Why Buy a Four-Stroke Outboard vs. Inboard/Outboard Stern Drive
Posted onFour-stroke outboard motors are becoming increasingly popular over inboard/outboard stern drive motors on pleasure and ski boats for a variety of reasons. That’s why all of NauticStar’s Deck Boats are factory installed with high performance Yamaha outboard motors. So why should you choose an outboard over a inboard/outboard motor? Here are just a few advantages the outboard has over the stern drives:
- Outboards are designed specifically for boating. Inboard/outboards are just “marinized” automobile engines stuck in a boat.
- Outboards provide more room in the boat because they are installed on the transom, outside the boat. I/O engines are in the cockpit which takes up a lot of the boat that can be used for other features and comfort.
- The Yamaha four strokes offer higher performance–quicker to plane, quicker 0 to 30 MPH, and faster top-end per HP.
- Four-stroke outboards offer much better fuel economy, less GPH, more MPG than I/O motors.
- Outboards offer better power to weight ratio. Typical a four-stroke outboard is approximately 400 to 500 pounds lighter than its inboard/outboard counterpart.
- Outboards have a more shallow draft allowing you to fish and boat in skinnier water than you can with an I/O.
- Outboard motors are much more accessible and require less maintenance, no winterizing, and easier to work with the outboard outside the boat.
- Fiberglass outboard registrations have historically outpace I/Os. In other words, more people want four-stroke outboards.*
- A boat equipped with an outboard is easier to repower or trade up to more HP or newer technology. To replace an inboard/outboard motor would be much more costly.
*Source: Statistical Surveys LLC.