Inboard vs. Outboard?

[Rohan Soulsby]

Contemplating the purchase of a Catalina 27. Would appreciate some insight into the relative merits of outboard engine configuration vs Inboard diesel vs. inboard gas.One specific comment I have heard is that the props on outboard engines have a tendency to leave the water as the boat pitches in moderately rough seas. Any truth to this?

 

[jamie]

inboards vs outboards

Hi I have used both egines on my previous boat i had a yamaha 9.9 the four cycle high thrust and the high out put alternator was great.I found the out board provided great agility in manovering in tight areas it was easy to get at to fix or remove to have it fixed the four cycle provided very low fuel consumption,and no smoke easy start hullspeed at 1/3 throttle and yes in 3-4 ft waves the prop would break out of the water,it would depend on wether you havea a long shaft or not and how deep you have the motor set.I now have acat 30 and diesel inboard it is definately harder more awkward to work on noiser in the cabin also economical on fuel but a little stinkerbecause of the fuel and you can not turn the rudder as well as the prop(as you can in outboard) for real tight placesbut i love the cat -30

 

[LaDonna Bubak - Planet Catalina]

I had the same questions

I decided to go with the outboard for many of the reasons Jamie gave. Unfortunately, mine is an older outboard but does give the flexibility of maneuvering and repair. My particular motor kicks up in reverse so backing out of the slip is impossible. Even if I stood on it, the prop wash is very severe, altering the direction the boat goes.I've thought it would be nice to have an inboard for backing up but there are several factors which make me think I would pick the same boat as I did. First, C27s w/diesels or even gas inboards are exponentially more expensive than those with outboards. The engine greatly alters the weight of the boat, takes up a LOT of room & would be very difficult to get at for repairs.Just a few thoughts. Good luck on your choice!LaDonna

 

[David Sandowich]

14 GREAT YEARS

I GOT MY 88 CAT 27 IN '84. MOVED UP TO Cat 30 this year. i went through 2 out boards in those years. yes the prop will come out of the water in steep seas but if its that big maybe you shouldn't be there anyway. i can only remember 2-3 times were it really affected the trip.ease of maintenance is a big plus . just pull it off and take it to the shopplus alot cheaper and simpler then inboard repairs.i had both engines with cockpit controls with electric start so except for lowering the engine when not sailing it had the ease of an inboard. i never had a problem with backing up since the engine was locked in the down position.another big plus is the huge storage space gained underneath the cockpit with out an inboard. i stored everything in there, beach chairs. spare oars, small outboard for dingy ice chest plus more. the only thng i didn't like was the looks of an outbaord on the boat. but at the time it was what i could afford and the boat took me all over the chesapeak for 14 years plus a ton of good times. the ole rule is best. get the most boat your money will allow. if it is an outboard. go for it

 

[A.C.]

Outboards are great - few problems

We sailed an outboard model C27 for five years and loved it. We bought an extra long shaft Honda 9.9 and the prop never broke the surface due to wave action, etc. We installed a throttle / shifter in the cockpit so we only had to access the engine to start it and cut it off. The Honda was very quiet and efficient. A friend bought the boat and I still enjoy motoring it around from time to time. Note: The extra long shaft required notching the rudder, and the engine cover, due to the size and shape, was very difficult to remove to check the oil, etc, when the boat was in the water. Directional control in reverse was excellent because the prop wash flowed across the rudder.