23 Sceptre vs 23 CC ride delivery

seaojoe · #1 07-24-2003, 04:38 PM

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.

BARNABY55 · #2 07-24-2003, 06:05 PM

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

JohnB · #3 07-24-2003, 10:53 PM

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.

BARNABY55 · #4 07-24-2003, 11:04 PM

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.

JohnB · #5 07-24-2003, 11:17 PM

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 ]

ScottM · #6 07-25-2003, 09:55 AM

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

JohnB · #7 07-25-2003, 10:23 AM

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 ]

ScottM · #8 07-25-2003, 12:38 PM

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?

JohnB · #9 07-25-2003, 09:21 PM

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 ]

Jon G · #10 07-25-2003, 10:14 PM

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]