Inboard or outboard engine

[bigmac91]

Looking at changing my 1973 Legend 29 with inboard diesel for a Hunter 26/272 but there are a few Hunters for sale with outboard engines. Looking for advice on pros and cons. My usual sailing area is coastal .
Thanks

 

[BruceDanforth]

Well if the outboard is knackered you can take it off in 5 mins, throw it in a skip and fit another one straight on but it won't charge your batteries so well compared to an inboard with an alternator but if that knackers it gets expensive.

 

[bigmac91]

Thanks, what about the range you can motor ? Do you need to carry more fuel as compared to diesel ?

 

[Rigger Mortice]

Outboards
are likely to be noisier,
are poorer at charging batteries,
use petrol which isn't always available shoreside,
poorer fuel consumption (hence less range),
if 2 stroke likely to be smellier,
less "grunt" in a seaway.
Arguably less reliable but easier and cheaper to maintain
They take up less space on a boat but are more likely to be stolen.
Lighter weight
Fewer holes for seacocks (well none!)

I'm sure there's more.

 

[BruceDanforth]

I have a 12 litre external tank which will last pretty much all day unless I have to open it right up to motor head into weather and I have a few 5 litre cans. A diesel with a biggish tank would give more range and be safer to refuel at sea. I have a 25 litre tank I fished out of the sea too but I've not tried that yet.

 

[BruceDanforth]

This guy crossed the atlantic on a modern 2.5hp Japanese outboard:

http://www.tohatsu.com/news/seiko.html

Are you sure about the reliability?

Fancy trying it with your engine?

Outboards
are likely to be noisier,
are poorer at charging batteries,
use petrol which isn't always available shoreside,
poorer fuel consumption (hence less range),
if 2 stroke likely to be smellier,
less "grunt" in a seaway.
Arguably less reliable but easier and cheaper to maintain
They take up less space on a boat but are more likely to be stolen.
Lighter weight
Fewer holes for seacocks (well none!)

I'm sure there's more.

 

[graham]

I have an outboard on my 25 ft fin keel yacht. Advantages are no drag when raised. Huge stowage locker where the inboard used to be. Its a Honda 4 stroke so its quiet and not terribly thirsty.

The downside is manouvering under engine is not quite as good. (I have got used to it now ). Petrol isnt available in most marinas and is more dangerous to have aboard than diesel.

Modern outboards have pretty good battery charging capability and can be started with a flat battery if needed.

Make sure the outboard has some form of saildrive prop which is designed for pushing a heavy boat at displacement speed as opposed to planing along in a dinghy .

A huge advantage is that it can be removed from the boat for servicing . This could also be a huge disadvantage if security is a problem where you moor the boat.

I have an extra long shaft. Only very rarely has the prop lifted out of the water.

 

[C08]

Lots of catamarans have an outboard main engine, some quite big boats and generally get along pretty well. Pros/cons of outboard main engines:-

Pros-a new 20Hp outboard with power tilt and 15amp charging will cost about £3.5k compared to at least £6k inc shaft, prop &gearbox. Good to be able to lift engine when sailing or to clear prop fouling ropes/nets etc. Very accessible to take apart or fix or take off compared to an inboard. Much lighter than inboard. I average about 0.33 galls per hour for 3T cat cruising 5.5kn with a max of 7kn.
Cons-Carrying petrol needs more careful storage and usage. Petrol is not there at every marine filling point often only diesel. Battery charging is a lot better. An inboard turning a bigger prop is more suited to a very heavy displacement boat but that is not your situation. Marginally better fuel consumption than a modern outboard engine. Diesel is a bit cheaper but not a big issue for a sailing boat. No prop walk to help manoevering. Some scrote may steal you outboard where an inboard is unlikely to walk. Depending where the boat is kept that would be a concern for me.

An outboard with remote controls is preferrable to one set up like a dinghy.

You take your choices....

 

[stevebrassett]

I have an outboard on my 23-footer. With a 12ltr tank, plus a couple of 5ltr can, I have plenty of range.

Pros.

Very manoeuvrable. You can twist the outboard and spin round in a boat length.
I can take the engine home for servicing.
It only cost a grand.

