Pontoon Inboard/outboard motor?

[TheQuintessentialMan]

Not really a boat person but been looking at them lately to extend dive options in the local lakes. Ran across a pontoon with I/O drive. Other than the normal good/bad with I/O, is there anything special it would offer on a pontoon? The craft in question is a 27 ft 135 HP dual pontoon.

Any other suggestions on what to look for or avoid? Right now the lead option is tritoon, aluminum deck, and 150 hp motor.

 

[ajtoady]

The question would be ,,,,what are your plans for the boat? If it is a pleasure boat, the I/O is the ticket. You can ski, tube, and wakeboard etc. You only need to move at around 20 mph. If you want speed,,,unless you want to spend a bunch on motors/ boat, go for a deep vee or bass boat. If you are looking for a dive platform, pontoon with a good ladder is the way to go. It's all up to you! On another note, 27' pontoon is a bear to trailer unless you drive a large enough vehicle to pull it and launch it.

 

[TheQuintessentialMan]

Dive boat, anything else is secondary, of course that doesn't mean we wont have the occasional post dive party or other use. I'm getting bored shore/pier diving at the local quarry. Do feel confident that my lifted tuned Ram 2500 4x4 can handle it, just don't know yet if I can. Drove some pretty big equipment and some with trailers in the military but that was a while ago.

My main question revolves around the benefits of the I/O vs standard outboard. This is the first pontoon I've seen with I/O.

 

[ajtoady]

The I/O is just a regular 4 stroke engine and not one of the super tuned outboards that are 4 stroke. Just a little bit different maintaining it. Oil changes, filters and such.

 

[flyboy08]

Outboard motors are the easiest to get to and repair. Winter storage off the boat is easy too. I have an inboard...I have to winterize the whole boat.

 

[broncobowsher]

The 4-stroke I/O is typically more economical to run than an outboard. The 135HP is a good reliable 3.0L GM iron duke 4-cylinder that was (still is?) in production for decades. Local dive charter sold the 2=stroke outboard when they found a good I/O

 

[TheQuintessentialMan]

FWIW, I was trying to avoid any I/O that is not a closed cooling system. That is supposed to simplify the maint and winterizing, especially if ever used in salt water from what I understand. Still kicking tires... eh pontoons rather but this is all good information.

As it sets right now, the 26' tritoon with the Johnson 150 and aluminum deck has my attention, especially since its 5k cheaper and of course, the I/O is 7 years newer.

 

[ScubaRob0311]

Advise I got from a marine mechanic was that outboards are cheaper overall then an I/O. maintenance is cheaper on outboards and easier and cheaper to replace.

 

[broncobowsher]

Aluminum deck is a huge win. Tritoon is another win, dive gear is heavy. With that, take the outboard.