![]() ![]() Ultimately, there is no best option, but a best option for your boat and your needs. When it comes to comparing inboard and outboard engines we have to look at a whole host of criteria. The pod is steerable, so thrust can be directed and handling is vastly enhanced.ĭifferences between Inboard and Outboard Engines Pod Drives: Pod drives have an inboard engine coupled to a “pod” with the running gear going straight down through the bottom of the boat.Jet drive systems power personal watercraft, a few runabouts, and a handful of larger boats. Jet Drive: This is an inboard engine that does not use a propeller propulsion system, but instead uses a waterjet to power the boat.Popular on runabouts and cruisers, their main advantage is that the drive units provide steerable thrust (for better maneuverability than a rudder) and the drives can be trimmed up and down, but a big swim platform can still be added without an outboard getting in the way. Stern-drive (also called inboard-outboard or I/O): Stern-drives locate the engine inside the boat and against the transom, but the drive system (with the outdrive and propeller) goes through the transom of the boat and sticks out the back, essentially making it part inboard and part outboard.This allows the engines to be mounted far back against the transom, increasing the space available for a cabin. A similar arrangement is the V-Drive, where the engine faces forward and a V-shaped coupling connects to the aft-facing propshaft. Straight-shaft Inboard: With a straight shaft inboard engine, the propeller doesn’t steer the boat and it’s affixed to a propshaft.There are multiple kinds of inboard engines: ![]() However, as automotive engines have become more and more complex this advantage has begun to fade with newer models. Some mechanically inclined boaters like having an inboard since they’re more like automotive engines (many are marinized powerplants produced for cars) and they may feel more comfortable working on them. Found on larger boats which require big diesel engines, watersports boats, and some runabouts or cruisers, the inboard engine offers a low center of gravity (which may improve the ride in some cases), higher horsepower offerings, and in sometimes improved fuel economy. It is comprised of two main components, the engine itself and the running gear. In contrast to the outboard engine, and as the name implies, the inboard engine is positioned inside the hull of the boat. Check out our guide on Best Outboard Motor Brands for Your Boat. So for our purposes, this discussion will revolve around gasoline outboards. However, the vast majority of the outboards on the market today are gasoline powered. There are a handful of diesel outboards offered on the market and there’s also a growing number of electric outboards. They can also be easily unbolted and removed from a boat, which makes repowering boats with outboards very easy. Outboards can be tilted out of the water when not in use which prevents marine growth from fouling them and reduces corrosion. Small outboards might have a tiller for steering, while most of those over 30 or 40 horsepower have forward steering stations. Popular on all types of recreational boats, the outboard motor has an upper section where the power head is located, a middle section with a motor mount (which is bolted to the transom), and a lower section with a gearcase and propeller. What are Popular Brands of Inboard and Outboard Engines?Īn outboard motor is one which is fixed to the exterior of a boat at the transom.What Boats Usually Have an Outboard Engine?.What Boats Usually Have an Inboard Engine?.Advantages and Disadvantages of Outboard and Inboard Engines.Differences between Inboard and Outboard Engines.So, what are the advantages and disadvantages of each? You can find owners of both adamant that their choice is the best, but as with most things boating, the answer isn’t always clear cut and while there are definitely pros and cons to both types of engines, ultimately it boils down to what kind of boat you want, where you plan to use it, and how you want use it. Which is better, an outboard engine or an inboard engine? It’s a hotly debated topic among boaters, and although outboards have handily gained ground in the marketplace during the past few decades, each still has a loyal following. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |