I/O vs inboard

[LuckyPenny]

I do not know about others but for one that keeps his boat in a wet slip I find that I made a BIG mistake in getting and I/O<br /><br />As soon as I can find a buyer, I intend to sell. I will never again have and I/O, never. I guess for a smaller boat that lives on a trailer they are ok, but for someone that puts over 25 hours a month underway I would have to classify them as a heartache (read junk) to accomplish even the most minor maintenance the boat has to come out. I find I am spend more time and money on dry land than in the water. Am I alone or are others getting the same results?

 

[mercrewser]

Re: I/O vs inboard

Join the club.

 

[Capt Ken]

Re: I/O vs inboard

Real men drive inboards

 

[Don S]

Re: I/O vs inboard

Boating in any form is a compromise.<br />Have you ever tried docking and backing a straight inboard in current or wind? If not, well, there is the compromise.<br /><br />PS: I lived and played on a 38 ft. CHB trawler and a 41' Islander Freeport sailboat for about 13 years, and lived on SF Bay with many trips to Angle Island and the Delta, then moved to Puget Sound, played in the SanJuan islands and BC's Gulf Islands and now Alaska. In all kinds of weather.<br />I would also rather have a straight inboard.<br />Sure do make a good living fixing the IO's though

 

[Capt Ken]

Re: I/O vs inboard

Yep, but anyone can tell ya, once you master the handling of a single inboard, you will feel like you've done something. Anyone can drive an outboard or sterndrive. Just like wimmen, all boats have to be handled differently. <br /> <br />Don is right, if I had to depend on inboard repairs for a living, I'd starve.

 

[LuckyPenny]

Re: I/O vs inboard

I agree with all, I personally think that Mercruiser and others are in business to support the Mech's. I/O are expensive junk. I have already put my cruiser on the market and half, if not more, of the inquires drop me like a hot iron as soon as they find out it is an I/O<br /><br />I have owned REAL boats before and thought that I/O was the way to go based on information put out by Mercruiser. If I every again run and I/O just shoot me and take me out of my misory (sp)<br /><br />If there is a Mercruiser person (a real person would not work for them) out there in forum land, how do you sleep at night?

 

[LuckyPenny]

Re: I/O vs inboard

P.S. I wonder if Mercruiser out drives would make good anchors?

 

[Haut Medoc]

Re: I/O vs inboard

You can get years out of a trailered, fresh water I/O....<br />I wanna say most mid-size 16-30 footers are I/O...Except ski boats....<br />So, if you can't afford bigger, ya gotta deal with it....<br />Most affordable used one's are I/O....<br />FWIW, I would gladly go to inboard if I could...JK

 

[DukesFin]

Re: I/O vs inboard

Okay, y'all stop it now... I/O is what I've got and it's all I've got. Can't afford outboard or inboard now, so all I can do is keep working on the one I have!<br /><br />All of my fishing buddies in Florida cautioned me against getting an I/O, but did I listen? NO! Not only did I get an I/O, but I got a '73 OMC, with the "white anchor". I don't have the cash for a new boat all at once. I only have the cash for repairs/replacement parts for the boat I've got now.<br /><br />I have to say this though... My buddies all have outboards. The new long block for my GM L6 250 cid was $1,500. I love asking them how much a new power head for thier outboards cost!!!! Get's 'em every time! <br /><br />I'm putting the new engine in (literally) today. The times I've had her in the water, (both fresh and salt), I loved the way she felt, but if I had the cash...<br /><br />Oh well... I don't.<br /><br />But with a forum like this one, who needs a new set up? Y'all are keeping my boat running for me! Thanks!

 

[cobra 3.0]

Re: I/O vs inboard

What exactly are you calling minor maintenance that requires you to come out of the water everytime? <br /><br />True I/O's are more expensive to maintain, but they are far cheaper to buy too. I suppose there's a give and take with everything. <br /><br />My boat is trailerable,is used in fresh water, and does get taken out every once in a while ...like when I hit a submerged piece of $*!&@!!! I do most of my maintenance myself except for the really complicated stuff ...like shimming gears where I do not have the tools. <br /><br />However, my whole boat is cheaper to buy new, than just an outboard of the same power. As for "true" inboards?!!! I'm no rich man that can afford to pay for one of those!!!(i.e. Mastercraft and the like)<br /><br />So, I/O I/O it's off to work I go!

 

[Lou C]

Re: I/O vs inboard

Well there is maintenance, but I have had mine moored in salt water for 4 seasons, May to Oct, and this is what it needed: Bellows, a number of seals, impeller done each year, and engine manifolds done as a precaution. The biggest pain of them is the antifouling paint, and the fact that they are not really that effective. In a smaller size boat, there are no inboards except Shamrocks and ski boats. Shammies are great boats but have you ever tried to change the plugs on a Shamrock? Or do a manifold job? The engine sits down low, and the top of the valve covers is about level with the deck. Way harder to work on than my I/O which is all out in the open. I/Os are more work, but they are faster, more economical, more manuverable at low speeds, and you can trim up in shallow water. True I'd love to have a Shammie one day, but they all have their disadvantages. Down on the South Shore of Long Island, many people still run I/Os because the Great South Bay has so many shallow areas.

 

[Doug Durako]

Re: I/O vs inboard

After I fought an OMC stringer back in the 70s I swore I would never again buy and I/O. Then I took a ride in a straight inboard ski boat and needed extensive dental work.<br /><br />Then I bought a sweet little Cobalt I/O and ran it for 12 years at average cost of $800 per year (fuel, maintenance, license, insurance, etc.) and sold it for about what I paid for it.<br /><br />Since then, it has been a little downhill, but I have high hopes for the catamaran.<br /><br />Like my grandpa always said, "if you are concerned about the price, you can't afford it."

 

[tommays]

Re: I/O vs inboard

Maybe i am just luckey but i have found that with my 1995 GEN II drive its just been following the recomened service .<br /><br />I just resealed it at 10 years rather than let it FAIL and i hope it will keep going that way<br /><br /><br />From what i read here most of the drives are repiared AFTER they fail much the same as many outboards are allowed to RUN till they FAIL<br /><br />tommays

 

[DukesFin]

Re: I/O vs inboard

Tommays: You make a very VERY valid point... As I said, most of my fishing buddies in NW Florida scolded me HARD for getting an I/O, but one of my other friends just laughed at them becuase he knows, PROPERLY MAINTAINED, my motor will outlive all of thier outboards!<br /><br />PROPERLY MAINTAINED!!!

 

[richet]

Re: I/O vs inboard

I am a newby to the terminolgy being used in this post, could someone please clarify what an I/O is?