Looking for my first boat and dwelling too much on the I/O vs Outboard question...

[IdahoPotato]

I'm looking at getting my first larger ( than a 14ft with a 20 hp) vintage boat. Aluminum only. Wife would like a cuddy so I have been looking at the 18 t0 22 ft ones. I don't mind mechanicals so I have have little fear of buying a boat back to the 50's even. I do find that once you hit 20 feet they are mostly I/O. I don't want to drain my wallet to go fishing but I image a kicker for trolling will solve that. This is mostly for inland lakes and larger rivers. I will keep my smaller boat for others. My neighbor says there is a big difference every 2 feet of boat in "feel" . Any thoughts or pro's and con's for a 60's or 70's Starcraft, Crestliner, etc?. Worth the money to go newer into the welded 90's? Thanks for any input. My buddy says you never get it right the first time.....

 

[Chris1956]

I/O engines are mostly obsolete at this point. 4 cycle OBs are a lot lighter, as fuel efficient and have much less maintenance requirements.

If you plan the trailer the boat, an OB's light weight makes it much easier. Figure a V6 I/O weighs in at 1100# vs less than 600# for an OB. 2 cycle motors can weigh even less.

Cuddy cabins have been largely replaced by walk-around style boats. The only WA boat in which I thought the cuddy was decent was a 23 footer.

Take your time and poke around a bit. I had picked out a boat to buy in a boatyard, and when I went back to buy it, it had been parked next to another boat that I liked much much better. I bought that one, and have had it since 2006.

 

[airshot]

I owned a 22' Islanders for over 10 years and the family loved it ! Porta potty space and a dry place to store stuff. Mine had the 140 hp 3.0 engine that pushed it to 34 mph ( gps). Fuel economy was great, my 25 gallon tank would last for over 100 miles. Yes maintenance is higher but if you can do it yoyrself, it is no big deal. Parts care much cheaper than OB parts and these newer light weight four stroke out boards are newer models, not those from the eighties and early nineties. If your looking at models within the past ten years, give serious consideration to these newer outboards, but if your like many out there and this is a first boat and you looking at older models, don't be afraid if an I/O as long as you can find one that has been cared for....but then this is true no matter what you buy...care and maintennence is everything !!

 

[cyclops222]

If you get a GOOD motor ? Anything is great.
Can you do simple maintenance items on a car engine ?
A Aluminum hull is what you want at 20 feet + or - . Aluminum hulls SHOULD NOT have wood and foam floors to replace. It will take a while to find a good one.
I have always got it right the first time. Luck beats skill every time.
What is the budget for the boat ?

 

[redneck joe]

Aluminum hulls SHOULD NOT have wood and foam floors to replace.

In what world? I just replaced my wood floors and foam. Several threads going on here right now with wood and foam. Anything since 79 i think has foam.

OP. Stay aluminum and outboard imo, unless you like turning wrenches. If so, go for it. I'll never do it again. If my outboard takes a crap on me I'll spend less than a grand on another used one to swap in a couple hours maybe 12 beers to a buddy and keep chugging on. Also easier to add a kicker to another outboard imo.

You don't mention budget or family situation to help a whole lot with with size requirements.


Too bad you are in ID, gota buddy in FL with an 18 Chieftan outboard ready to put back together...

 

[cyclops222]

The USCG does NOT require any type of flotation in a boat 20' or longer.

 

[Chris1956]

That may be, but my 21 footer has floatation. I would expect many boats up to at least 35 foot have floatation. Maybe more, as the loss of life torts are quite severe.

 

[cyclops222]

Anybody have definite data from popular boat companies. That do guarantee a occupied boat. With people, engines and gear will not sink or rollover ?

 

[IdahoPotato]

If you get a GOOD motor ? Anything is great.
Can you do simple maintenance items on a car engine ?
A Aluminum hull is what you want at 20 feet + or - . Aluminum hulls SHOULD NOT have wood and foam floors to replace. It will take a while to find a good one.
I have always got it right the first time. Luck beats skill every time.
What is the budget for the boat ?

I would like to stay under 10K. I also want a late 50's Lonestar Cuddy to restore but that's a no big rush. This boat is for my wife and I to camp and fish on.

 

[IdahoPotato]

Turning wrenches and pulling motors is not a fear. Just has to be worth it. I see so many nice condition boats from the 70's. I think the old fisherman went to heaven and the kids aren't into them. Central states boats seem to be kept indoors too. The West Coast people let them rot or mold outside.

 

[Texasmark]

I'm looking at getting my first larger ( than a 14ft with a 20 hp) vintage boat. Aluminum only. Wife would like a cuddy so I have been looking at the 18 t0 22 ft ones. I don't mind mechanicals so I have have little fear of buying a boat back to the 50's even. I do find that once you hit 20 feet they are mostly I/O. I don't want to drain my wallet to go fishing but I image a kicker for trolling will solve that. This is mostly for inland lakes and larger rivers. I will keep my smaller boat for others. My neighbor says there is a big difference every 2 feet of boat in "feel" . Any thoughts or pro's and con's for a 60's or 70's Starcraft, Crestliner, etc?. Worth the money to go newer into the welded 90's? Thanks for any input. My buddy says you never get it right the first time.....

