Why an outboard?

[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.

As mentioned, I got to agree, it's that two stroke smell. I'm addicted to it, it is the smell of fun toys. Boats, dirt bikes, snowmobiles......for those that have been hit by the 2stroke aroma it is as bad as crack............except bettera!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!