We are wanting to buy a new boat. Would you recommend one with a outboard Motor or a inboard/out board motor?

Answer 1

many variables here that you need to consider
1 size- larger heavier boats do better with I/O drives since 200 HP is about the limit with O/Bs
2 water depth- as a rule O/Bs draft less which may be important if you have a shallow berth
3 maintance- generally I/Os are easier to work on and you may be able to get parts cheaper 4 since most are auto parts. the outdrive portion is generally heavier that the lower unit of a like sized O/B so it stands up better. the O/B has less parts to fail and is much easier to winterize. the CV joints in an I/O are a weak point if you run a lot with the unit tipped up say for docking. 2 cycle O/Bs need oil mixed in with the gas and that is an added cost of 50 cents / gallon
4 back to the boat- not all hulls are available with both. you may have to go with what the hull is built for
5- the transom cutout for an O/B can really lower the seaworthyness of a boat. a lot of water can come in there if you get pooped

there's no real final answer here. in the end it comes down to this- if you like the boat and its got a good drive of either style it will work fine. i've had both and had good luck with both. there are differences of course but unless there is some overiding need for one or the other its not really a big deal

Answer 2

Inboard motor for the following reasons:
No motor hanging on the transom waiting to be stolen or vandalized. Gasoline storage that is built-in and not stored in a can on deck. Better weight distribution in the boat. The inboard is designed with the engine and fuel tank integral to the structure.
Outboard motor for the following reasons:
Motor can be removed and stored during off season. Lower price for boat.
The decision is yours, but these are a few of the things to consider.

Answer 3

I'm an outboard guy. Unless the theifs that the first guy is referreing to have a forklift they are not stealing mine off the back of the boat. Mine weighs about 450lbs. My fuel tank is integrated in to the boat hull. Having the motor mounted on the transom gives me much more walkaround room inside and dual livewells inside the transom. I have a splash well with taller splash wall inside the transom cut out so any water that would not swamp an i/o will not swamp me. My motor is much more responsive than the typical 150hp I/O. I can get up and on plane with a fully loaded boat in no time and the emissions are much lower than any I/O and most four stroke outboards on the market.

Answer 4

I have had both inboard and outboard motors. I prefer the outboard. They are less expensive to repair and if necessary replace without replacing the entire unit.

Answer 5

An outboard engine will still run if your boat were to takes on a few feet of water due to a mishap (I've seen it happen),also you can mount more than one engine and run them in tandem, this also gives you a spare if one should quit. Cost favors the I/O.

Answer 6

Outboards give you more room in the boat, weigh much less, are generally quieter, makes a cleaner install, easy to work on, easy to replace.... and are better engineered, precision parts etc...

Answer 7

outboard outboard outboard. too many reasons to list here. i tell people this "outboards are made for the water, I\Os are basicaly car engines with a prop on em. cars dont run good in the water"... one more thing,, johnson {evenrude}, mercury, and yamaha seem to be the best out there.

Answer 8

both are fine but I prefer I/O they look better they are nicer for swimming getting in and out of the boat, you don't have to deal with the smoke and that horrid noise of a 2 stroke, And wellcraft is the only boat for me

Answer 9

Newer outboard, 4 stroke.