difference between outboard and inboard motor

But it’s also worth keeping in mind that there are other costs such as fuel and maintenance which can affect the overall picture. Main Differences Between an Inboard and an Outboard Motor Inboardīoats with outboards tend to be more expensive than inboards of equivalent power by a small margin. The skeg helps the engine maneuver and turn smoothly and the tiller allows you to move and adjust the entire unit as needed. Your lower unit will have a skeg on the bottom that is like a smaller fin or rudder and a tiller or handle on the top of the unit to allow you to steer. This allows the outboard to act as its own steering/rudder system so you can maneuver by altering the direction the propeller Because the entire outboard is able to be controlled it can be moved either by hand, as is the case with those smaller boats, or by the steering mechanism of larger boats. The spinning driveshaft is attached to a gear box which is in turn attached to the prop and it rotates, spinning the propeller and creating that forward propulsion. The crankshaft in your outboard turns the drive shaft which runs down the length of your engine from the large case that holds the engine proper down to the lower unit of the outboard where the propeller is located. How Do Outboard Engines Work?Īn outboard motor may be a four stroke or a simpler two stroke engine. The spinning propeller gives the boat forward thrust and the steering of the boat causes a separate rudder system to move when you turn the wheel allowing you to maneuver left and right. Steering therefore is one of the most significant differences between inboards and their outboard counterparts. Unlike a car engine which transfers the energy of the drive shaft to the axles and causes the tires to rotate, the shaft in your inboard causes the propeller located to the rear of the boat to rotate. You’ll likely have a four stroke that powers the drive shaft. Inboard engines function a lot like car engines. Outboard power is pretty reliable and easier to understand and maintain for most boaters so this is a popular option when you’re looking to do more casual boating. Outboard engines can be removed or replaced fairly easily, at least compared to inboards. Outboard motor powered crafts are typically cheaper at the smaller end of the scale and a little more versatile for most boat owners. On larger boats the outboards are controlled with a steering system that lets you drive the boat from the helm with the use of a wheel.

You can start the engine and steer it by sitting right there next to it. In smaller jon boats and aluminum fishing boats the motor is controlled by hand right at the motor itself. The motor is mounted on the outer hull of the boat. What is an Outboard Motor?Īn outboard motor is the most easily recognizable kind of propulsion system on a boat. Because it has some outboard components, it is called inboard/outboard. What are Inboard Outboard Motors or I/O Motors?Īn I/O motor or inboard/outboard is just another name for that sterndrive style of inboard engine.

The rudders and steering are a separate mechanism and not connected to the propeller. If you have a true inboard then the engine will be centrally located in the boat and connected to the propeller. Most inboard motors are actually these I/O motors. If it’s a sterndrive engine, then the engine itself is inside the boat but the steerable part of your motor will be mounted on the stern of the boat. Inboard motors have a driveshaft kind of like a car that connects to the propeller. These inboard engines are a permanent fixture in the boat’s hull and need to be accessed from inside the boat as well should they ever need to be repaired or maintained. Inboard motors are also called sterndrives on occasion and, as the name suggests, they are found inside the boat rather than on the outside like an outboard. Let’s take a look at what makes them different and how each one works.

Most people are familiar with one or the other (or both) and each kind has its own advantages and disadvantages as well as instances where they are more common or beneficial to you as a boater. Inboard and outboard motors are arguably the two most popular types of motors available on boats, though they are not the only ones.

Difference between outboard and inboard motor