I/O vs outboard cost

scutly

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Aug 20, 2009
Messages
368
Re: I/O vs outboard cost

What I'm getting out of this discussion is that to be a really well-rounded boater and truly enjoy all that boating has to offer, you need an I/O boat AND an OB boat.

that's my south Florida retirement plan! a 30ish foot cruiser with twin I/Os for fun with kids and grand kids and a slightly smaller center console or maybe walk-around with twin OBs
 

mpsyamaha

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Jun 8, 2007
Messages
400
Re: I/O vs outboard cost

here in south florida IOs are much more costly to own that OBs. the outdrives rot, the manifolds rot, and generally they have many more repair issues.

for me personally, the only reason to be on a boat is to go fishing. i have never understood why people like god forsaken searays, maxums, etc. cruising around aimlessly in a boat seems like a waste of gas to me.
 

haulnazz15

Captain
Joined
Mar 9, 2009
Messages
3,720
Re: I/O vs outboard cost

here in south florida IOs are much more costly to own that OBs. the outdrives rot, the manifolds rot, and generally they have many more repair issues.

for me personally, the only reason to be on a boat is to go fishing. i have never understood why people like god forsaken searays, maxums, etc. cruising around aimlessly in a boat seems like a waste of gas to me.

Some people don't care anything about fishing. Those SeaRay's etc allow you to carry more people and take chop/waves better than a CC fishing rig. Also, the cruisers allow you to sleep overnight on the boat in relative comfort, you'd need a tent or a lot of bug spray to do it in a fishing rig.
 

northernmerc

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Apr 6, 2009
Messages
401
Re: I/O vs outboard cost

IMO, each has its place. An inboard, for example, is out of the question for the 16 foot Lund that we drag into remote lakes or bounce off the rocks in rivers. But inboards, like a SeaRay, are much nicer for comfortable cruising on accessible larger bodies of water.

As far as cost of ownership goes, we have found the inboards to be much cheaper than the outboards. With a properly serviced inboard, you can pretty much forget about repairs, and they use much less fuel.

How many broken down outboards that won't start do you see at the boat launch each year? Or if they will start, the owners are doing circles near the dock trying to get them to run properly.:eek:
 

81 beachcomber

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Mar 20, 2009
Messages
187
Re: I/O vs outboard cost

for me personally, the only reason to be on a boat is to go fishing. i have never understood why people like god forsaken searays, maxums, etc. cruising around aimlessly in a boat seems like a waste of gas to me.

hmm.. i always thought fishing was just an excuse to cruise around in a boat aimlessly... is for me anyways
 

skargo

Banned
Joined
Sep 14, 2008
Messages
4,640
Re: I/O vs outboard cost

here in south florida IOs are much more costly to own that OBs. the outdrives rot, the manifolds rot, and generally they have many more repair issues.

for me personally, the only reason to be on a boat is to go fishing. i have never understood why people like god forsaken searays, maxums, etc. cruising around aimlessly in a boat seems like a waste of gas to me.

Wow, you need to open your mind just a little. I don't fish, but I would never be so silly as to say "why do people liek god forsaken cc fishing boats, seems like a waste of gas to me" :rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:
 

mpsyamaha

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Jun 8, 2007
Messages
400
Re: I/O vs outboard cost

i have spent my whole life on fishing boats so maybe im biased :p the majority of the boating community here are fishermen, and i know many people that agree with me about the cruiser boats being a waste of gas. on that note, to each their own. searays and such are more comfortable for cruising, so they serve their purpose.

i work for a company that owns over 50 boats, a mix of several types of boats. the IO cruiser type boats have more down time and more costly repairs. even if OBs are more expensive, they are worth it :D
 

Campylobacter

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Aug 4, 2007
Messages
503
Re: I/O vs outboard cost

Not so much cost, but the major reason I went with the OB is the ability go out on nice days after the first frost. In my area (NC/VA line), winterization is a must by October, but there are still plenty of 70 degree days between October and March when I just want to get out on the water!

to the haters: I've got a ski pylon that keeps the lines free and hot chick that digs the O/B (we've been married 17 years) :D
 

NCLakeboater

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Jun 1, 2008
Messages
117
Re: I/O vs outboard cost

Not so much cost, but the major reason I went with the OB is the ability go out on nice days after the first frost. In my area (NC/VA line), winterization is a must by October, but there are still plenty of 70 degree days between October and March when I just want to get out on the water!

to the haters: I've got a ski pylon that keeps the lines free and hot chick that digs the O/B (we've been married 17 years) :D

Exactly the same reason why I am looking at an OB powered boat over an I/O.
 

