Stern drive or Ouboard?

[reelfishin]

I currently own two nearly identical boats, one with a 70HP outboard, and the other with a 120 Mercruiser. The Stern drive gets the best milage, and has the best ride, but the outboard version is much lighter, feels quicker, and is easier to handle and launch, and has more interior space.
I am sure this question has been posted before, but times and opinions change.
I had always despised ouboards, I hated the mixing of gas and oil, the added noise, hard to work on motors, and transom problems. While on a stern drive, the engine is a tried and true automotive design, the drive is a bit heavier, and the economy ease of starting is so much better. On the down side, the drive is very expensive to service and maintain. Mine has a early Mercruiser unit and you have the bellows and gimble bearing to maintain, external hydralic tilt and trim, and lots of added weight compared to an ouboard.

I am at the point where I need to choose one or the other, asmuch as I'd like to keep the two boats, I don't have the room for both. I like the interior room of the outboard, but like the reliability of the stern drive engine. I don't like how heavy it is though.
The main benifits I see in the Outboard boat is the lightness of it and the added room. I can tow the outboard boat with my compact truck and launch it without worry, the stern drive boat is a bit much for the small truck to pull up the ramp.
The outbourd boat weighs in about 1050 lbs dry, and the stern drive is nearly 2000 lbs, so any gain I have with the 120HP Mercruiser is gone in weight. It does still get near double the milage though.
The sterndrive boat is in really excellent shape with very little use over the years by it's original owner, the outboard hull is in just as nice a shape if not better, but the interior is all but gone, if I keep the outboard boat, I'll most likely replace the carpet with new rubber mat and swap the two double seats for two pedestal captains chairs.

 

[JB]

Re: Stern drive or Ouboard?

Outboard.

 

[Frugal Floater]

Re: Stern drive or Ouboard?

Outboard, Outboard, Outboard!

I owned both and will never go back to a stern drive...There are advantages to both, but here are some things to consider:

1. Running i/o in shallow water trimmed up will ruin bellow/ujoints due to the sharp shaft angle.
2. While auto engines have years of enhancements to increase reliability, they were never made for marine use...This is especially true in saltwater that is flowing through the block.
3. Maintaining an outboard is easier and often cheaper.
4. Oil injected 2-strokes don't require you to mix oil and barely use any oil...also new ones are much quieter and environmentally friendly than old ones. Also when oil leaks in your i/o, it is in the bilge and out into the water.

 

[Scaaty]

Re: Stern drive or Ouboard?

Outboard hands down. Selling my 25 footer this year..maintenance a PITA. Sticking with my other 3 OB"S

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Stern drive or Ouboard?

if you have read any of my comments on this, i believe the stern drive has proper roll, in the larger boats, cruisers, and the like where the engine is basically below deck. Deck space in a boat is very valuable real estate. i hate to be on my belly, using the brail system to change spark plugs. anything under 24' used inland, of near coastal water should be outboard. it's breaks, you disconnect a couple of cables, take it into the shop and work on it, out of the rain, in airconditioning. you don't have to go removing seats, decks, and god knows what else to get at the engine. we have a Family owned 23' Chris Craft deck boat, 5.7 Volvo. i wanted outboards, but the rest of the family (sister, Bro in law) want the i/o. it was a fantastic deal. I will not work on it. there is absolutely no access, without dismantling the boats.

so if you have'nt figure out, i vote outboard.

 

[Boatist]

Re: Stern drive or Ouboard?

I have one of each but like the I/O the best. My I/O you tilt the engine cover forward and you can get to everything with no problem. It is a 4 cylinder 140 hp. I have see a lot of the new boats where you can hardly see the engine and would be very hard to get to.

An outboard of the same HP is faster and new 4 stroke or EFI two stroke get very close to the same fuel mileage today.

The I/O does take some room inside the boat but there is no splash well at the stern that also takes up room. Engine cover and jump seats along side make a nice place for the ladies to get some sun on a padded cushion. Fishing offshore the engine cover makes a nice seat for 2 fishing the stern.

Engine it's self any one who does their own auto engine work can do work on my engine.

Offshore in big swells I like the fact that the engine weight is farther foward but then my 21 foot aluminum boat is still very light.

I look at the inside of a 200 HP Evinrude at this years boat show. I have always done all my own auto and boat repair work but that outboard has hoses and wires going everywhere. Nothing like the old 2 stroke outboard. I always buy the factory service manual when I buy a new car or boat but that 200 Hp Evinrude I do not think could be maintained by a shade tree mechanic.
It not a motor you can lift off and take to the shop. 4 men could not lift it off with out a crain.

Anyway not many manufactures still installing I/O today. I look at the 2007 Crestliners and they no longer make any I/O models. Also no longer make any boats for offshore or over 20 feet just opean bow boats.

 

[deejaycee_2000]

Re: Stern drive or Ouboard?

outboard .......

 

[kenmyfam]

Re: Stern drive or Ouboard?

Outboard, Outboard, Outboard.
If it explodes then you take it off and drop another one on while you fix it. (MBTL) minimum boating time lost.

 

[bsh21wash]

Re: Stern drive or Ouboard?

Great....everyone is choosing Outboards. I sold my 16ft riveria last year that had a 65hp Merc, I had nothing but problems with it. So this year I bought a 91' Seaswirl with a OMC 4.3 liter. The tech that tuned it said it was the best running 4.3 hes ever heard! Hopefully it will be a good summer.

 

[Drowned Rat]

Re: Stern drive or Ouboard?

I'd go with the outboard. If you're having problems with your current outboard, sell the outboard motor itself and the I/O boat, then buy a shiny new outboard. End of worries.8) Outboards are WAY easier to work on in my opinion, easier to maintain and keep up the preventative maintenence.

 

[ezmobee]

Re: Stern drive or Ouboard?

I boat in a river where there are occasionally some rocks and stumps and other unknown obstacles. Having hit rocks with both an outboard boat and the equivalent stern drive boat the damage difference was substantial. With the outboard my dad went the wrong way around an island and thought he was somewhere else and hit a rock HARD. The motor violently kicked up. The damage was only a banged up prop. The skeg had long been worn off that motor. Many years later, I grazed a rock with a stern drive. It wasn't even sure that I had hit something. The damage was horrid. The lower unit was all chunked up and leaking gear lube. Result: needed whole new lower unit. I think it's because stern drives don't "bounce" like outboards do. Maybe some stern drives have free upward motion and this one didn't, I don't know. Just my experience.

 

[Tail_Gunner]

Re: Stern drive or Ouboard?

Why inboard of course, look's better, cost less, better fuel econ and on and on and on......Beside's there is something wrong with a motor that siting on it's arse vertically............................

 

[studlymandingo]

Re: Stern drive or Ouboard?

Outboard. Had both, now have only outboard; for a reason.

 

[kenmyfam]

Re: Stern drive or Ouboard?

No one is convincing me away from the outboard yet.

 

[Frugal Floater]

Re: Stern drive or Ouboard?

I might consider an I/O when outdrives can last as long as the engine and I/Os don't require a hole in the transom. Some of the reason for outdrives having a reputation to break down is probably due to boats that are sitting in the water and the outdrive is constantly submerged. I also don't like betting the farm on an outdrive seal when 3 miles from shore....

And as far as looks are concerned...I would rather my boat be ugly than pretty