Outboard design

[hibbert6]

I've been looking at pictures of the various (new) outboard bowriders. One of the things I like about the older O/B's is that you get more interior room than in an i/o, with their 4' sundecks, which are, of course, engine covers. But most of the new O/B boats seem to waste a similar amount of space by moving the rear bench seat several feet forward of the motor. Here's a link showing Glastron' s 18 footer:

http://www.glastron.com/ModelPage.aspx?ModelRef=163

Why all the wasted space? Is it to keep the noise away from the passengers? I figured with the new 4 strokes that wouldn't be so much of an issue.

Dave

 

[JB]

Re: Outboard design

We use the term "outboard" as a noun only when referring to engines, Dave. When we talk about "outboard boats" it is an adjective and needs the term "boat".

So I will move this to the boats forum.

 

[dingbat]

Re: Outboard design

I'm guessing that its a weight distribution issue. A hull designed for an I/O with a OB bolted on the back.

 

[ajgraz]

Re: Outboard design

Kinda looks like that area behind the rear bench is designed as "integrated swim platform(s)." Rear legroom does seem compact-car like, I agree with that.

 

[1979checkmate]

Re: Outboard design

splashwell, you dont want to swamp the boat do ya? My '79 checkmate has the same thing

 

[RotaryRacer]

Re: Outboard design

I've been looking at pictures of the various (new) outboard bowriders. One of the things I like about the older O/B's is that you get more interior room than in an i/o, with their 4' sundecks, which are, of course, engine covers. But most of the new O/B boats seem to waste a similar amount of space by moving the rear bench seat several feet forward of the motor. Here's a link showing Glastron' s 18 footer:

http://www.glastron.com/ModelPage.aspx?ModelRef=163

Why all the wasted space? Is it to keep the noise away from the passengers? I figured with the new 4 strokes that wouldn't be so much of an issue.

Dave

I absolutely agree...it is really sort of silly. That is why I love my 2004 Four Winns.

The Glastron was designed when Glastron and Larson were sister companies. They are no longer even related from a business standpoint.

When Larson released an O/B powered boat a little over a year ago they mentioned that it had a "unique" splashwell to accomodate the Mercury Verado motor. Apparently the way a Verado tilts is requires a different transom design which can rob interior space. The Larson doesn't appear to be on the market anymore. The Glastron MX 180 looks almost identical to what that boat did.

Take a look at the new Four Winns. I think it has a good blend of useable swimplatform and interior space:

http://www.fourwinns.com/model/H180OB

One other point is that some of what you are seeing is that more and more I/O boats have their motors very far aft...essentially under the swimplatorms in some cases. This of course gets more interior space. However, when you take the same basic hull and put an O/B on it, there isn't as much space to gain as there may have been in older boat designs.

 

[NYBo]

Re: Outboard design

I also agree it's a waste of space. That's one of the reasons I like my old, decrepit Bayliner: lots of space in the cockpit for its size.

 

[JimS123]

Re: Outboard design

Its just Madison Avenue at work again! Has nothing to do with noise or weight distribution. The industry is run by a bunch of Harvard MBAs that support form over function. Just like the typical automobile, they have evolved to be pretty, but ergonomics and utility have taken a back seat. Also, if you compare models from different companies (whether it be cars or boats) they all look alike, i.e., full deep sundecks, wide side decks with little storage and deep helms that waste 3 or 4 feet of usable space.

So, come right down to it, its OUR fault because we buy the dumb things. Company ABC makes a new design and it sells good, so everybody else comes out with a model that looks the same.

Way back in the golden days of boats, companies like Chris Craft, Gar Wood and Hacker made nothing but luxury boats. Then, companies like Lyman came along with their bare-bones utilities. Guess what, before long CC was making utilities as well.

I bet if somebody came out with a retro 1970's style outboard it would sell well and others would follow. Right now, Bayliner "Classics" are about as close as anybody has come.

 

[hibbert6]

Re: Outboard design

Take a look at the new Four Winns. I think it has a good blend of useable swimplatform and interior space:

http://www.fourwinns.com/model/H180OB

.

And, wouldn't you know it, the Four Winns, similarly equipped, costs $5000 more than the others.

Sea Ray has a nice one, too, but it's not available in the U.S.!!!

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Outboard design

looks like the motor is tucked up into the transom. Not very practical in my book. But bow riders generally are not very practical when it comes to making the best use of space.

But there's a similar style thing called the European transom, even on center consoles which IMO make for the roomiest boat. Instead of a vertical transom and a lower splashwell inside the boat, they reverse it, with a high bulkhead about 2 feet in front of the transom, and a lower transom on which the motor is mounted. Looks flashy but I want all the room inside the hull that I can get!

Look here to see what I mean: http://seahuntboats.com/

 

[RotaryRacer]

Re: Outboard design

And, wouldn't you know it, the Four Winns, similarly equipped, costs $5000 more than the others.

Sea Ray has a nice one, too, but it's not available in the U.S.!!!

Take a look at standard equipment on the Four Winns compared to others to give it a fair shake on price. To me it looks like to get a boat with a decent sized motor (130-150hp) and some typical features like snap in carpet, ski pylon and at a minimum a bow cover, cockpit cover and bimini you are looking at $21-28k. That is a pretty big range. The Bayliner is the cheapest. I do think this is a case of, "you get what you pay for".

 

[skibrain]

Re: Outboard design

My BIL has a 2001 GX180 Glastron outboard. There is more rear seat leg room than that shown in the link to the new site.
I'm a big fan of outboard power. His will do 60 mph + GPs and we pulled out 8 skiers. 4 aduls and 4 junior high kids 3 years ago. 21" pitch prop - definitely not set up for ultimate pulling.

 

[444]

Re: Outboard design

My old glastron GT-150 is an old bucket compared to that MX 180, but on mine the area beside the motor is where the gas tanks are, and my passenger compartment goes right back where the transom bucket area(don't know what the technical term for that is) starts. However my glastron cvx-20 outboard has a good 1' or more of space wasted between the back seat and the transom bucket area. It's not a bow rider and the gas tank is up front so the area is the back is just storage. On a bow rider, that MX 180 especially, you don't have storage space anywhere else. I suspect the real reason for doing it like that on newer boats is to standardize as much as possible between the o/b boats and their i/o sibblings. Has the added benefit of keeping the rear of the boat that much lighter.

 

[hibbert6]

Re: Outboard design

Take a look at standard equipment on the Four Winns compared to others to give it a fair shake on price. To me it looks like to get a boat with a decent sized motor (130-150hp) and some typical features like snap in carpet, ski pylon and at a minimum a bow cover, cockpit cover and bimini you are looking at $21-28k. That is a pretty big range. The Bayliner is the cheapest. I do think this is a case of, "you get what you pay for".

That's exactly what I did... The manufacturers have "Build Your Boat" things on their websites - you pick your options, and it gives you a price. The Four Winns came out 4-5k more than the Bayliner & Glastron, similarly equipped. But the 4W is a better boat. Shoot, the hull weighs several hundred pounds more! I'm sure the upholstery quality is better, too, etc. But 5k more??

Yes, you probably get what you pay for...but, as one dealer pointed out to me, in 10-15 years they all have the same resale value, assuming the same care/condition. (Exceptions are Cobalt & comp ski boats, apparently)

Dave