Re: i/o or ob??
It depends on your needs and desires. Both are good at certain things and not so good at others. Outboards are very maintenance friendly. Flushing is simple and winterizing is not really an issue since all the water that comes into the engine will drain by gravity when the boat is removed from the water. They are louder and older models are not as efficient is I/O. I/O are quiet, efficient, and you don't have to worry about fuel/oil mixtures but can be maintenance intensive. Changing the oil is not always easy and you have to make sure all water is out of the block before cold weather. If you respond with how, when, and where you want to use your boat, I'm sure you'll get plenty of opinions.<br /><br />Jim