Agreed on the top speed. But if that's a priority, I'd skip the I/O
altogether and go with an outboard. By "better ride", I mean a more
comfortable platform, easier motion, even when dead in the water. For
spending all day long in a moderate sea, I'd rather have my weight
concentrated low and in the middle. It makes a big difference in the
way you feel at the end of the day.

Rick.

On 5/14/05, t.thomas wrote:
It may or may not have a better ride depending on hull design. But it would
be slower since you have all that engine weight moved forward. Trying to
trim that much weight out to reduce water drag on the hull would be
impossible. Probably whey they stopped making it.

--
Tony
my boats and cars at http://t.thomas.home.mchsi.com

-
wrote in message
.. .
On 5/13/05, t.thomas wrote:
Unless the boat is big enough to have true inboard(s), an I/O is going to
be
in the way for fishing. This is why you see very few I/O fishing boats.

A few I/O boats have been built with the engine amidships. They use a
jack shaft running under the cockpit sole to the drive unit.
Wellcraft had that option in a few of its models at one time. For an
I/O, it seemed like a better arrangement to me. Like a straight
inboard, it would have a better ride plus more room at the transom.

Rick