Buying a cruiser - confused about engines

[Awquaman]

I am looking to buy a 30-36 ft cruiser ( like a sea ray) but I am confused when trying to determine the best engine type. I understand what a v drive is. I get confused when seeing an inboard that says stern drive and an I/O that looks the same (props exposed at aft). I have talked to local boat owners who say stay away from an I/O if my boat will be in salt water which it will be. However when they point to an I/O it looks just like the search results I see when I use the inboard only filter. These listing say inboard - stearn drive. What am I missing and where should I look to become more informed? Thanks in advance

[ranger58sb]

I/O (inboard/outboard) and stern drive are the same thing. These are essentially normal auto/truck motors installed inside the boat.. and connected to a thing like the drive leg of an outboard motor which is mounted outside the boat.

Alternatives are inboard engines with fixed drive, either straight shaft, V-drive, or pod drive... or outboard motors. "Pods" in this sense are like the drive leg of an I/O or outboard but they're suspended underneath the boat, always remain there, and they're built of materials designed for and expected to live in saltwater (or fresh water) all the time (unlike stern drive and outboard motor legs).

The main reason I/O (stern drive) boats have fallen out of favor for salt water use is that the outdrive (aka leg) can't be lifted completely out of the water... and I think (not sure) the bellows where the outdrive is attached to the boat may also be partially submerged all the time, too.

Unless you're intending rack (drystack) storage when you're not using the boat; that might cut you a little slack.

While your shopping, you'll probably also want to pay attention to the engine cooling systems. Freshwater cooled means captured coolant (antifreeze) that courses through tubes within larger jackets... and the jackets are flooded with sea water (raw water). The sea water acts similarly to the way air passes through a radiator on a car... to cool the captured coolant that runs throughout the engine.

Seawater cooled or raw water cooled means outside water actually passes through the engine block. That's not great in salt water either.

-Chris

[GordMay]

There are four major powerboat drive types:
Inboard/Outboard [I/O], or Stern drive, which is a transmission and engine package, which combines [steerable] outboard drive, through the transom, with an inboard engine.
Inboard Shaft drive, which has the engine mounted inboard, with a shaft through the hull, driving a propeller. A rudder behind the propeller steers the vessel.
A marine V-drive engine is a modified conventional inboard drive, that is located closer to the stern of the boat than a conventional inboard drive, and has the transmission drive output facing forward, requiring a universal u-joint to direct the shaft rearward.
Pod Drive is a system in which the propeller units extend down, directly beneath the engine, through the bottom hull of the boat, somewhat like a saildrive.
The best known of these systems is the Volvo Penta Inboard Performance System (IPS), which has the propellers set in front of the drive shaft, so that the boat is actually pulled through the water, not pushed.
Outboard

[Bycrick]

I had a friend who spent his entire working life repairing nothing but Volvo engines. His opinion was that any of the sail-drive, I/O type engines was the worst possible choice. All the problems of an inboard and all of the problems of an outboard, with none of the advantages of either. Once, over several drinks, he claimed that working on these had made him enough to buy a retirement house in Lake Tahoe.

[boatpoker]

Looking at that size Sea Ray you'll be looking at mostly i/o at the bottom of your size range and mostly shaft drive for the larger end. There is a gigantic difference between a 30' and 36' Sea Ray. There are a few Sea Rays with V-drives which are a nightmare to maintain the shaft stuffing boxes ... unless each of your arms are 4' long and equipped with two double jointed elbows each.

i/o drives are more maintenance intensive and corrosion is a much bigger issue than shaft drives.

As you are new to this, you might want to learn a little about inspecting boats.
Marine Survey 101, pre-survey inspection

[CaptTom]

All the negatives of an I/O (stern drive) mentioned above are true. I had one nearly brand-new lower unit completely destroyed in one season by galvanic corrosion when the built-in cathodic protection system failed.

That said, it'll be far easier to find a model you like, in a price range you like, if you don't rule them out completely. Like anything in salt water, regular maintenance is critical. I owned one for 10 years and overall it was no more hassle than an inboard. There are also some benefits, like good handling characteristics and better use of space.

Find the boat which suits your needs. Propulsion type is only one of many elements to consider. Comfort and functionality of the usable spaces on the boat are more important. You may find that an I/O drive is an acceptable compromise. If so, don't feel bad.

[Manateeman]

Since you live in New Orleans simply drive south into Arcadia and ask for a good boatbuilder. Tell them your budget and what you want. Some of the finest builders of reliable boats are right in your backyard.
Happy trails to you.
The manatee crew. Professional boatbuilders.

[tuffr2]

I am seeing more and more outboard powered cruisers. To me, if using a boat in salt water an outboard is a really good option. In outboard power you will be looking at twin engines.

I am looking at boats with at least a cuddy cabin to Ranger Tugs, Cutwater, and even a Real 26XO. The Regal 26XO has a single 300HP outboard engine. Same for Rager Tugs and Cutwater - they will have a single outboard.

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