Can you keep an outboard on the water

[andyjcox1]

Hi,

I need some urgent advice. I have (hopefully) a choice of 2 19ft motorboats. Pretty much the same boat but one has and inboard (3l. Mercruiser) and one has an outboard (115hp mercury). I am toying with the idea of keeping the boat on a mooring in a marina for some of the year, but could take it out on the trailer when needed.

If I went for the outboard (£3k cheaper), would it be Ok to be left on the water for periods of time, without being flushed out after every use?

Thanks, Andy

 

[lovezoo]

Lots of people do keep boats with outboards in marinas and whilst its not ideal its not really a huge problem any more than keeping a boat with an outdrive in the water full time.

Can you tilt the outboard up completely out of the water?

 

[Freebee]

if you keep it wetted, it will attract weed and any exposed aluminium will corrode and the corrsion will gradually creep under the paint and force it off.

 

[Chris_d]

Hi,

I need some urgent advice. I have (hopefully) a choice of 2 19ft motorboats. Pretty much the same boat but one has and inboard (3l. Mercruiser) and one has an outboard (115hp mercury). I am toying with the idea of keeping the boat on a mooring in a marina for some of the year, but could take it out on the trailer when needed.

If I went for the outboard (£3k cheaper), would it be Ok to be left on the water for periods of time, without being flushed out after every use?

Thanks, Andy

The inboard if its a petrol is probably raw water cooled as well so will have seawater inside it, so not much difference if your worried about corrosion.
At least you can tilt the outboard up when you leave it and maybe flush it easier.

 

[Solitaire]

Hi,

I I am toying with the idea of keeping the boat on a mooring in a marina for some of the year, but could take it out on the trailer when needed.

If I went for the outboard (£3k cheaper), would it be Ok to be left on the water for periods of time, without being flushed out after every use?

Thanks, Andy

We keep our school rib with 200hp outboard in the water all the time. we take out for services. Just tilt the engine up and it will be fine. If you use the boat regularly then you won't have a problem. Our last boat when we sold it had 1000 hours on it, the new buyer had it checked by the manufacture and it was as clean as a whistle inside.

If however you are going to use it then leave it for weeks/months on end then you will probably have problems in the longer term.

I guess the boat is not new so ask how the boat/engine has been kept in the past.

 

[PaulGooch]

Marinas are full of boats with outboards (the one i'm in certainly is). Tilt the leg as suggested. If on a pontoon, no reason you couldn't flush with the adapter if you wanted, although people generally don't.

If they were both in good nick, i'd rather have the outboard than the inboard petrol.

 

[andyjcox1]

Thanks everyone for the quick replies and advice. I think I would prefer the outboard as it is £3k cheaper, and lighter in weight and on fuel. Although it may be a little underpowered for a Fletcher 19GTO.

It seems there is not too much trouble to keep it in the water with the motor tilted up, which is good news. Obviously i'll flush it out as much as I can though.

Andy

 

[moonraker 36]

hmm.. i find inboards better on fuel, but 3k difference still buy's alot of fuel
you never said if it was going to be on freshwater or salt..