Which Is Better Outboard Or Inboard Motor
Inboard motors generally last longer than their outboard counterparts. You can squeeze roughly 1,500 hours out of an inboard before necessary maintenance. Outboards, on the other hand, last about 750 hours on average. So, the inboard option means less maintenance even though they cost more initially.
How Much Does An Inboard Boat Engine Cost
An inboard powerboat engine replacement costs approximately $15,000, while you should set aside about $5,000 to $10,000 to replace the motor for a sailboat. If you have a sailboat with an outboard motor, you will pay significantly less, somewhere around $1,500, because this vessel uses wind as the first power source.
Maintaining The Hull Zincs
Hull zincs or hull plates are sacrificial metal pieces. They are installed on the trim tabs or near the shafts to protect metal parts under the water. They give up their electrons and corrode, so other metal components are safe. A boat might have one to two hull plates.
You should change them once they dissolve about a half. If you ignore hull zinc yearly boat maintenance, other underwater metal components will suffer from galvanic corrosion, which includes the propellers and the boat bottom
Having hull zinc replaced by boat services is around $20.
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Recommended Maintenance For An Inboard Boat
Boats nowadays are low-maintenance vehicles. It is important to clean and lubricate them.
In most ways, a boat is much like any other vehicle in order to ensure that it is in perfect working condition, you must keep an eye on the fluid levels, wash and wax the boat, take care of the engine, and find proper storage for it.
Should You Buy A Bowrider Boat With An Outboard Engine
If youre in the market for a bowrider boat, chances are youve noticed more and more are available with outboard engines in place of sterndrive engines. In the past, sterndrives have always been the preference for bowriders, but as time has gone on brand new boats are coming with outboard power, even when it comes to some high-performance boats.
Can you re-power an inboard boat?
Servicing the inboard requires working under an engine hatch, often in pretty cramped confines. When an outboard is damaged or simply worn out, it is relatively easy to re-power the boat with a new outboard. Repowering an inboard boat is also an option, but a more-challenging project.
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Keep Things Running Smooth
If you take care of your outboard engine, theres a great chance it will last for a very long time. Pontoon boats are easy to maintain if you keep up with routine service and care for your marine batteries.
Remember that you should have the engine serviced annually or every 100 hours, whichever comes first. If you dont have experience working with engines, it will be worth having your dealers service center tackle this project.
You will save a lot of money and headache in the future if you routinely care for your outboard motor. For more information on caring for your pontoon boat, visit our Owners Resource Center.
Offseason Storage Prep And Spring Make
A. Follow the owners manual carefully for winterization and spring make-ready preparations.B. Ensure that all engine coolant has drained or is properly treated with environmentally friendly antifreeze.C. Ensure that all fuel has been properly treated with stabilizer and the treated fuel has been run through the engine.D. Check the drive and propeller for damage and repair before the offseason so damage is not left until spring.E. Drain and refill the drive unit check for water-contaminated or burnt gear lube and repair any leaks before winter.F. Never store the boat with the drives up rainwater can collect in prop hubs and in the gear case, and if left there in freezing conditions, it can expand and crack the housing.G. Spray the entire engine with a light coating of metal/electrical-connection protectant.
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E Checking The Propeller
Keep an eye out for fishing lines, ropes, and anchor chains that often get tangled around rotating propellers.
Ropes and lines dont generally damage the propeller, unless it is an aluminum prop that can get bent. However, an anchor chain can bend or destroy the propeller.
You should also look out for scrapes and dents as damaged props can hinder the boats smooth performance.
Cost Of Boat Maintenance
Some people enjoy all aspects of working on their boat themselves, while for others, handling maintenance tasks is more a matter of saving on boat maintenance cost than anything else. But remember, virtually all watercraft sold today are relatively low maintenance boats.
As a general rule of thumb, even if you dont want to lift a finger beyond washing your boat and flushing the engine, annual boat maintenance costs rarely exceed 10-percent of the boats cost. And in the early years when pieces and parts generally dont need replacing, its often far less. Average boat maintenance costs are, of course, going to vary quite a bit depending on the type and size of the boat you buy and just how often and how hard you use it.
At-Home Maintenance Cost
Your at-home maintenance costs are negligible. Youll need some boat soap, a scrub brush, wax, and rags, but thats about it.
Boat Service and Repair Cost
When you service provider digs into more serious maintenance, obviously, the bill goes up a bit. You may also have to plan for the time and expense of hauling the boat and getting it to the dealership. Still, at least early in a boats life these expanses are usually minor. Oil changes for an average-sized outboard commonly do run more than the cost of an oil change for an automobile, but rarely twice as much.
To learn more about getting your boat professionally serviced, read Boat Repair: Choosing a Marine Mechanic.