Philster

Captain
Joined
Sep 15, 2009
Messages
3,344
Re: I/O vs outboard cost

Watch the I/O comments! Some of us are very sensitive! ;)
 

Subliminal

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Oct 21, 2009
Messages
555
Re: I/O vs outboard cost

When you're actually using a boat, I think inboard is a lot better...when you're working on them/storing them, I think it's a different issue.

My main boating experience, like I said, was on an outboard, and even with the ski pylon that puts the rope over the motor...still a pain in the butt.

But that doesn't make anyone else wrong..you like what you like.
 

mpsyamaha

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Jun 8, 2007
Messages
400
Re: I/O vs outboard cost

i think the point was that you would be crazy to run a searay type boat hard in big seas, whereas a well designed OB powered fishing boat will cruise comfortably and at much higher speed.

just the other day i was in a 2007 24ft whaler with a 250 verado, it was windy and there was a 1-2ft chop in the intercoastal. it cruised along smoothly at 35-40mph, completely dry and smooth over the whitecaps.

later that same day i was out in a 24 searay sundeck with a 5.0mpi... i got wet, and had to stand up because the boat was pounding so hard on the chop at only 30mph or so.
 

QC

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Mar 22, 2005
Messages
22,783
Re: I/O vs outboard cost

later that same day i was out in a 24 searay sundeck with a 5.0mpi... i got wet, and had to stand up because the boat was pounding so hard on the chop at only 30mph or so.
That was because it was a 16 degree bottom, not because it was a SeaRay . . . Dingbat knows that a dry smooth ride has nothing to do with whether or not it is an I/O or an OB or a Grady or a Bayliner. It has to do with the shape of the bottom, center of gravity, shape of the bow etc. etc. Cool video though :) A twin I/O 30' go fast type hull would blow away all of these examples, so what? Does not determine anything about I/O vs. OB. Oh, and despite my previous comments I lust for an OB, just wouldn't work very well with my family and where we boat. If I go to a walk around someday, OB!!

Edit: the 240 Sundeck has a 21 degree bottom. Should've rode smooth, so in my best Emily Litella . . . never mind . . .:rolleyes:
 

stubbsboogie

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Aug 19, 2008
Messages
413
Re: I/O vs outboard cost

I have had an OB bowrider and now have an I/O bowrider.

They both worked very well. I personally am partial to the OB's but for the type of boating we do an I/O just suits us better. So far we love it. We dont fish, but we do a whole lot of lounging around in the boat on sand bars ect. The I/O is simply better suited for this with the swim platform and no motor or prop to really worry about since it is tucked underneath.

That being said my I/O has already had me working on it for more time than the O/B did in the whole time I had it. Not because there is something wrong but just draining ect. Not to mention my lil Yamaha 25 never gets worked on. Has never broken anything.

Overall it is just a toss up as to each persons particular applications.

In ten years when I buy a new boat it will be a big Deck boat with a BIG O/B:D
 

packman35

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Jul 21, 2008
Messages
113
Re: I/O vs outboard cost

I agree with Campylobacter and NCLakeboater.

Winterization on my O/B basically just consists of trimming the motor up and then down to drain the water out of it. Should a nice day come along in November or December, off I go to the lake with no worries or expense of un-winterizing the motor just to re-winterize it again later.

Oh yeah, and when I do have to work on it, it's much easier to stand behind the boat and do the work at chest level instead of having to stand on my head in the bilge like I would with an I/O.

It may be louder but I loves me my O/B!!
 

H20Rat

Vice Admiral
Joined
Mar 8, 2009
Messages
5,204
Re: I/O vs outboard cost

for me personally, the only reason to be on a boat is to go fishing. i have never understood why people like god forsaken searays, maxums, etc. cruising around aimlessly in a boat seems like a waste of gas to me.


odd, i've always thought fishing was the biggest waste of time possible, and fishermen should stay on the shore and leave the lake to the people who enjoy boating!! Fishermen are not boaters. They use the boat as a tool to fish. Nothing wrong with that, but they aren't in the same category of people who boat for the sheer enjoyment of it, and usually can't understand the reasoning behind just being out on the water.

(disclaimer, I spend every possible waking minute on a boat in the summer, and can't remember the last time I had any interest in fishing. Sometime back in the 1990's IIRC)


Anyway, everyone has their opinion, and thankfully every boat has its strengths and weaknesses. A dedicated fishing boat is great for fishing, and pretty bad at many other things.
 
Top