The most common type of small recreational boats that use inboard engines are wakeboarding/ski boats, as mentioned previously. Other common boat types that use inboard engines include: Due to their higher torque capabilities, inboard motors are required for larger cursing vessels and yachts. What boat types will require outboard motors?Īs mentioned earlier, outboards have a ceiling for the size of the boat they can accommodate. However, this issue is remedied if you opt for a stern drive motor, also known as an inboard/outboard motor. Lastly, inboard motors may not be the best option if you plan to operate your boat in shallow water because standard inboards don’t have the ability to adjust the trim level to raise the prop up. Some additional disadvantages to inboard motors include a higher upfront cost, they can limit cabin and seating space, and they can be less maneuverable. AdvertisementsĪdd the fact that inboards are not easily portable or replaceable, and you’ve got a significant upkeep disadvantage over outboard motors. This is because inboards are in the interior of the boat, which makes them hard to access in most cases. While they have fallen out of favor mostly because of the performance improvements of modern outboards, their biggest drawback relates to maintenance.Įven the most routine maintenance that’s required for inboard motors is generally regarded as labor intensive. Inboard motors have lost popularity for several reasons. While inboard motors have many uses, and there are a handful of good reasons to use one over an outboard, they are far from perfect. The most common situations where inboard motors excel are when used for watersports, or for larger boats. There are some situations where an inboard motor will be necessary. Can last longer (especially diesel engines).Quieter operation (if muffled correctly).The biggest selling points for inboard motors include: Inboard motors, whether a standard one or a sterndrive, are a great means to provide power for many types of boats. Inboard motors have been around for a long time. Related article: What Is An Inboard Motor? (All You Need To Know) For this reason, many new boaters prefer the feeling of operating an inboard motorboat because it feels more comparable to driving a car, which most people are familiar with. Lastly, although outboards are great at maneuvering, if you’re unaccustomed to driving a boat, the drag from the lower unit when steering can take some time to get used to. Outboards also do a poorer job of making wakes for activities like wake surfing. Rarely will you see boats over 35 feet with outboard motors, and when they do, they have three or more in order to generate enough power.Īnother major downside of outboard motors is they get in the way if you enjoy boating for watersports such as water skiing, wakeboarding, and tubing. They can only get so big, and you can only mount so many to one transom, so for larger vessels, it simply isn’t realistic to use an outboard.įor larger cruising vessels and yachts, inboard motors are generally the only option. Although they’re incredibly versatile, they’re not without their limitations.įirstly, outboards are limited by their size. Outboards are not the end-all solution for boat motors. Multiple engines aren’t as easy with inboard motorboats. In addition, some boats can mount multiple outboards for additional power, and as a fail-safe, in the event one of the other engines fails. Replaceability simply isn’t something you can easily achieve with inboard engines. While it’s not cheap to completely replace an outboard and should be a last resort, it is possible. If your outboard is having serious troubles or encounters damage that’s not possible to fix, you can simply replace it with a new one. If you’ve been around boats for even a small amount of time, you know engine maintenance is a routine aspect of keeping your motor running smoothly. The portability and maintenance aspects are especially important to note in comparison to inboard motors. The advantages that outboard motors provide are very attractive. The biggest advantages of outboard motors include: More and more boats seem to be going to the outboard route these days for a variety of reasons. It seems with advances in outboard technology, they’re more popular than ever. Outboard motors have come a long way in recent years. Related article: What is an Outboard Motor? (All You Need To Know)
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