23 Sceptre vs 23 CC ride delivery
 

the sceptre is a single mercruiser i/o and the CC was an 225hp outboard. I have never owned an i/o and not sure how the 2 boats will differ in ride. My guess is the CC is faster...anything else. Both are 70's vintage.
Thanks.

Re: 23 Sceptre vs 23 CC ride delivery
 

The center console will ride better. The cabin boat is forward and gives the ride a different feel. Go Center Console. I'm not a fan of I/O but I'm sure there are some who will argue that point

Re: 23 Sceptre vs 23 CC ride delivery
 

BARNABY55,
I'm not sure I would agree. About 2 months ago I got to follow a 23' Scepter I/O (don't know the year but probably late 70's) out of Port Canaveral in close spaced 2-3 foot seas. That boat did very well. The I/O puts the center of gravity low in in the middle of the boat. I believe these are also more stable at rest/anchor as the motor acts a ballist, where my 472 pound outboard sits up on top of the transom. Actually, the more I think about it, they may just ride different, not one better than the other. One thing is for sure, the I/O uses less gas than I do, but I run alot faster than he does. It just depends on what you are looking for. Slow stable cruise with fuel economy, or speed.
BTW, there is a thread that talks about this somewhere regarding the ride qualities of the CC vs the Cuddy/WA models. I will try to dig it up.

Re: 23 Sceptre vs 23 CC ride delivery
 

John, You get no argument from me..I just do not like I/O.Guess I just saw more nightmares than I cared to own. I'm sure there is an argument for either.

Re: 23 Sceptre vs 23 CC ride delivery
 

BARNABY55,
Ditto on the I/O. An inboard maybe, but I would never buy an I/O for offshore. I know people that do, but I'm just not comfortable with one for offshore. What I would really like to take a ride in is an inboard Sceptre, maybe with a Yanmar diesel. I don't know if one exist, but that would be an interesting combo.
seaojoe didn't mention safety as a criteria, but that would definitly be a concern with an i/o.

[ July 24, 2003, 10:18 PM: Message edited by: JohnB ]

Re: 23 Sceptre vs 23 CC ride delivery
 

John,
Just curious, in your opinion what is unsafe about an I/O?

Re: 23 Sceptre vs 23 CC ride delivery
 

Scott,
This is my opinion, and for my application.
I typically run offshore 25-35 miles to fish, and usually run at speeds between 32-40 mph.
With an I/O your have a large hole in the transom, that has a seal that keeps water from coming in. If something catastrophic happens to that seal, there is no pump that will keep up with the water coming in. With an outboard, you don't have "the big hole". Now if you maintain a boat correctly, replace the seal at regular service intervals, it probably/statisically not going to be a problem. Theoretically, I could have a plumbing failure with one of my thru-hull pickups, but at least there, I could use a sea-cock to stop the water from coming in.
With the big hole, until you pull the boat out of the water, or it sinks, water is going to come in. Back to my application, I probably cant get the speed out of an I/O that I get out of my outboard. I give up noise and fuel economy, but that's the tradeoff I'm willing to make. If you are running at 30 mph (which is hauling for an i/o), and hit something, there is the potential for the seal to partially or completly fail. I hit something with my outboard 6 months ago 22 miles out that completly destroyed the lower unit case, but at least I didn't have to worry about "the seal". We have alot of junk out in the gulf stream where I fish that comes floating by (pallets, containers from ships, trees, railroad ties, you name it).
That is pretty much my take on i/o vs outboard. I'm not trying to scare anyone away from an i/o, but for my application, the outboard fits me better.

[ July 25, 2003, 09:26 AM: Message edited by: JohnB ]

Re: 23 Sceptre vs 23 CC ride delivery
 

John,
Gotcha. I didn't even think about the "big hole in the transom" situation. Like you, I have an OB and I was just curious about your take on an I/O. Thanks.

BTW, how did you get back from 22 miles out? Did SeaTow run out there or did the Coasties take care of you?

Re: 23 Sceptre vs 23 CC ride delivery
 

Here is one of the few inboards I have found, check it out
http://www.projectboats.net/descript...ified.htm?1312
http://www.projectboats.net/pictures.html?1312
and here is an I/O, check out the hole in the back of the transom I was talking about
http://www.projectboats.net/pictures.html?1322
http://www.projectboats.net/description.html?1322

[ July 25, 2003, 08:24 PM: Message edited by: JohnB ]

Re: 23 Sceptre vs 23 CC ride delivery
 

Funny you guys should bring this topic up, up here on the Cape most commercial Striper fisherman that use SeaCrafts use center console I/O's there must be something to it I thought every early 23' CC I/O was on Cape Cod. Its not uncommon to see two or three of them come in, in a row when the wind is blowing. The same boats chase tuna later in the season. On any given day if you go where the fish are you will see a 23' I/O you cannot avoid it. I've wondered what the ride fells like between the two. I'm starting to think that the Cape has almost as many SeaCrafts as Florida [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

Re: 23 Sceptre vs 23 CC ride delivery
 

Well Spoken John,
Plus the gear failure and lines on the leg of the I/O

BTW. What did you catch the other day?

Re: 23 Sceptre vs 23 CC ride delivery
 

Scott,
Seatow came out and got us. By the time we got back to the dock 2.5 hours later, NOAA had posted small craft advisories. We were on our way back to the dock. SeaCrafts are great boats, but none of them are much good when not under power and at the mercy of the waves.
First time I have ever had to get towed in.

