Most of these types of boats are used for watersport activities, tubing, skiing, wakeboarding and other tow activities. On the other hand, bowriders and deck boats have the space for inboard engines. “There isn’t a good place for an inboard engine on a pontoon/tritoon to be installed,” Lewis notes. Outboards are the best choice to power pontoons and tritoons simply because of the boat configuration. Dora sells Yamaha outboards and Volvo Penta stern drives.īoth engines have advantages, depending on the kind of boat you have and the activities you’re planning, be it fishing, cruising or watersports. Outboards in the 200, 250 and even 300 HP range are common place.” “Ten years ago, if you wanted more than 200 HP, stern drives were your only option,” says Joe Lewis, General Manager at Mt. The engine sits just forward of the transom while the drive unit (outdrive or drive leg) lies outside the hull. A sterndrive combines inboard power with outboard drive. Outboards provide more room in the boat because they are installed on the transom, outside the boat. There are two choices to power your craft: outboard or stern (inboard) drive. In my book the O/B rules.OK, you’ve picked out your new boat… now a crucial decision looms: the engine. Not by design or plan however I have always had O/B power. You are not on your back or side half way down in the sump with your arm twisted around a corner trying to work on something you can't see.Īnd finally, I am 50 years old and had assorted boats over the years. I do most of my own work and I find working on an O/B to easier and also lots of room. Took me 30 minutes to get my Johnson ready for winter. I prefer an O/B because there is less maintenance required and easier to winterize. She is slow to get up on plane but once there no issues. (Of course those speeds vary based on conditions) I have pulled skiers and tubers with 7 people (6 in boat, 1 being pulled) in the boat no problem. I have never really looked at performance compared to an I/O however I can tell you that with just me in the boat the top speed is 45 5400 and with 7 people (max capacity) my top speed is 39 5200.
Put 7 people in a 17' bowrider and you will be glad the motor is on the back and not in the boat. On a smaller boat, such as my 17', I like an O/B because there is more room in the boat. I would also say the outboard lover are winning as fewer and fewer I/O boats built. If it had been an outboard would have had to come in on my 15 HP kicker. Took about 10 minutes to diagnoise and repair. My 1980 boat has never been towed in or had to come in on my kicker but I did replace the points one time offshore. I like that the motor is inside and any touble you can work on it. Offshore in large swell having the weight lower in the hull means the boat does not rock and roll as much as a outboard with weight higher in the hull. When drift fishing tabs a and motor trim will make no difference but the weight farther foward and lower still reduces the rock and roll. Yes you can trim the ride with trim tabs and motor trim but just not the same. In big chop or offshore swells this makes the boat ride better.
I like the fact that the weight is farther foward and lower in the hull.
The ladies like to lay out on the back engine cover and deck. I still like the I/O for several reasons. Many outboards will have a big motor splash well that take up a lot of room. While this is true it is not that big a difference on some boats. The 4 cycle outboatds are much heaver than the the 2 cycle outboards of the same HP but still lighter than the I/O.Īs some have said already the outboard takes up less room in the boat. Today the fuel mileage is the same or slightly better on 4 cycle outboards. In the old days fuel mileage was better on the I/O because they are four cycle. In the old day they were both rated at the power head.īecause of the difference of weight the same HP outboard will be faster because it lighter. I agree the HP is rated at the prop shaft on outboards and I/O now.
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