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Check And Replace Anodes
Most stern drives have at least one anode attached to the exterior of the lower unit. Other anodes are attached to the engine so they protrude into the cooling system. The proper amount of zinc attached to a boat is extremely important. Not using enough zinc will cause more rapid deterioration of the metal parts of your boat you are trying to protect. It is far better to replace the zinc than to replace expensive metal parts. As always, follow manufacturer’s instruction for your equipment.
Ways To Maintain Your Boat
Generally speaking, boat maintenance involves keeping your boat clean and lubricated. Just as you wouldnt drive your car without engine oil, you wouldnt want to take your boat out for a ride without proper fluid levels. Likewise, you probably know weather and debris can damage your cars exterior over time. The same principle applies to boats. For example, a fiberglass boat with a dirty exterior will turn chalky if you dont wash and wax it regularly.
To help you keep your boat sparkling and in great shape, well show you how to clean a boat in the next section. Well also cover proper storage options and boat motor maintenance.
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Drain Flush And Refill The Freshwater Cooling Circuit
On boats equipped with a heat exchanger, additional cooling system maintenance is required. The freshwater cooling system is similar to those used in automobiles and should be tested to ensure the proper level of coolant protection is maintained. Use any commonly available tester.
If coolant protection is inadequate or the coolant is several years old, the system should be drained, flushed, and refilled with fresh coolant. The coolant, or antifreeze, does not wear out quickly, but it does wear out. Various additives that fight corrosion lose their effectiveness over time and should be replaced to ensure optimum protection. Backflush the freshwater circuit to remove sediment. Replace the coolant with a clean, fresh, product recommended mixture of water and antifreeze. Always mix the antifreeze and water mixture prior to pouring it into the engine.
Maintaining a marine engine is a matter of common sense. Most topics covered in this article should be well within the reach of even the most modest do-it-yourselfer. If you are in doubt about any aspect of maintenance, ask a knowledgeable marina or dealer or consider having your engine professionally maintained. Improper maintenance can be costly. Even worse, you will lose precious boating time.
Are Outboards Cheaper To Maintain Than Inboards
Lower Maintenance Outboard motors are more accessible and require less maintenance than inboards. They dont need to be winterized, and you dont have to raise the boat to access the engine. Generally, outboard motors are easier and cheaper to maintain.
Is recommended maintenance for an inboard boat?
Change oil every 100 hours Most inboard boats will require regular oil changes. Consult your user manual to find out how regular oil changes should be, but a decent guideline to follow would be to do so every 100 hours of engine usage. You can learn how to do this yourself or take the boat to your local dealer.
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Are Mercruiser Engines Reliable
The dependability of Mercruiser engines is the primary factor that leads boat owners to choose that choice. Utilizing an engine that you can rely on during the whole of your ownership is a significant benefit. Performance and fuel economy are two aspects of the Mercruiser that are highly valued by boat owners.
Sterndrive And Inboard Care
Step-by-step videos to help you maintain your MerCruiser 4.5L or 6.2L sterndrive or inboard.
- MerCathode system
- Bravo drive – single point drain
- Maintenance schedule
Anodes help protect your outboard against galvanic corrosion by sacrificing their metal to be slowly eroded instead of the outboard. Watch this QuickTip to learn how to inspect and replace your engines anodes.
Step-by-step videos to help you maintain your MerCruiser 8.2L sterndrive or inboard.
- Maintenance & daily checks
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Keep Your Boat Just Like New
Yamaha wants you to have an outstanding ownership experience. Maintenance plays a big part in that. Weve learned a lot about caring for boats during our many years as a personal watercraft manufacturer so, heres some knowledge and simple tips on the subject.
Keep in mind youre never alone.
- Yamaha dealers stand ready to help. With approximately 150 authorized Yamaha boat dealers nationwide, one can assist you with proper maintenance of your Yamaha boat. From regular maintenance to installation of parts and accessories, they have the tools and the training to do the job right. And they feature Genuine Yamaha and Yamalube® maintenance and care products. Thats important.
- Yamaha website. For additional information on why Maintenance Matters, including helpful how to information and a complete list of Genuine Yamaha and Yamalube® maintenance and care products and accessories, please visit YamahaBoats.com.
PRE-LAUNCH CHECKLIST
DEFEND AGAINST THE ELEMENTS
While your Yamaha boat dealer can help you with, or even do, most of your general and preventive maintenance, corrosion mitigation is something you can only do yourselfand time is of the essence.
Where do I need to concentrate my fight against corrosion?
Whats so important about flushing my boat? I boat exclusively in freshwater do I still need to?
How do I go about flushing my boat?
