I/O or V Drive?

tony1b2000

tony1b2000

Active Member
Oct 10, 2007
243
Salem MA
Boat Info
Carver C37
Engines
Mercury Diesel 4.2 TDI, inboards
Been thinking about upgrading to the next size boat. Noticed a good deal on a 32 footer. BUT it has V drives. I am clueless with this type of drive and certainly would appreciate your opinions if I am to make such a purchase.

Thanks
 
This topic is well covered here. try a search.
 
I've had/have both. Went from a '04 300DA with Bravo III drives to a '08 330DA with 8.1 Horizons and V-Drives.

Couldn't believe the difference in slow speed maneuvering between the two. Much more control with inboards...can turn her on a dime, etc. Sticks only around the dock, even in heavy wind and current. Can't really do that as well with stern drives.

In terms of maitenance and repairs, V drives win hands down. Winterizing and commissioning costs me (my marina does it) about an hour or two of labor and some antifreeze for winterizing. Spring commisioning is one hour labor, no parts, and covers engines, genny, and AC. Can also store her wet (which I do every other year) which saves me a bundle. The stern drive 300 cost a small fortune....gasket kits, annode kits, gear oil changes, bellows, the list goes on and on.

Yes, stern drives are slightly more fuel efficient and somewhat faster but are you racing her? Lots of moving parts and headaches. Most of the issues I hear about at my marina are outdrive problems.

Now there is definitely alot more room to work in the bilge of a stern drive boat so if you do everything yourself that could be a huge advantage. I don't. I let my marina, and the midget they must have on staff, do the real work. I just check fluids, winterize the fresh water system, etc. myself.

One man's opinion? V drives win hands down!!

That said, I would suggest you demo both before making a decision. And when you do, spend time in all conditions....at the dock, wide open, etc.

Only you can decide what works!! Good luck!!
 
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I really could give a rat's a$$ about the speed and efficiency differential between i/o's and v-drives. It boils down to whether or not you want the exposure to aluminum corrosion and annual drive removal for servicing and resealing requires a haul-out and a trained technician with proper specialty equipment), plus a replacement drive every 5-6 years. With 2 Bravo III's you have power changing direction 3 times in 2 gear cases running under water.........with v-drives you have no mechanicals under water and you can service everything inside the boat yourself.

This one is a no-brainer for me.
 
Where I boat, there's a lot of sand bars, shoals, strong current, strong wind and fast tide changes, plus I slip in a getto marina that can get real shallow coming up the river. With the B3's I can come and go when I want, the bigger V drive boats have to play the tide.
Sure I've got more hardware in the water, but I've got the option to trim up to get out of trouble.
 
Since you're looking at a 32+ boat, and probaby boating in saltwater, v-drives are the only way to go; with the possible exception that you would be storing the boat on a lift, or indoors. Even under those circumstances, I would choose the v-drive. Ask for yourself those that have owned both. If you have a buddy with a v-drive, see if you can drive his a bit.

Don
 
I just traded up to v-drives from sterndrives and I will never go back! As was said above, the maneuverability is amazing. I do find that steering with v-drives, even on plane, is not as responsive as with sterndrives. You have to anticipate your steering.

I describe the difference as a helicopter versus an airplane. Both fly, but one has many less parts.
 
scoflaw said:
Where I boat, there's a lot of sand bars, shoals, strong current, strong wind and fast tide changes, plus I slip in a getto marina that can get real shallow coming up the river. With the B3's I can come and go when I want, the bigger V drive boats have to play the tide.
Sure I've got more hardware in the water, but I've got the option to trim up to get out of trouble.
Click to expand...

I have seen this quote several times and I just wanted say it is not always correct. Some boats like the 320 I used to own I think it was, has the same draft for a v drive as a bravo iii in the fulll trim position, full up. So be careful, out drives do not always mean less draft.
 
Since the original poster has stern drives I am sure he/she knows all the maintenance routines involving sterndrives. V-drives will only be a positive in that regard. As far as performance goes I recently have operated several v-drive boats of my dockmates and as a sterndrive owner noticed the following key 3 characteristics (most have been mentioned already):

1. The boat got on plane a lot faster and easier than I expected
2. Any difference in cruising speed compared to my 350MAG 300DA with BravoIII just didn't seem to matter - the boat was moving along and felt great - didn't really matter what the speedometer read.
3. The steering lag was a big surprise - I never really got used to it. My sterndrive turns like a car. When I feel a need to turn, I turn the wheel and the boat turns the way I expect it. With the v-drive boat, it took a while to "grab" and the turns were slow and gradual. I felt like I had to "schedule" my turns - couldn't just react.

I turned the helm back over to them for docking so I didn't experience that. But I am perfectly comfortable docking my sterndrive boat so if the v-drive is easier that wouldn't factor into the decision for me.
 
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trit21 said:
I have seen this quote several times and I just wanted say it is not always correct. Some boats like the 320 I used to own I think it was, has the same draft for a v drive as a bravo iii in the fulll trim position, full up. So be careful, out drives do not always mean less draft.
Click to expand...

And if full trim isn't enough, you've got the trailer mode to get you out of a jam. My hull can be on the bottom and the props can still be spinning freely.:wink:
 
For the "steering lag" on plane that was mentioned, I use the trim tabs and put the bow down on the opposite side of the turn... i.e. bow down on starboard side if turning left. This makes it turn on a dime!
 
scoflaw said:
And if full trim isn't enough, you've got the trailer mode to get you out of a jam. My hull can be on the bottom and the props can still be spinning freely.:wink:
Click to expand...
Slightly off topic, but does that damage your anti-foul paint? Newbie question I know, but I'm still trying to work out just how close I can get to a beach, and more importantly, what the consequences are if I get a little too close :)
 
trit21 said:
I have seen this quote several times and I just wanted say it is not always correct. Some boats like the 320 I used to own I think it was, has the same draft for a v drive as a bravo iii in the fulll trim position, full up. So be careful, out drives do not always mean less draft.
Click to expand...

You missed his point entirely. He said "....... I've got the option to trim up to get out of trouble." I have identical circumstances where I boat and if I couldn't lift the drive I wouldn't be able to do much of what I do on my boat.
 
I would go any shallower than a foot more than your min draft (3ft draft 4 ft of water) pasing wake my rock you enough to hit bottom. Watch for outgoing tide if you do that. To close with engines running can suck up sand damage bottom paint and hurt props along with getting stuck
 
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That sounds like a good rule - now I just need a sounder up front ;)

Nah, I've taken to coming in parallel if there are no breaking waves so I can get a decent reading, then turning away, move away a little and drop anchor, back in again.

Cheers.
 
Sorry guys but all this talk about 'getting out of trouble', 'hull on the bottom', 'get out of a jam', etc. makes me wonder where you guys are boating and why are you boating there? Seems most of you are in decent size boats that aren't inexpensive to acquire or maintain.

Even with the 300DA I had, I would never allow getting into anything shallower than at least a foot more than my draft, as noted above! You are risking all sorts of issues with your outdrives. Getting into shallows like that are what dingys are made for!!
 
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Wow, You guys have been great providing info. Thanks you! One other question, does anyone have [FONT=Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif]twin 377 MAG Mercruisers with Axius[/FONT]?
Just wanted your opinion with a smaller engine. Can it handle a boat this size?
Its one of the boats listed for sale among a V drive
 
I had them in a 350DA and they were OK. But for maintenance and piece of mind V drives is the way to go.
 
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