Inboard Powerboat Engines
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When you are determining what features you want on the powerboat you are considering buying, one of the first decisions is what kind of engine the boat will have. There are three basic types; inboard, outboard and inboard/outboard. The inboard/outboard is usually referred to as I/O.
Here we will discuss the inboard powerboat engine. First the inboard powerboat engine is usually bigger and much less compact than an outboard engine. It isn’t necessary to make an inboard engine as compact because all of the components don’t have to be housed in a single unit.
An inboard powerboat engine is located near the center of the hull of the powerboat rather than on the back of the hull like an outboard engine. This is one of the main selling points of the inboard engine because it creates a low center of gravity. The transmission is on the back of the engine and it connects to the propeller shaft. The propeller shaft goes down through the bottom of the powerboat where it is supported by at least one strut. This strut (or struts) is attached to the bottom of the hull. The propeller is attached to the bottom of the shaft and the rudder is just aft of the propeller.
Some of the advantages of an inboard powerboat engine are that it gives the boat a lower center of gravity and thus more stability and, although this continues to be debated, the straight inboard system seems to be the most simple and most efficient way to deliver power from the engine to the propeller.
The only two disadvantages that have been noted are that the inboard engine takes up a lot of space and that it is somewhat less maneuverable at low speed and when it is in reverse.
Tags: Inboard engines, Power Boat Engines, Power Boat Options, Power Boats
