Outboard or Inboard/Outboard

[ezmobee]

Re: Outboard or Inboard/Outboard

HC, The cold is only in the winter, but the chop is everyday, or nearly everyday, in the afternoon. So if you want to be out on the bay in the afternoon, you deal with the chop.

You are correct that CCs are likely the most popular boats, I just cannot understand why, for the reasons I gave.

Chris, I gave up arguing with HC about the family comfort of CC's years ago. You'll never win I think DC's are a great compromise.

 

[500dollar744ti]

Re: Outboard or Inboard/Outboard

Get the OUTBOARD! This is coming from someone who has only owned I/O boats, maybe that's a clue.

I got an I/O because I'm a career mechanic and I can maintain it. If you don't know much about boats and value your time and money, you will go with an outboard.

 

[dingbat]

Re: Outboard or Inboard/Outboard

You are correct that CCs are likely the most popular boats, I just cannot understand why, for the reasons I gave.

The popularity of the CC is similar to that of the SUV.

While the mini van might suit the needs of the family better during the week, it's not the versatile, off road, hunting, fishing, tow vehicle that you and your buddies take to the mountains on weekends.

 

[H20Rat]

Re: Outboard or Inboard/Outboard

The popularity of the CC is similar to that of the SUV.

While the mini van might suit the needs of the family better during the week, it's not the versatile, off road, hunting, fishing, tow vehicle that you and your buddies take to the mountains on weekends.

For coastal waters, that is a CC. For inland, that is a pontoon!

 

[Chris1956]

Re: Outboard or Inboard/Outboard

Ding, You do know that 85% of SUVs never leave the pavement! At least not here in the east, or on the west coast. They are more status symbols than utility vehicles. I am sure you mid-westerners take 'em in the woods.

CCs on the other hand are real popular here on the east coast. IMO they suck for everything but hot sunny days and calm water. They are very good for fishing, after those riding in the bow get beat to death on the way to the fishing grounds! Everyone ends up standing behind the driver, while the boat is in motion. Not too comfortable.

 

[Slip Away]

Re: Outboard or Inboard/Outboard

I wonder what the OP is considering now, some good suggestions have been offered.

 

[dingbat]

Re: Outboard or Inboard/Outboard

Ding, You do know that 85% of SUVs never leave the pavement! At least not here in the east, or on the west coast. They are more status symbols than utility vehicles. I am sure you mid-westerners take 'em in the woods.

Since when is Maryland in the mid-west?
Probably 85% of CCs never make it offshore either. They just can't fathom being seen in a DC. :laugh:

 

[roffey]

Re: Outboard or Inboard/Outboard

Definitely outboard for saltwater. And yeah, I'd look for a "dual console" boat as opposed to a bow rider. More freeboard, self-bailing deck, just all around more seaworthy.

I learnt something new, I have never heard of a dual console boat, I had to look it up.

I have never had a boat in salt water but my boat, I believe, can do salt water. It has a closed cooling system. It is a 18 foot with a 3.7 488r merc. I would have thought it was to small for salt water. Feel free to correct me, I am up here in Canada and to hit salt water would take me days of driving or boating, LOL. I believe my boat is a dual console, I have a walk through windshield with a step in the middle?

 

[Fnet]

Re: Outboard or Inboard/Outboard

I would like to express my profound thanks to everyone who has answered my post and have given me some very valuable advice. I haven't made a definite decision on what to buy but the majority replies do advise an outboard over an inboard outboard and that will be the way I'll go. But as regard the hull everything except a bowrider is expensive and cost more than I was planning to pay. I don't particularly want to buy a used boat but I may end up having to do so. I am still working on it!

 

[QC]

Re: Outboard or Inboard/Outboard

Go used. You'll get so much more boat for your money even 5 years old. Annnnndd, the worries are what iboats is for

 

[dingbat]

Re: Outboard or Inboard/Outboard

Go used. You'll get so much more boat for your money even 5 years old.

I agree.... a lot of people buy a boat not knowing how much time and money is involved, especially with saltwater boats. The fascination wears off quickly and they want to get out from under it or they buy a bigger boat and need to get rid of the old in a hurry.

I spent over a year looking, but I bought at 3 year old boat from a guy that bought a new boat and needed to unload the old ASAP. I ended up paying roughly 60 cents on the dollar over new.

 

[QC]

Re: Outboard or Inboard/Outboard

Current boat was 3 years old as well, and 60 cents on the dollar. Nothing wrong whatsoever.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Outboard or Inboard/Outboard

...everything except a bowrider is expensive and cost more than I was planning to pay. I don't particularly want to buy a used boat but I may end up having to do so....

It's a lot more expensive to buy a cheaper boat you can't use very often than paying a little more for one you can take out without worrying about making it home. A boat that is sitting is using "juice." If it costs you $2,000/year, and you use it 10 times, it's $200 a trip. Use it 50 times and save money!

And one reason bow riders are cheaper where you are is because they aren't as desirable there. The market speaks.

You should buy a used boat for your first boat but not a real old boat. Brand new, pretty new, and old, all require up-keep and all have problems. Old boats have more problems and take experience to figure them out. A new boater such as yourself should always pay for dependability, but that doesn't always mean brand new. You can buy dependibility by buying from a good dealer, though.

Also with a used boat, if it doesn't work out or if you want to move up, you may recover a good chunk of your cost by selling it. Not so with a brand new boat; seldom with a real old boat, but typically with a pretty new boat. Plus, where you are, used bowriders do not hold their value (b/c they are fragile and hard to unload) like the better boats do.

When a new boat is one year old the value drops 25%. But the difference in a 4 year old boat and 8 year old boat is negligible.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Outboard or Inboard/Outboard

I learnt something new, I have never heard of a dual console boat, I had to look it up.

I have never had a boat in salt water but my boat, I believe, can do salt water. It has a closed cooling system. It is a 18 foot with a 3.7 488r merc. I would have thought it was to small for salt water. Feel free to correct me, I am up here in Canada and to hit salt water would take me days of driving or boating, LOL. I believe my boat is a dual console, I have a walk through windshield with a step in the middle?

First, there are lots of boats with two windshields; even the bowrider sofaboat is technically "dual console." And a center console with built-in bow seating is a bowrider. And there's the odd label "fish'n'ski" turns out I owned one for 20 years before knowing that's what it was (and it'sa dual console w/ bow seating). Hree, however, DC is a bow-rider inside and deep v self bailing outside.

There are two issues WRT salt water--one is the effect of the salt itself on the cooling system (no problem for you) but the other in general discussion here is a short-hand that anticipates use in big open water, just as a "lake boat" anticipates calm waters. It confounds the Great Lakes boaters b/c they see a lot worse conditions than many a saltie on their lakes!

 

[southkogs]

Re: Outboard or Inboard/Outboard

...I don't particularly want to buy a used boat but I may end up having to do so...

Buying used will force you to work with what you can find. But QC's right - you'll get more value per dollar out of the used boat. Newest boat I've ever owned is about 30 years old.