Re: 23 Sceptre vs 23 CC ride delivery
 

BARNABY55,
Slow day the other day,
Managed a couple of dolphin to 12 pounds, a king, some bonitas, and a couple of sharks.
Nice day on the water though. It beat sitting in the office, and we were back at the dock by 2 PM before the storms. Bad storm day late in the afternoon.

Re: 23 Sceptre vs 23 CC ride delivery
 

Jon G,
I wondered about the ride of a 23 CC I/O and a couple of weeks had the chance to take a ride, well sort of. My buddy has a 24 Silverhawk with a 300hp MerCruiser, and boy does it ride nice. The combination of being further back in the boat and the extra weight of the V8 really helps to smooth things out. I can only guess the SC rides the same way in an I/O config.

And you have that right, Cape Cod is the SC capital of New England. That's where I'll be looking when it's time for me to get my own. A few weeks ago while fishing out of Stage Harbor we passed a 23 CC I/O with a doghouse - sweet setup! He had 4 130's in the rod holders, you know what that means.

Re: 23 Sceptre vs 23 CC ride delivery
 

Thats funny, because there are probably I think more i/o's around here than anything else.Stating to see more o/b's but mostly on the newer boats, I use to fish offshore here alot from one and know a lot of folks that do.(canyons are 65 n miles off the beach)The only time I have seen seal failures are usually when left in the water sitting at a pier. Sea turtles are usually the main culprit but your occassional pallet also finds its way under your boat.Not saying that it couldnt happen but I think the chances are very low, and if it does you are going to be in pretty much the same type of trouble either way(except for the big hole).

Re: 23 Sceptre vs 23 CC ride delivery
 

I think your chances of taking a big drink over the transom in an OB and getting in trouble is more apt to happen than having a seal go on an IO.
Never heard of a boat sinking from losing a seal.Usually it would just leak,you have to pay attention to any build up of water in the bilge.

Re: 23 Sceptre vs 23 CC ride delivery
 

Great Discussion

I guess with a '75 Sceptre inboard I have the best of all worlds, ride, transom and no big hole. I guess the worst cast is the prop shaft or rudder shaft leaving the boat, what are the chances?

The ride thing is subjective but I'd bet a CC inboard would win. Let's face it, these boats do better than most, that's why we're here.

Re: 23 Sceptre vs 23 CC ride delivery
 

Newer I/O's are not like the older ones at all. If you have a pre 1986 OMC I/O then yes the boat could sink with that style seal set up. Anything newer if the bellow goes it will not sink the boat. THe water has to pass thru such small areas to enter the boat. Will it leak in fast yes but your bilge pump will keep up with it. If you purchase anything newer then a 1998 maintain it like you should, they are very trouble free. Me im a outboard man but many people love there I/Os. Many I/O's the boat owner can do alot of there own work to them even the newer EFI systems. THe boat owner and even you back door techs can not work on the newer DI's and 4 strokes out there. Outboards are getting so advanaced they should put a lock on the cover to keep the owners hands out of it.

Re: 23 Sceptre vs 23 CC ride delivery
 

I have a 76 23'Sceptre with a 225 Ficht on the transom. This past weekend I was headed offshore out of Freeport Texas and my EMM cratered 5nm off the jetty. Resulted in a tow from Boat Us, luckily I had insurance and was not 50nm offshore.
It openeded me up to a whole new perspective of feeling helpless when the computer fails, there is nothing you can do. My motor only has 190 hrs and is in excellent condition. DFI is the vendor for Evinrude and it's going to be $700+ in parts only to fix it.
Anyone know of issues with EMM failures on any brand outboard? I need to learn more about why.
Be careful out there and always carry your sea anchor (drift sock) to cut down on the wave action when drifting.

Re: 23 Sceptre vs 23 CC ride delivery
 

For this post I meant to add...
Friday I fished offshore on a buddy's 01 23' CC with a 225 Optimax in 3 foot seas. The boat is cherry and rides very well with a crew of 3 and all the gear. It does ride different than my 23 Sceptre, even with trim tabs. Obviously my old Sceptre is heavier, especially in the nose so the ride is different and it's noticed on the rentry by the amount of spray curling back over the cowling. I think the hulls are the same and with trim tabs you can push the nose down but can't compensate for the nose weight.
I did like the open bow of the CC and truthfully have always been a CC guy. Both boats have their pros and cons but both also catch fish which is what counts.

Re: 23 Sceptre vs 23 CC ride delivery
 

Lars, what year is your motor?

Re: 23 Sceptre vs 23 CC ride delivery
 

I have a 23'CC with a 350 Horizon and a Bravo 3 drive. I cruise around 30 knots and get 2 miles to the gallon. I feel that this is one of the best sea boats in its class. We run 30-50 miles offshore and have never felt the least bit uneasy about it. Like anything else there are maintenance issues we change the boot every season and keep a watchful eye on all the systems as any good captain should. I dare say if you hit anything that would tear the drive off a boat than there will be signicant damage to the hull as well.

My thoughts for you all.

Captain Brian Rice

Re: 23 Sceptre vs 23 CC ride delivery
 

Just curious guys, as the designated caretaker of a 20cc i/o(120/140 Mercruiser w/ Alpha 1 Gen II drive) what kind of rpm do you all run when cruising. I was always under the impression that cast iron pushrod engines(NASCAR engines excepted)would not live long at high(over3000)rpm. I know a lot of boat owners that run thiers close to wide open a lot of the time(4000+rpm), and was wondering what kind of longevity one could expect under those duty cycles. I guess if it takes 5 years to rack up 500 hrs before a repower, it doesn't seem so bad. What is a realistic lifetime in hours for the average gas i/o powerplant? Or straight inboard, for that matter?
Pat in MD