JamesGangNC wrote:
And there really isn't a real higher risk of sinking because the i/o
has a rubber boot coupling the drive to the exterior prop assembly.

I'd get rid of that one too lol!

On a conventional inboard usually the prop shaft is ripped
out or severely bent and there is frequently compromise to the rear
lower hull or stuffing box.

An unprotected prop is like playing Russian Roulette where I live with
sandbars, oyster reefs, shallow water etc. A keel under the prop
means everything, and I mean all the way to the rudder. You don't see
that often with trailerable boats. Shamrock is one exception but I
don't think their keel protects the rudder either. I'd have to go
looksee. A Tunnel is another way to go. But the least fuel efficient
boat I've ever owned was a Penn Yann Tunnel Drive. It was great for
bumping along on shallow sandy bottoms but the prop was small and Gawd
that sucker drank fuel.

I don't think the hp difference was all that great, merc had some
pretty big inline 4s and 6s early in the outboard game.

My first I/O was a 225hp OMC in a 1971 23' Seabird. Back then, nobody
built an outboard transom into boats that size. I think the largest
outboard you could buy was maybe 125-130hp and even on a smaller boat,
it would drink twice the fuel of a 225hp I/O. I used to pass outboard
boats everywhere I went. Waaaay later on, after O/Bs became more
powerful, guys began repowering boats like mine by bolting an O/B
bracket onto them. I eventually sold my Seabird as is but a friend of
mine still has one just like it that he repowered. He claims the
improvement in speed and handling is like night and day. Not to
mention the weight loss for trailering.

Inboards
with automotive engines already predated i/os. So the larger boats
did not need i/os.

They did if they were trailerable and liked the kick up advantages of
an outboard. And we're talking about a different era here. Back then,
a 23', 5200 lb boat was considered a BIG trailerable boat.

Rick