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-   -   why isn't their more O/B go fasts (https://www.offshoreonly.com/forums/general-boating-discussion/323318-why-isnt-their-more-o-b-go-fasts.html)

Nate5.0 02-21-2015 03:38 PM


Originally Posted by KevD815 (Post 4268384)
Alot of good points here. But, will these boats hold their value in say 20 years? What happens when these 300-400hp outboars are all blown up? With any inboard boat, jimmy the shade tree mechanic can pop an automotive based big or small block chevy into his old resin bucket and go boating. Thats what i did and many of my friends did. Budget boat with accessable and affordable parts.

I hear alot of talk about ease of maintenance and how its cheaper to maintain an outboard. But how about in the long run? How much is a major overhaul on a big outboard?

I know im really speaking for the "black motor" crowd here but i still think its pretty cool that with a motor originally out of a dump truck, a few bucks, and a Jegs catalogue you can do some pretty cool stuff. I think its because of this reason that alot of older I/O hulls find their way back onto the water. At least around here...

Not down here. It is the EXACT opposite in the Penis of the US.

Outboards are king and repair with quality is common. Inboard is hard to deal with and find someone not looking to rip you off.

I own a black motor boat and am stuck at the dock broken well more than my outboard buddies. Not that it breaks often but it has been enough to ruin more than one hands worth of fun days on the water for one reason or another.

242LS 02-21-2015 03:55 PM

SOUND. It makes my heart pump! After you start one up at the dock, you get to look forward to cranking over the other one.

Jupiter Sunsation 02-21-2015 05:16 PM


Originally Posted by KevD815 (Post 4268384)
Alot of good points here. But, will these boats hold their value in say 20 years? What happens when these 300-400hp outboars are all blown up? With any inboard boat, jimmy the shade tree mechanic can pop an automotive based big or small block chevy into his old resin bucket and go boating. Thats what i did and many of my friends did. Budget boat with accessable and affordable parts.

I hear alot of talk about ease of maintenance and how its cheaper to maintain an outboard. But how about in the long run? How much is a major overhaul on a big outboard?

I know im really speaking for the "black motor" crowd here but i still think its pretty cool that with a motor originally out of a dump truck, a few bucks, and a Jegs catalogue you can do some pretty cool stuff. I think its because of this reason that alot of older I/O hulls find their way back onto the water. At least around here...

What do you do? Throw the 3000 hour outboard in the trash and buy another one for 20K, go crazy buy 3 for 60K and enjoy 5 more years of warranty. You can't rebuild a pair of 525's for 60K if you include new exhaust (that will crack in 3 more years) and you haven't even touched the bravos.

I can't think of a boat on OSO running a motor originally out of a dump truck.......

Jupiter Sunsation 02-21-2015 05:17 PM


Originally Posted by 242LS (Post 4268417)
SOUND. It makes my heart pump! After you start one up at the dock, you get to look forward to cranking over the other one.

and praying it starts too! :D

Speedracer29 02-21-2015 05:31 PM


Originally Posted by Wildman_grafix (Post 4268352)
What in the design of the outboards make them so much more maintenance free then say a modern LS motor?

The guy around the corner that builds all the demolition derby motors can't walk into Auto Zone and grab a set of bearings/rods/electronics sourced from supplier X/Y/R.O.C. for an outboard. That itself is part of the reliability factor.

Too Stroked 02-21-2015 06:51 PM

I think there’s a very solid reason why there is – and isn’t – more high performance boats powered by outboards. I can sum it up in two words: power to weight ratio. (There are three kinds of people in this world; those that can count, and those that cannot.)

If you look at 18’ – 24’ high performance boats, I think you’ll find that the overwhelming majority are outboard powered. Why? As I stated above – power to weight ratio. You simply cannot beat the power to weight ratio of an outboard on these smaller boats. Hell, a Mercury 300XS (heavy four stroke) on a 22’ Progression will run just under a hundred miles an hour. A Mercury 2.5 EFI Offshore (light two stroke) on the same hull will run around 90 MPH. (Oh, and the sound of one of those weed whackers at full song …) You simply will not touch those numbers with an I/O powered boat without silly levels of power.

