How reliable are stern drive engines?
I have whats called an I/O, or Inboard Outboard. This is also called a Stern Drive boat. There are several advantages and disadvantages to I/O’s vs. Outboards. (I woulnd’t get a pure inboard boat, so I’ll not talk about those right now. A lot of this depends on what you plan on doing with the boat (fishing, cruising around, speed, water skiing, tubing, etc). All of this would really make a difference on your choice. What I like about I/O’s is that they are mainly just a typical car/truck engine. To me, they are much easier to work on, and anyone who knows a thing or 2 about car engines can do lots of their own maintenance/repairs. Outboards, however, take much more technical know-how and therefore are more expensive to have repaired, and a bit tougher to find a mechanic. I/O’s are famous for guzzling up gas though, so Outboards win in the fuel economy department. Outboards have better thrust off the start, and are better for skiing, tubing, etc. I/O’s are heavier than Outboards. Outboa
