fortunate as opposed to ending up on the rocks.

 

[H20Rat]

Re: Newbie: Inboard vs Outboard tubing

Just for the OP's knowledge, you are most likely talking about inboard/outboard drives. There are 3 main types, inboard, inboard/outboard, and outboard. I/O's have an engine inside the boat, but essentially a lower unit of an outboard outside. Straight inboards have a shaft and a prop UNDER the boat, not behind it.

All 3 of those boats have their strengths and weaknesses, but I wouldn't suggest a straight inboard for a first boat.

Beyond that, its all personal preference. About the only thing I can offer is stay away from anything that says any of the following: L-Drive, OMC, Mercruiser 470, or Force The first three are all i/o's (sort of), but are no longer made and finding parts is very hard ($$$) The last is a bayliner outboard that tended to be a little temperamental, as well as no longer made. (again, parts)

 

[2ndtry]

Re: Newbie: Inboard vs Outboard tubing

I see the 40 mph being REALLY fast for tubing has been covered. As for a great tube ride, being able to sling the tube across a wake (yours if doing figure 8's) is the biggest fun for my riders.

As for OB vs I/O, its really personal preference. If you go toward the 16' end, the OB will give you more interior room, at 20' you may prefer the I/O. I am biased toward the OB, especially if you fish.

 

[ba1335]

Re: Newbie: Inboard vs Outboard tubing

Hahaha yea a boating class is in the near future actually. I was thinking about it on the ride home tonight and realized that 40mph is ridiculously fast. So considering that, what amount of HP is required to reach ~25-30mph with 4 average sized people in a relatively heavy fiberglass boat?

 

[H20Rat]

Re: Newbie: Inboard vs Outboard tubing

Hahaha yea a boating class is in the near future actually. I was thinking about it on the ride home tonight and realized that 40mph is ridiculously fast. So considering that, what amount of HP is required to reach ~25-30mph with 4 average sized people in a relatively heavy fiberglass boat?

It depends A LOT on the hull design and length. If you are looking at bayliners, the venerable bayliner 1755 with a 125 force outboard on the back will hit 35 mph with 4 people on board.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Newbie: Inboard vs Outboard tubing

go for an outboard. no reason to take up room in the boat with a motor! easier to maintain and run.

Maximize the room inthe boat, so you can carry more people, and get a center console with built-in bow seating. The best all around family recreational boat--and low maintenance.

 

[pmillar]

Re: Newbie: Inboard vs Outboard tubing

I have a Crestliner Sportfish 1750 that gets used much as you describe. With a 115 on she is plenty fast enough for tubing and tops out >40 (without the tube of course). OB's tend to extend your fishing cruising season as well since you don't Ned to worry much about winterizing. For a firsT boat consideration let me add that tiniest don't have written stringers (transom and deck maybe, but you can see that.

 

[Oshkosh1]

Re: Newbie: Inboard vs Outboard tubing

So considering that, what amount of HP is required to reach ~25-30mph with 4 average sized people in a relatively heavy fiberglass boat?

My 19'/165 hp Wellcraft will top out at around 43 give or take depending on conditions here on Winnebago. I "cruise" at around 30...3/4 throttle, with 4 people and a cooler. Anything over 100Hp will take you up to 30.

 

[ezmobee]

Re: Newbie: Inboard vs Outboard tubing

Outboards are wicked expensive for servicing, parts, etc. I/O's are not quite as much.

I respectfully disagree. Outboard powerheads compared to I/O engines are typically a bit more complex and less easily serviced by a shade tree auto mechanic. However, I/Os have a whole bunch of moving parts between the crank and the prop that outboards simply don't have. Also, an older I/O that hasn't been regularly maintained by it's previous owner, can cost a pile of cash to get caught up on with service.

 

[haulnazz15]

Re: Newbie: Inboard vs Outboard tubing

HP needed to reach X speed is dependent on a number of factors, so saying 115HP is the minimum is somewhat factitious. Weight, length, hull design, etc all play a part in how much horsepower is needed to achieve a certain speed. 115 may work on a 17' boat, but won't be of much use in a 20' runabout. Also, HP is the same for all engines, I/O, inboard, or O/B. I don't think there's any reason to bring in drive-preference into the discussion at the moment. As mentioned before, 25-30 is the most any adult should be towed on a tube. I've been towed at over 50mph before, and as a seasoned tuber (is that what we call it? lol) I bailed at the first sign of slack in the line.

I saw that you mentioned fishing. What type of fishing, and all-year 'round or just during the nice months?

 

[tomdinwv]

Re: Newbie: Inboard vs Outboard tubing

I think the best advice would be to find a boat style that suits your needs. You can tube and fish from a bass boat but it would not be comfortable for a day trip with the wife and kiddies. A bowrider is great for running around the lake/river with kids and tubing but it is not the ideal boat to take fishing everyday. It's a game of give and take. You just need to determine how you are going to spend most of your time on the water.

