Anyone question the impact of outboard boats?

3,135 HP on this HCB:

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DWABoat said:
I work around both types now and have for many years. I think Mercury’s and Penta’s I/O divisions design teams better face the reality of the challenges facing them in the next decade. O/B’s are kicking tail and taking names.
The sleek look and topside aft space of the inboards and I/O’s are all they have left to compete with.
I/O designers can win this battle, I believe.
1. Make maintenance easier. Some changes like remote oil and fuel filters have helped. More can be done.
2. The ridiculous design of the upper steering pin seal must be improved. Having to pull an engine or hack into a $2000 transom assembly to change a $5 seal - seriously? Is that the best you can do? Change the design of the driveshaft to make the bellow above the waterline at rest. Our insurance cost would be lower for sure.
3. Maybe experiment with carbon fiber or some composite coated outdrives to eliminate the corrosion issue forever. If only stainless steel props and tabs are in the water would dissimilar metals be a problem?
As long as O/B’s can be tilted up and serviced standing up, salespersons can make a convincing case for the choice.
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I thought Mercury's SeaCore technology went a long way to solving the corrosion problems with I/Os. Pod drives would otherwise seem to be as vulnerable to corrosion as I/Os, but yet they managed to make those engines out of materials that resist corrosion. I don't see why I/Os couldn't have a similar level of corrosion resistance if only the right materials were applied, along with indirect cooling. Is there any reasons that I/O outdrives and their exposed components couldn't be made of the same kind of exotic bronzes or stainless steels?

I think the other problem is just a general lack of investment and market failure. Mercury has had a huge captive market in Sea Ray which has served as a disincentive for product improvement and innovation. Sea Ray can't scold Mercury's I/O division and say "we're buying elsewhere until you give us low-maintenance, corrosion resistant power".

There's really nothing wrong with I/Os that couldn't be fixed with some engineering.
 
Volvo pods and props are Nibral. Part of why the pod option is a $50k upcharge. The fundamental problem is dissimilar metals. After all sterndrives with aluminum props do not have the inherent corrosion issues that those with Stainless props exhibit.

However, I don’t think making a sterndrive housing and props out of nibral is a viable solution. Certainly cost is part of the reason, but I believe there are engineering barriers to such a solution. Because of the power transmission differences between diesels and gas power plants (slower revolution vs. high revolution to transmit the same energy), making sterndrive props out of nibral may not be viable.
 
Todd320 said:
That’s great, until you have to flush them! Maybe you can just attach one hose and it flushes all 5 of them?
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Not a problem....face it...if you can afford that boat, then you can afford to pay people like me to flush the motors for you. See...not a problem!
 
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