Opinions Please

[sportfish_1]

My previous boats, a 25' Grady White sailfish, and 24' VIP CC were both outboards. I have fished the Grady in the canyons but was always concerned with the fuel consumption with the outboards. I am buying another boat and I am leaning towards twin inboards, gas or deisel. My concerns are with range and fuel capacity not so much the cost of fuel.

I have a few questions for the board members:

When you bought your boat with outboards, what reason was behind your decision to go with outboards ?

Same question to those board members that bought their boats with inboards in the 27' to 30' range ?

Thanks

[junior trade]

I went with the 28' Bertram with inboards.
Reasons: (these are my opinions, not trying to step on anyone's toes)
I can work on inboards
In my opinion, it is easier to fish off the back with inboards
Low center of gravity that inboards can provide to help the ride
Use to fish offshore 95% of the time
I love the sound of inboards and the look of the clean transom
Plus, it was the boat that I wanted, and that is what it came with

However, in the future I will repower with diesels.

Now, I say all that to say, this is not a shallow water boat. It is predominantly used offshore. I am in the process of finding a boat for the bays in OCMD and to haul to the Chesapeake. Still up in the air as to either getting an outboard (SeaCraft) or an inboard with keel (Shamrock). It is all based on how much the boat will be used in different situations. But I have all winter to figure that out.

[Tuna Taxi]

I'll second what junior said. Couple additions:

Inboards are protected from the elements and tend to last longer (not an absolute, though)

maneuverability with twin IB is much better than twin OB.

Clean transome....doesn't get any better.

Don't get your panties in a bunch over gas/diesel (in the size range you're talking about). I've owned both and the only true comparison is range. If a gas boat will not get you there, then you need a diesel boat. Noone saves money with a diesel unless you are going to run it with no maintenance and then sell it the day before is shits the bed on you. You need to buy many gallons of gas before you overcome the cost difference....even more if it's a repower. Maintenance on a diesel requires you to get dirty often and put in the time getting to know your engines and dropping some serious cash on parts. Hiring someone to do the maintenance will break the best of us.....and you'll be lucky if you find someone worth a damn to work on your engines. With gas, if you drove a car in your life you can maintain them, and you can buy most parts at NAPA. I had a 34 express with twin 454's, and now have a 43 SF with 6-71 TI's. You either put it in the tank or you put it on the parts counter. Just depends on where you want to put your money.

Of course, if the 454 (or 350) grenades on you, you put in a new engine for about 10K max. If the 6-71 grenades, you pray to get out the door for less than $20k (and that's if you can rebuild it). Takes alot of gas to make up that extra expense.

[Squidnation]

sportfish - I only fish offshore with the rare wreck trip thrown in. I went with Deisels on my 32 mirage for a couple of reason.

1. The hum of the deisel raises more fish. period.
2. The fuel consumption gives you a sense (maybe not reality) but a comfort that it is less expensive to fish. Heres why that is on my boat. My previous boat was a 29 aquasport with twin 260 inboards. I cruised at 17-21 knots and burned 180-200 gallons on a canyon trip. @ 2.50 a gallon that would be $500 a trip for fuel alone. Sure they were easier to work on but need more frequent repairs in my opinion. On my Mirage I burn 70 gallons on a canyon trip and cruise a 30 knots. 70 gallons @ 2.60 is $182.00 or $318.00 less per trip. I fished 30 days offshore this yr on my boat. That is almost $10,000 less in fuel that I spent to travel almost twice as fast.
3. When you go to sell that gas boat with 10,000 hours on it you will get pennies on the dollar for what you spent.
I could sell my boat for what I paid for it or maybe even a few buck more today.

Good luck

[Sweet Caroline]

I have a 25' Shamrock, single screw inboard. The mid mount engine gives a more solid ride than an outboard, fuel consumption is better, easier to work on, and replacement costs are considerably less if you are going to keep the boat for a long time, at least for a gas motor.
I have started pricing some boats for a future upgrade and have found that the new four strokes are a lot better on fuel, 10 gph/motor at 30 knots, (that was a 275 Yammy). You can proably get a tripple outboard boat for a lot less than the twin inboards, but your inboard boat is a bigger all around boat. I recently was looking at the Contender 36 FA (sweet boat), with trip 275's for about $250K. The 36' -40' sedan (looked at several manufactures) is running about $75k- $100k or more depending on the manufacture.
If cost is a concern I think you will find the outboards more afforable upfront. The sedan or express will provide a better ride and better cockpit for fishing. Do your homework and hit the boat shows.


Goose

[pellicot]

I.

Now, I say all that to say, this is not a shallow water boat. It is predominantly used offshore. I am in the process of finding a boat for the bays in OCMD and to haul to the Chesapeake. Still up in the air as to either getting an outboard (SeaCraft) or an inboard with keel (Shamrock). It is all based on how much the boat will be used in different situations. But I have all winter to figure that out.

Chris - Composite Yachts has new and used Shamrocks on Rt 50 just before the Cambridge Bridge if you are looking - no affiliated but did do some custom work for me . Nice people & family owned, Rob does the sales.

[sportfish_1]

THANKS FELLOW MEMBERS FOR YOUR INPUT.

[junior trade]

Chris - Composite Yachts has new and used Shamrocks on Rt 50 just before the Cambridge Bridge if you are looking - no affiliated but did do some custom work for me . Nice people & family owned, Rob does the sales.

Thanks Pellicot, I appreciate the heads up and the referral. I did stop by there 2 weeks ago at night on my way to the beach to look at the Shamrocks on the lot. They are nice looking. I am actually going to go used. I was deciding between the 22' Open and the 20' Open. I think the 22' would be a bit too big for what I want to use it for. I have a large boat for taking several people out and for fishing the ocean or in the rough stuff. Now I need something that I can take out on my own and still fish, as well as my wife wants to have a boat she can take out. She got her liscense when we first started dating (she wanted to drive the boat a little, but mostly liked the jet skis), but doesn't feel comfortable driving the Bertram untill she gets some more experience. Isn't it great that I can blame this purchase on her. But I don't think she is falling for it. I will swear it is for her until it is time to outfit it. Again, thanks for the info.

[74Formula233]

I'm helping a friend of mine repower a 20' CC Shamrock this spring.

Real nice boat for a 20-footer, full keel, straight inboard!

He's got a 302 in it that seized up from sitting a while when another guy owned it. We're gonna swap in a long-block at my house on my "pulling beam" I built into the garage when I rebuilt it

That's a nice little boat for a 20'er!

[Deep C]

I went the Albemarle in diesel for range. I have 140 miles to run to Chub cay. beyond price. Its time consuming every other day to put in lots of fuel when I'm there. With the diesels I can go a few days between filling up. I went inboard for space reasons and fishability. Dealing with lots of big blues and needing a cabin forced that issue. Then comes my favorite part. Don't want to start a fight but am of the firm belief that inboard raises far more fish...