As far as power plants are concerned, it's personal preference. Some guys love their outboards and some guys love their I/O drives. I have had 1 OB and am on my 2nd I/O. I prefer the I/O. Thats just my preference. I'm familiar with automotive engines and they are similar to a point. It's a comfort thing. If it were me, which ever way you decide to go, find a boat with as much power as is feasible. If you go with an O/B, check the capacity plate and if it has an engine close to, without going over the listed limit you should be in good shape. No body ever complains about having to much power but lots of folks complain about not having enough.

Have you thought about a pontoon boat? Properly equiped, it could give you a good fishing platform and the ability to spend the day with the familiy with ease. Just a thought. I had a pontoon as my first boat. Mine was under powered but offered room to fish and for the familiy to move around. Good luck on finding the boat you want.

 

[haulnazz15]

Re: Newbie: Inboard vs Outboard tubing

Or a deck boat. Same as the pontoon, without having to own, well, a pontoon.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Newbie: Inboard vs Outboard tubing

I agree with Tom's assessment (except the I/O preference over OB but that's our opinions).

The question was posed, "good motor for tubing" but since tubing isn't a skill sport like skiing, it's really a "good boat for family recreation, including tubing and fishing" question, so we want something sufficient for fun tubing, but it's not a professional proficiency issue.

Really, the motor is irrelevant to the discussion, as long as it's reasonably matched to the boat, and almost any package will be (except a few bait-and-switch underpowered boats sold by certain chains). If you're above 75% capacity you are OK, for OB's.

I always say to new boat shoppers: start by windowshopping new boats on line and in person to find the size and style you want for your use. Be careful not to get drawn into a special or limited purpose boat (pontoon, bass boat, ski boat) if you want all-around use--unless you are doing the smart thing and buying one of each. Consider if you want a low-maintenance boat made for the outdoors, or if you want something plush that will look nice and require a lot of your recreational time cleaning, covering, etc. Just like deck furniture or living room furniture? each has its place.

Once you've narrowed down the size and style, then, and only then, start shopping the used boat markets.

 

[Captain Caveman]

Re: Newbie: Inboard vs Outboard tubing

haulnazz15 got to it faster than me, but you mentioned fishing. Before any of the above boat/engine talk you need to tell us what you plan to more of....tubing, fishing, pleasure boating. That makes more difference than anything. There are boats that can do it all, but more than likely you'll want to buy a boat that fits whatever you plan to do the most and compromise on the others.

I'm a former (fellow) Wisconsinite who grew up in Milwaukee and know your Madison area very well. If you're talking about going out on Monona and Mendota, I'd assume that you're more into the tubing and pleasure boating than fishing. If 75% of your boating will be fishing trips to northern WI with some local tubing here and there, you'll want a fishing boat.

I'm a 85% fisherman but have a perfect bay for skiing and tubing - 5-6' feet deep and dark water that is warmer than the main lake. My 16' Alumacraft Navigator is made for fishing but can haul five people and pulls skis/tubes no problem with a 90hp 4-stroke. Before this, I had an old 16' Fisher with a 1970s 35hp. I could just get up on plane with a tube behind me with nobody else in the boat.

Keep in mind that full windshields make fishing tougher if you like to troll along, but they are great for cold weather and better for affixing a ski mirror. Bigger boats like bayliners and fiberglass boats will need bigger motors to push them through the water. Bigger boats and bigger motors mean higher purchase cost and higher maintenance costs. So once you figure out your needs, we can probably all answer your question a bit more accurately.

 

[Captain Caveman]

Re: Newbie: Inboard vs Outboard tubing

Great point. I have a rope/plastic ladder for my parents (late 60s) to use, but it's not ideal. I just pull myself over the gunnel and help pull people into the boat, but without a swim platform it's harder for people to get back into my fishing boat. If you're not in decent to good shape, forget about hoisting your round belly over the side of a boat.

In that case, you'll probably need a bigger boat, an i/o engine, and a swim platform.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Newbie: Inboard vs Outboard tubing

as a multi-generational skiier/tuber/swimmer, I say ladders work fine. I would not say they are better than a platform, having never used one, but I wouldn't put an I/O over an OB just for that one convenience. Around here, 95% of the watersports are done from outboards, without a problem.

Now whether the ladder is a hang-over the side or a fixed step/platform on the transom, depends on the size of the boat and the size of the skiier. And you can always use the gaff for an assist.

 

[haulnazz15]

Re: Newbie: Inboard vs Outboard tubing

I could somewhat agree on the swim platform. It is definitely a nice-to-have, but I think a fixed ladder is the bigger requirement for me. Nothing like people flopping around trying to pull themselves up the gunnel or transom without anything to use other than the drive leg. Swim platforms sure are nice, though.