Cons

No battery charging.
Worse visibility when in a marina, as I lean over the back controlling the throttle.

I think the pros and cons balance each other out, especially on a smaller boat. I wouldn't dream of replacing it on mine. If I was buying a bigger boat I would prefer an inboard.

 

[bigmac91]

Thanks for the advice, I do like the idea of the inboard but it just gives me a bit more choice of available Hunters if I was to consider the outboard option. Still early days as I have to sell my Legend first

Thanks again

 

[Rigger Mortice]

This guy crossed the atlantic on a modern 2.5hp Japanese outboard:

http://www.tohatsu.com/news/seiko.html

Are you sure about the reliability?

Fancy trying it with your engine?

You maybe right, which is why I chose my words carefully and said "arguably more reliable".
I wouldn't fancy doing that journey with that engine or, for that matter, in that boat. Good on him for having a go though.

 

[blackbeard]

When comparing; remember that a fixed prop on an inboard will slow your boat down. An outboard can be raised, as already mentioned.
Also an inboard will render you vulnerable to prop fouls from pot lines, various other lines and assorted semi-floating rubbish.
Problems can be countered to some extent at least by a rope cutter on the shaft, and a folding prop. Extra £, and in your choice this should be considered.

 

[graham]

Another point to consider is that a boat with an inboard disel will be easier to sell.

There is a lot of prejudice against outboards mainly stemming from days gone by when outboards werent as reliable as they are now.

 

[BruceDanforth]

One consideration is the overall value of the boat. If the boat is only worth a few grand and you are faced with fitting a new inboard then the economics are not that favourable.

The engine on my 22 foot boat is a Tohatsu 6HP saildrive. Nominally this has a 6A charging coil but in practice puts a couple of amps into the battery. Maybe it could put out more if it was running lights or something.

 

[seumask]

We had a Hunter Delta for many years, from which the Hunter 26/272 is evolved and it was outboard powerd. Initially with a 2 stroke 8hp Yamaha, then with a 5 or 6 hp Tohatsu 4 stroke. With the 2 stroke we crossed the channel from Chichester to Cherborg and the Channel Islands, motoring 1/2 way on the way there due to lack of wind. We carried around 40L of Fuel in 2 Outboard tanks for that trip.
later after switching to a 4 stroke we carried 25 L of fuel as it was much more economical. You really only need the engine for motoring when the wind is too light, these boats sail well so if there is any wind you can sail, and that is usually faster. There is no doubt that if you tried to motor into the wind in any sea way it was slower going that if you had an inboard, however you can sail and that was faster IMHO.
We had a 80AH battery which was kept going with a reasonable solar pannel and when we stayed on the boat for more than a few days we took a battery charger for occasional nights in Marina's and that worked well. Niether of the motors were connected to the battery and I wouldnt bother as its a lot of faf for a pretty small input considering that the motor was not used very much and it would be a pain to use it for charging!

 

[Blueboatman]

My last boat @28ft I fitted a 10hp with sail prop.
I was never ever underpowered
Manoeuvrability was amazing.
Quiet, simple and cheap.
And , of course, quicker and lighter

 

[neilf39]

I have had a Vivicity 650 and a Viva 700 both with outboards and now have a Konsort with inboard. I much prefer the inboard. On the Vivacity it was central and could be steered so made her very manoueverable, turned on the spot. That was a 6HP 2 stroke with no battery charging. Drank fuel and noisy. In any sort of chop the propeller would regularly come out of the water and was a nightmare. You could just about motorsail. On the Viva it was offset and could not be steered. That was an 8HP 4-stroke and charged the batteries. Relatively quiet and not so hungry on fuel. Again had a tendency to come out of the water in a chop unless we sat on the same side as the outboard. Could not be easily motorsailed as either the outboard was buried or out of the water. Reckon to be successful an outboard needs to be in a central well so almost like an inboard. With the inboard you can do whatever you like and not worry and the quietest of the lot. Motoring into a headwind in a chop with the outboards was never much fun. With the inboard I just plough on but then the Konsort is a bit of a different beast to the other two.