I've had both brands and liked both. The hulls are basically sound. Only probem is the deck (floor) and the transom wood. The Crestliner transom is highly reinforced aluminum framing, and I found that mild water absorption in the 2002 I bought was not a safety hazard. It had a soft spot near the stern and lifting the carpet and installing a patch fixed that.

The Starcraft was an 18' Holiday I/O with a 110 or thereabouts Mercruiser. That boat was sitting mostly submerged at a marina when I was totally out of my mind and just had to have it. I gutted the hull, replacing the wood in the deck and transom. The flotation was Styrafoam sheets, closed cell and didn't need replacing as a result. Engine oil was yellow ....block had a crack where the PO had let it freeze.....JB weld fixed that..... so I overhauled the engine and the outdrive. Some of the aluminum casting in the outdrive had corroded away but JB Weld worked well in fixing that. The trailer was horrible too and I fixed all that too. When finished I had a nice boat for big water and enjoyed it. The engine would have been better if a 140 HP.

Hands down, after a lifetime of boating with different rigs with the Starcraft being the largest, the outboard is the way to go for lots of reasons. I'm through boating now at 83, but if I were to buy another boat it would be an OB.

One thing about boats as I realized: On land they are too large and on the water they are too small.

 

[Texasmark]

I would like to stay under 10K. I also want a late 50's Lonestar Cuddy to restore but that's a no big rush. This boat is for my wife and I to camp and fish on.

I fished once with a friend with a 50's era LS cabin (shell). It was a 20' with a 70 HP Merc I6 outboard, which moved it right along, just right for that boat and its use. You're getting on down the line on aluminum hulls and age. I would think that you will be inundated with leaking rivets and places where time has taken its toll on corroding aluminum. I think its a bad idea for you unless you have lots and lots of time, necessary physical resources, and deep pockets.

 

[IdahoPotato]

I've had both brands and liked both. The hulls are basically sound. Only probem is the deck (floor) and the transom wood. The Crestliner transom is highly reinforced aluminum framing, and I found that mild water absorption in the 2002 I bought was not a safety hazard. It had a soft spot near the stern and lifting the carpet and installing a patch fixed that.

The Starcraft was an 18' Holiday I/O with a 110 or thereabouts Mercruiser. That boat was sitting mostly submerged at a marina when I was totally out of my mind and just had to have it. I gutted the hull, replacing the wood in the deck and transom. The flotation was Styrafoam sheets, closed cell and didn't need replacing as a result. Engine oil was yellow ....block had a crack where the PO had let it freeze.....JB weld fixed that..... so I overhauled the engine and the outdrive. Some of the aluminum casting in the outdrive had corroded away but JB Weld worked well in fixing that. The trailer was horrible too and I fixed all that too. When finished I had a nice boat for big water and enjoyed it. The engine would have been better if a 140 HP.

Hands down, after a lifetime of boating with different rigs with the Starcraft being the largest, the outboard is the way to go for lots of reasons. I'm through boating now at 83, but if I were to buy another boat it would be an OB.

One thing about boats as I realized: On land they are too large and on the water they are too small.

Thanks for the input. I figured an inboard is easier to work on but in reality the outboard can be easily removed to my garage for winter repairs...or replaced. Love the old Lone Stars and figure I may find one that's never seen saltwater and maybe has tight riveting.

 

[airshot]

The USCG does NOT require any type of flotation in a boat 20' or longer.

According to my local coast card officer, the mfgr is required to have enough flotation to maintain level flotation ( not sink to the bottom) on all boats under 26' in length. In today's law suit market, mfgrs will do what ever they can to not get sued. My neighbors 29' fiberglass is full of foam, and so is another friends 34' cruiser.

 

[Scott Danforth]

Mid 90s crest liner fishhawk 24 is a hybrid between a cuddy and a walk around easy to work on 4.3 I/O

Many of the older Islanders were available either I/O or O/B

The boating market moved from outboards to I/Os and is now moving back

Both I/Os and O/Bs have their place

A 350hp outboard plus rigging is $40,000. A 350hp I/O long tail with rigging is about $30,000

 

[Donald0039]

I would look around at local boat launches and see what people have. Around salt water in Delaware it's mostly outboard. Hard to find people who will work on I/O.

I think rivers and lakes maybe be a slightly different story with a highed percentage of I/O and inboards.

The new 4 cycle outboards are probably not a good engine for a shade tree mechanics. A lot of stuff crammed together.

You may find better used boat deals with I/O

In salt water it's either an outboard or FWC I/O.