I am looking for a small (less than 20 ft) boat and due to limitations on my lake, if it's an I/O it can't be a V8, if outboard, 115HP max. What are the advantages of each? Keep in mind this isn't going to be a new boat, probably 10-15 years old, but newer than most of my cars.

__________________
2002 Ford ZX2
2 x 2013 Honda Civics

In the size you are considering, an I/O makes no sense whatsoever. If you could even find such an item, the engine will consume all the space in the cockpit. Maintenance on the I/O tends to be higher than the outboard and, unless you are prepared to remove the outdrive yourself, the entire boat must go in for service.

I have an I/O on a 27' SeaRay and it makes some sense on that size craft where the engine sits entirely below the main deck. Naturally, servicing it.......especially the starter.........is a real PITA.

There seem to be a bunch of Searay's and Bayliners in the 20foot-ish size and more than 1/2 are I/O's around here, but I had always been told that outboards weigh less and make more sense on smaller boats. I have never owned a power boat before and appreciate your input.

__________________
2002 Ford ZX2
2 x 2013 Honda Civics

I'd do an outboard in that size. I can't imagine trying to service an engine buried in the bilge of a small boat. Unless you want to call the boat "Skinned Knuckles".

__________________
Thank You!
Fred
2009 ML350
2004 SL600
2004 SL500
1996 SL600
2002 SLK32
2005 CLK320 cabrio
2003 ML350
1997 C280 Sport

I'd do an IO. Unless you buy a 4 stroke outboards are loud and annoying.

Bayliner sells a very nice 18ft bowrider with a 135hp Merc 4 cylinder with an Alpha 1 drive on the back. Brand new for about $10k with a trailer. The engine is about as difficult to work on as your average 240D, and parts are dirt cheap.

__________________
1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

only thing i know is if i were buying a boat to use for skiing it would be a jet drive instead of a prop.

my uncle had a beautiful io ski boat with a 350 chebby motor. the gearbox was a little fuzzy. my uncle ended up backing over his granddaughter by accident cause it wasnt out of gear when he thought it was. she nearly died of blood loss and now has huge scars all over her thighs.

a very beautiful young lady too.

my uncle mourned the accident til the day he died and never hardly used the boat after that. his whole family used it extensively every summer before and it ruined their whole summer routine cause some refused to ever use the boat again and others wanted to.

also if in the south the manatees will appreciate a jet drive too.

tom w

__________________
[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

....mtu?

My very limited experience is that we spent a hell of a lot more maintaining and repairing an I/O than we did on any outboards.

B

A jet boat is worthless for skiing. An accident can occur in any boat and is the responsibility of the driver, not the type of motor it has. Almost every accident I have seen boating has been alcohol related, keep that in mind. Not to mention that its very difficult to get a strong hole shot with a jet boat to get a skier up. Also you can douche the skier with the thrust and a heavy skier can pull the typical (flat bottomed) jet boat all over the place with a hard pull.

I had an 18 foot outboard Sea Ray (135HP), great boat, great wake for skiing, But being a 2 stroke (and thats what you will be looking at) all the HP is at high RPM and the hole shot sucks, so if your skiers are novices you will drag them all over the lake before the get up. And don't think about trying to pull more than 1. But the same boat with a crappy 135 i/o weighed 500 lbs more so I went with the OB. Plus the OB could do over 50, not that it occured very often due to water conditions.

If you want to ski, have heavy or novice skiers, you need a V8. A 4 cyl i/o would suck, not sure about a 6 cyl. If sking is not an issue go with the OB. Maintenance is a wash on either one as long as they are taken care of. Who do you know that has all the test gear and toold for an OB so you will end up in the shop either way. And if you go 2 stroke, get the best 2 cycle oil, never go cheap. Get Quicksilver and you won't regret it. Also make sure the OB has oil injection, no sense in all that pre-mix crap anymore. My boat was an 89 and it had injection, plus hydraulic steering so go for those items.

As with cars, life is much better with more HP. too bad your lake is limited. Oh and the LAST thing you want is any boat with a transom exhaust. Make sure it is underwater.

__________________
MB-less

The lake has very specific rules (lake st. louis community ass'n, check their website if you're curious), and the only v8 powered boats are honest-go-God ski/wakeboard boats, and I think the only reason they allow those is the ski teams needed access to faster boats to do jumps successfully. Jet boats are a no-no. I little lake is only 75 acres, and that is limited to 9.9hp and the big lake is only 575? acres, so there is limited space there too.

__________________
2002 Ford ZX2
2 x 2013 Honda Civics

What about those big ol' river thangs? Can you ride them?

botnst, you stumped me...

__________________
2002 Ford ZX2
2 x 2013 Honda Civics

Hmmm, ....

I know folks who fish on the river down on this end. They catch gigantic catfish and gar. I've been swimming in it down near Buris just for the hell of it when we landed on the river one hot summer day (I've always had a problem with an airplane "landing" on water. It just doesn't sound right).

Holy cow, I wouldn't dip my little toe in the river, any of the rivers around here, unless I wanted it to fall off later.

__________________
2002 Ford ZX2
2 x 2013 Honda Civics

I wouldn't make a daily habit of swimming in it. But by almost all measures the Mississippi River is cleaner now than it has been in 40 years.