[chris]

I'm in the market for a fish/ski boat what is your preference inboard or outboard and why?

 

[abomb]

I prefer outboards simply because one of my favorite times to fish is fall when the days are nice but the nights freeze, and I believe inboards have to be winterized before the first freeze so you dont crack the block.

 

[chris]

Thanks, I will keep that in mind because I too like to fish late into the season as well as early March. I have owend outboards in the past and have not had any problems. I only ask because I have found some decent deals on boats with inboards.

 

[liquorbox]

I like my inboard I can tune it like a car motor and the 2cycle outboards are a little tuffer to tune for me. I can ski all day on 20gals. of gas with the 3.0 4cylender mercury. it is slower than a v6 or v8 but it is alot easier on my pocket book. the outboard is a better choice if you have to winterize it I/O is a little tuffer to drain than O/B but still have mine drained and ready in less than 5min.

 

[Mr. Ed]

I have a really shallow running boat. I've had it as shallow as 1 1/2 feet (per the fish finder) without hitting bottom. I wouldn't be able to do this with the inboard (can't raise the prop). Something to consider if you're going to beach the boat (like at Big Mac) or if you're going to try to find those deep holes among shallow areas in lakes (like Sterling, Chatfield, Cherry Creek, etc.)

In the fall when I'm camping and it freezes at night, I lower the outboard while the boat is still on the trailer (or when it is beached) so thing don't freeze.

 

[laker taker]

Outboard. I regularly spend several overnights in the high country in the spring and fall where the nights can get a hard freeze. A outboard you can easily drain without worry, not my experience with an I/O. Also an outboard will lift right out of the water or you can run it very shallow when in shallow water (as long as the water pickups are still submerged). If you're into speed like a bass boat, OB's rule due to the fact you can jack plate an OB along with other things. The OB 4 strokes are awesome motors and a HUGE improvement over the old 2 strokes. Even some new 2 strokes such as the E-tec run like a 4 stroke.

 

[troutaholic]

If I were in the market I would buy a boat with a 4 stroke engine(OB). They are super quiet and very fuel efficient, I can run my small kicker 6HP forever on a tank of gas and I know the bigger ones are the same way. Plus as others stated, probably easier to winterize and run shallow also.

 

[Caesar24]

I am actually looking into this as well and i would like to hear some opinions from people between I/O and OB as well (hopefully from people that had both so knows from own experiences)
Also, what are the pro/cons of I/O.
Cost of winterization (approx).

Thanks for your responses in advance

 

[tal0362]

I'm sure lots of people have exerience with both. For me, several Mercruiser's, Volvo's, Yamaha's, a Mercury and Johnson... I still own part of an Volvo I/O boat attached, and have several outboards (Yamaha). Yes, outboards are easy to winterize, tilt down...done... well you can run the fuel out, fog, etc if you want... - it takes an hour or so with an I/O - to drain water, change oil. If your camping and fishing in the early spring or fall, freezing is a concern with an I/O.... easily solved by leaving it in the water over night. If its in your yard put a light bulb or small heater in the engine area - no worries....

Saltwater corrosion is a problem with I/O's - outboards rise all the way out of saline salt water.... but we don't have much salt water here in Colorado.

An I/O is said to be more fuel efficent... maybe than an "old" 2 stroke outboard, but even my big 2 stroke yamaha is pretty good,,, comparable to an I/O.

In my experience I/O's are heavier... maybe less hole shot compared to a 2 stroke outboard of equivalent power...

So in a nut shell - they are both pretty good, if it gets you on the water - runs well ??