A funny thing happens when you get bigger than about 24’ though. To get big numbers, you have to start clamping multiple outboards to the transom. Why? Again, power to weight ratio. You’re just not going to find reasonably light outboards putting out over about 300 HP. But when people start multiplying the number of motors on the transom, complexity, weight and cost skyrocket. And, adding a second (or third, or fourth …) motor doesn’t double, triple or whatever the speed. In fact, it gets counter-productive pretty quickly. And there’s only so much beam to work with on a transom when adding outboards.

But when you’re running I/O’s with today’s technology, it’s pretty easy to get well over 1,000 HP out of a single big block. Sure, you’re going to have to run Number Six Drives to handle the power, but a pair of monster twins will trump four or five or six outboards any day of the week. And as much as I hate to admit it, they’ll sound way better too.

So maybe if you could find reliable, high HP (well over 1,000 HP) outboards, maybe you’d see more of them on larger high performance boats. Just my 2 cents.

Pete280 02-21-2015 07:07 PM


Originally Posted by Wildman_grafix (Post 4268400)
Can anyone answer this one? I always here that they never break but why not? What's in the design that makes them so much better?

#1 - Simplicity of 2 stroke engine, cant speak for V-Rods or other 4S outboards
#2 - they are designed to run at high rpm, my motors can run all day at 5-5500K
#3 - pretty sure my whole motor is anodized aluminum so corrosion is greatly reduced vs steel block,
#4 - I dont know they just have a track record of running 1000 + hrs, maybe better R&D from mfg's?

They are far from indestructible but it is not uncommon for OB's to run 1500-3000 hrs, just like a long block you can replace a powerhead pretty easily.

Like I've said a million times for a salt water boater they are far, far superior IMO

Tom A. 02-21-2015 08:19 PM

Weight Vs. Power & Torque.
Up until the composite lay ups, vacuum bags, steps, and high hp outboards there was no comparison. That only evolved over the past 10-15 years. Look at the weights of a 38' boat in 2000 vs. now, no steps & sub 300 hp outboards.
Today, this may change and Nor-Tech is on the forefront of it with their hybrid boats.

caseyh 02-21-2015 08:58 PM

It was between a 33 powerplay OB boat and the cig when I was looking to buy again. Ended up with the cig and big cube BBC's but still think about the O/B boat and how easy it would be.

When I can buy a new boat it will be a closed deck OB boat

Wildman_grafix 02-21-2015 09:04 PM


Originally Posted by Pete280 (Post 4268499)
#1 - Simplicity of 2 stroke engine, cant speak for V-Rods or other 4S outboards
#2 - they are designed to run at high rpm, my motors can run all day at 5-5500K
#3 - pretty sure my whole motor is anodized aluminum so corrosion is greatly reduced vs steel block,
#4 - I dont know they just have a track record of running 1000 + hrs, maybe better R&D from mfg's?

They are far from indestructible but it is not uncommon for OB's to run 1500-3000 hrs, just like a long block you can replace a powerhead pretty easily.

Like I've said a million times for a salt water boater they are far, far superior IMO

Ok cool.

Let's look at this 2 strokes, yes simple and power to wieght is great. But what is the highest stock 2 stroke right now 300?

There are plenty of old school SBC and SBF 300 hp motors with 1500 plus hours. Granted you still have the outdrive and it is more complicated.

Closed cooling helps on the corrosion.

Over 1000 hours are we comparing apples to apples? Or are we comparing 500+hp with 250-300 hp? Even the black BBC are in the 400 plus range?

Don't take this wrong guys I just want to know the engineering reasons the egg beaters are so much better.


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