KEEPING YOUR MACHINE CLEAN
Easy Ways You Can Maintain Your Boat
The most basic maintenance tasks are simply keeping things clean and, where appropriate, well-lubricated. This has a huge impact on a boat. The fiberglass gel coat, for example, will oxidize and turn chalky if you dont wash and wax it regularly. So a basic boat hull maintenance chore with any fiberglass boat is washing and waxing. Dirt that sits on canvass and upholstery allows mold and mildew to attach and grow, so again, regular cleanings are very important. And having a dirty bilge means you may not spot leaking fuel or fluids, and can lead to clogged bilge pumps.
After a day out on the water, other than cleaning the boat and lubricating parts as necessary there arent many maintenance tasks you need to worry about. One important task, however, is flushing your engine after boating in saltwater. See Outboard Engine Care and follow your engine manufacturers recommendations, to get the low-down on how its done .
The one other maintenance chore that should be done after every trip is making a simple visual inspection of all the boats systems. If you spot anything wrong, then you can decide whether to tackle the challenge yourself or take the boat in for repairs.
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Whats Easier To Maintain Inboard Or Outboard
Because the entire engine is outside the boat, an outboard is easier to service than an inboard. Servicing the inboard requires working under an engine hatch, often in pretty cramped confines. When an outboard is damaged or simply worn out, it is relatively easy to re-power the boat with a new outboard.
Inboard Boat Maintenance Tips
Here are just a few tips I picked up from websites to do with inboard boating.
Winterization
Elsewhere on Pontoonopedia you can find guides for winterizing a pontoon boat, and bass boat winterization tips. Im not an expert with inboard motor boats though, so had to do a little online research to come up with these inboard winterization maintenance tips.
Once the boating season is over, you will need to perform some recommended maintenance tips before putting it away for the winter. These maintenance tasks include:
- Replace the antifreeze.
- Replace the oil.
Engine flushing
All inboard engines will get dirty, with debris accumulating and affecting performance. You can clean this debris out relatively easy though by flushing a special cleaning fluid through it.
Before you flush the engine, make sure you cover the intakes so debris doesnt get into the engine during the flushing process.
Wash your boat regularly
One of the simplest tasks anyone can do to maintain their inboard boat, is regular washing. And it doesnt require any technical knowledge either, so there really is no excuse.
If you boat in salt water, wash your boat down with fresh water after each journey. This will help to prevent the salt from corroding parts of your boat.
Change oil every 100 hours
Most inboard boats will require regular oil changes. Consult your user manual to find out how regular oil changes should be, but a decent guideline to follow would be to do so every 100 hours of engine usage.
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Why Boats Sink Underway
Any boat has the potential to sink underway for the same reasons that it could sink at the dock–a hose slips off, a packing gland leaks, etc. Many boats sink because of leaks at thru-hulls, outdrive boots, or the raw water cooling system, all of which are routinely implicated when boats sink at the dock.
There are also many other reasons that boats sink underway, however, which have nothing to do with loose hose clamps or broken fittings. Boats underway can strike floating debris or stray onto a rocky shoal . There are careless skippers who forget to install drain plugs. Many boats sink after coming down hard off of waves and splitting open.
Once a boat starts to sink, it will gain momentum as it settles into the water. If a boat has a two-inch hole that is a foot below the waterline, for example, over 78 gallons of water will pour into the boat per minute. When the same hole is three feet below the surface, the flow of water increases to 136 gallons per minute. Keep in mind also, that other thru-hulls that had been above the waterline will be underwater. If any of these fittings are cracked or missing, the flow of water into the boat will accelerate further.
Who Needs To Winterize
Of all 50 states, which would you guess had the most freeze-related claims? New York? Maine? Michigan? Guess again.
An examination of the BoatU.S. Marine Insurance claim files found that balmy California had more winterizing claims than any other state, including any of the âdeep freezeâ states.
While winters may be much colder in the deep-freeze states, the bitter temperatures are a fact of life and preparations for winter are taken very seriously. But in the more temperate states, like California, Florida, Texas, Louisiana, Alabama, and Georgia, winter tends to be relatively comfortable in most areas with only an occasional cold spell. But if the forecasts call for a cold snap, and they arenât taken seriously, they can do a lot of damage.
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Inboard Boat Motor Maintenance Recommendations By Experts
Inboard motors navigate using a separate rudder, due to a low gravity in the center of the motor itself. Because of the decreased wake, inboard motors are more suitable for smaller vessels, personal boats, jet skiers or surfers.
The inboard engine is by far the more environmentally friendly alternative due to its fuel-efficiency structure. The design, which mirrors a vehicle engine, contributes to the fuel-efficiency performance. In addition to consuming less fuel, the inboard motor produces higher horsepower and acceleration.
So, is there any way to maintain all those amazing features of an Inboard boat motor? There are actually a lot of techniques to do so and these suggestions will be helpful for many kinds of inboard engines. Follow the recommendations below and apply them to your vessel:
