Why an outboard?

[eight]

Why do nearly all fishing boats use outboard motors? What's wrong with an I/O?

Seems to me the I/Os are much quieter and more efficient than most outboards made more than a few years ago. I'm imagining boat ownership without things like powerpacks and 6 carbs.

My parents used to have an I/O with an OMC cobra that ate gears annually, but do the mercuisers, volvos, and newer cobras have the same problems?

[tsubaki]

You're gonna hear every arguement for and against each one of them.
Certain people will not service an I/O, have problems with them, need to replace parts that are expensive and determine that they aren't cost effective compared to outboards.
Outboard proponents will have the attitude "if it costs too much to fix, I'll just hang another one on the boat".
It all depends on what you want out of a boat and are educated enough (common sence) to handle.
Personally on a boat size under 24' I'd rather have an outboard situation, I'm floorspace greedy and appreciate the room. Several years ago Albemarle came out with a 24' CC and is lovely.

Will never be able to afford one but it's something else. LIST $62,000
Engine is mounted under console, creating the best of most worlds between I/O and outboard.
Besides, there is just something about the smell of 2cycle in the morning. I'm gonna miss it when I run out of older fuel mixed engines, they are gettin harder to find.

[spareparts]

I work on I/Os and IBs mostly, not because they break more, its just my specialty. IB and I/O engine are just as reliable as OBs(soem case more so), but what I find with OBs is you can get away without doing all the maintainance. Where as the IBs and I/Os won't let you slide so easy. The other issue is labor on working on OB is generally lower(time wise, not per hour). If an I/O or IB gets major work, usually you are commited to repairing it, if an OB needs major work, you can do the four bolt tune up and replace it with another motor. Most IBs and I/Os are not set up for use in salt water, general market dictates the majority of engine packages(very few are closed cooled), not the best setup for intended use. My own V has an outboard, and for where I live, its the best suited for what I intend to do with it. If I lived on a deep, fresh water lake, I might have a different opinion

[chumbucket]

As already stated, in smaller boats I like an outboard. Deck space is very important and I also like the power to weight ratio of an outboard vs. an IB or I/O.

[phatdaddy]

i have never liked running hot salt water through a car engine.

[shubey61]

I have owned both,they all have there good & bad points. ie yearly maintainece. winterization is also easier on an outboard vs an i.o. like said earlier, salt water in auto engines isnt really a good thing. Lost 2 engines due to cracked exhaust manifolds. gets expensive & a pain in the butt to pull the engines. Guess thats why i own an outboard now.

[spareparts]

if you ever look over the option sheet on a new IB or I/O, you wonder why they don't order the correct options for its intended use. If I were to order a new I/O for use in Salt Water, it would have to be a combination of manufactures parts, as no one offers what I consider the best set up. I would use the Volvo XDP composite outdrive, nothing to corrode. I would have to go with Crusader engines, they are the only engine manufacture to offer closed cooled manifold and risers to go along with the block, they also are using the new LS series engines from GM. The mercury DTS(electric shift and throttle) combined with Smart Craft Vessel view display for the controlls. Each one has their own short comings, some miss the whole target, some don't even care. Any way you look at it, they are all expensive.

[RWilson2526]

Having just went from an I/O to and outboard, before even taking it home I could appreciate just being able to stand there on the ground standing straight up and checking the compression. Climbing in and out of the boat everytime you need something is a real pain.

[macojoe]

I have had both, and OB is so much easier to work on, and much less maintenance!!
There is so many parts on a I/O and you are always working on something! Car motors should never see the ocean!!

OB pro: easier to maintain, easier to repair, easy to replace
Con: Nosier, more gas, if going new much more to replace

I/O Pro: great on gas, quite, cheaper to repower
Con: Lots to maintain, never stop replacing rusted parts, harder to work on as most are squeezed into a hole half the size of the motor

OB getting much better with noise, and gas, but with a price!! A 200 hp complete with install and set up is $15K at least, then you can't work on them any more!

[eight]

It seems maybe closed loop cooling systems are less common than I thought. I figured any saltwater fishing boat would have the closed loop.