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I have a question for all the Captains out there Is it easier to maneuver twin I/O or twin outboards or twin inboards and why?
I'm talking about pivoting port and starboard with just your engines
Thank you for all the replies
as far as putting one in forward and one in reverse to rotate here is how it breaks down:
Outboards: doesn't work very well. People with outboard boats might think it works well, but not once they have run an inboard boat. Like wiley said, it is usually better to use one engine and turn the wheel. The reason it doesn't work is because outboards are mounted so far aft, and so close together.
I/O: Works better than outboard in most situations, especially on large beam boats where they are mounted far apart. The props are still a little too far aft to be really effective. The boat will spin when one is put in forward and one in reverse, but it is still more effective to use one engine and turn the wheel - although I/O owners might think differently (until they run an inboard boat)
Inboard: Very effective - put one in forward and one in reverse and the boat will spin within it's own length.
No question, that inboards are the easiest. This alone would not stop me from and I/O or outboards. You get use to outboards very quickly and they eventually becomes easy too. It's all a matter or anticipation.
Boston Whaler, "MUMBLER", 24' Outrage, twin 175 HP Evinrude Ocean Pros. Snowball, the cat...
YachtJim,
I disagree with that. Yes, Inboards by far are the best/easiest to manuever. But between I/O and Outboards, all the twin outboards I've been on have been MUCH easier than I/O's.
My Abaco spins perfect within the lenght of the boat with one fwd and the other in reverse. I'm also suprised Wiley can't do it?? If did what Wiley said(use one motor), I wouldn't get anywhere. I always use both motors to manuever, by keeping them both straight and using the throttles only.
I didn't mean to say it can't be done, I was just saying that if you have the ability to turn the wheel and use one engine then why wouldn't you? Manuevering outboard and I/O boats is so easy becasue you are able to turn the wheel, where with inboard boats they operate more like an army tank.
Generally speaking, twin inboard props are further apart then twin O/B's or Twin I/O's. The further they are appart, the more "pivot" motion will occur when setting the two props in opposite directions.
You are right in that you don't use the steering wheel on an inboard. That's because you really require too much motion for the rudder to effect direction. With the ability to reverse one engine or another, it change in direction is immediate and without need for forward or reverse motion. I think that anyone that has experienced all of these options for any length of time will agree that the twin Inboards are the easiest to manuver.
id say center of prop to center of prop is about 5' on my GB 260... and she will spin pretty fast. I dont think you can "walk" an outboard sideways as well as twin inboards becase ob's are a bit further aft.... but none the less i can turn the boat pretty damn quick with just the throttle. I will say that using the outside motor in a tight turn ONLY seems to be nearly as good though.
I/O’s with two props, Bravo III and Duo Prop, back down much more effectively than single prop outboards or I/O’s. This is an advantage in tight maneuvering, both when backing and when pivoting.
I also have twin outboards set close together. I have learned that using one (outside) motor works best for me. If I’m in a stiff crossing or quartering wind I will work the motors against each other but I do not like to rev the reverse motor as much as it takes to spin the boat. The answer to the original question is inboards because 1. The width between the screws 2. The position of the screws in relation to the hull and 3. The size of the screws.
the twin IB spin like a top, and you can do
just about anything with gears alone, not even
touching the throttles...neither twin OB or IO
seem to really have anything like the inboard`s
responsiveness. dan
yacht jim and the others hit the key point. It's really a simple physics thing. The farther apart the rudders/wheels are, the easier it will work. The only outboard boat I haveever used throttles to maneuver is a 36 Contender, and that's because the port and starboard motors have another one sitting between them thus they are pretty far apart.
This sounds like a lot of Compromising
1. The inboards requier more draft and turn hard with the weel
2. I/O don't turn well with shift but do turn well with weel and need less draft
3. OB well what can I say they turn good require little draft but don't work well with shifting is that about right
Maneuvering your boat 
Boston Whaler, "MUMBLER", 24' Outrage, twin 175 HP Evinrude Ocean Pros. 
Snowball, the cat... 
