jamesgangnc wrote:
Good one.

If ypu want a recreational boat then the i/os are the biggest bang for the
buck. Plus you get to have a full length rear deck for messing with the
ropes, skis, tubs etc. Sometimes we're bringing in multiple people the same
time we're putting out multiple people. Outboards are just in the way, fine
for fishing, but forget about it for recreational boating. I/o's are a bad
choice if you're going to leave it in a slip full time though.


I boat in salt water, mostly. I wouldn't touch an I/O with a 10-foot
pole. If I were a fresh-water trailer boater, I'd consider one.

I learned to waterski behind an 18 hp Evinrude outboard. Somehow we
managed the skis, ropes, and getting out of the boat and back in. The
outboard was never in the way. Plus with an outboard, none of the
cockpit space is taken up by the engine box.

Each has their merits. I prefer outboards.