R23

[master-disaster]

What are the pro's & con's of the inboard 100 Diesel vs the outboard?
Looks like diesel is a thing of the past...
The fact that the 21EC is only an 8 knot machine kills that deal....
Still we want max cruise/PG and the ability to get from A to B a little faster.
Singed - cheap but realistic!
Anybody got a deal on the East Coast???

 

[baz]

RT has sold maybe less than 6 R-23 models with the Volvo stern drive diesel engine. Most R-23 model RT is selling these days is with the Yamaha F200 outboard.

Search this forum for the pro's & con's for each engine. You will find those hat have the inboard love their boats & engine and those that have the outboard love their boats & engine. It's obviously a personal choice.

 

[knotflying]

Usually, anyone that makes a choice about anything will always defend their choice and as said earlier it is a matter of personal preference. Diesels are known for their reliability, economical fuel consumption, torque and longevity. Outboards have made many advancements over the years and have brought those differences between the two closer together. So taking those out of the equation you start to look at exterior/interior design, ease of repair, cost of repair, noise differences. I have the diesel and cruise on long cruises at slow speeds, smelling the roses along the way. Some people like to get up and go because time is limited. The new outboard design feeds into the get up and go model. Additionally, in my opinion, the average boater feels more comfortable with an outboard. There are probably more people boating that prefer speed and then add in the familiarity of an outboard, hence a broader market for the manufacturer.
At this point there are personal pros and cons between each and it is a matter of what preferences an individual has. There is no right or wrong.

 

[ixlr8]

The R23 diesel and OB both use the same hull and I believe speeds are similar, the diesel being maybe 3-4 mph slower. You need to consider other things besides speed with respect to the R23. Is an open cockpit important to you, get the OB. Is a ton of storage space under the cockpit floor important to you, get the OB. Is open space off the swim deck important to you for either a dingy or fishing or whatever, then get the diesel. Is a quiet ride important to you, get the OB. Is fuel economy/range important to you, get the diesel. Is the "tug" look important to you, get the diesel. I think you should find a way to ride on each before you make your choice.

 

[Mschnitman]

Hello,

We are one of the 5 or 6 R23 sterndrive diesel owners.

Michael and Laurel Schnitman

 

[Capt’nKarl]

As a previous R-21EC owner who traded “up” to the R-23 I can give you some prospectives about the differences I see in these two fine boats. The R-21EC is a fuel miser. You can go a long way on 18 gallons of diesel but just not very fast.
The R-23 can get you somewhere fast but burns a lot of fuel doing so. We merged these two attributes so we have the pleasure of going slow and not burning a lot of gas but have the capability of getting somewhere quickly should the need arise. Comfort comes next. The R-21 can get cramped when going on long cruises and there’s little space to get comfortable if the weather doesn’t cooperate. The R-23 has more room and more comfort period. It’s all a matter of preference but having had the 21 and now the 23 we wouldn’t go back.
Cheers

 

[Brian98133]

I love our OB R23 because I like to 'tinker' with the engines of my boats, and my last few boats were larger inboards with V-drives. Getting older and a bit less flexible, I found it hard to get into the cramped spaces in most (all of my own) engines compartments. The OB makes tinkering SO much easier! 😀

The one downside to me (each has their own set of standards, of course) is the higher center of gravity in an already narrow (my first boat in many years less than 10.5' in beam) hull gives way to feeling like a cork floating in the water. I have to imagine the IB's have a much more stable feel.

The rest are 'upsides' for myself and my wife: Quieter, faster when we want, and for the first time in over 25 years, thrust vectoring! I had forgotten how nice it was to be able to manipulate the prop's thrust. I admittedly had quite the 're-learning' curve after so many years of IB's, but I believe it makes maneuvering this boat easier - especially since it's such a light boat and is quite affected by wind.

I can't speak to fuel economy since the Yamaha F200 SIPS fuel as compared to my last boats... so I am just tickled pink to see less than 25GPH in my fuel consumption. :mrgreen:

 

[HudsonRanger15]

Greetings,
I owe one of the Volvo Penta 170 HP diesel I/OB R23. I previously owned an R21. I wanted the tug clean line look so I went with the diesel. I have gotten her up to 34 knots, I cruise nicely at around 20 knots. Its heavier but durable , although I have less cock pit room, I use the swim step to store the cooler. She's a great boat, either way , these boats are well put together. I trailer her and can go anywhere on the coast to explore.

 

[BB marine]

Greetings,
I owe one of the Volvo Penta 170 HP diesel I/OB R23. I previously owned an R21. I wanted the tug clean line look so I went with the diesel. I have gotten her up to 34 knots, I cruise nicely at around 20 knots. Its heavier but durable , although I have less cock pit room, I use the swim step to store the cooler. She's a great boat, either way , these boats are well put together. I trailer her and can go anywhere on the coast to explore.

Personally I think you have the best of both worlds. Ability to have performance when needed and fuel economy when not needing to go fast. I'm not sure why Fluid Motion didn't market their true planeing hull boats with stern drives ( diesels ) optional and Outboards. Probably because they could not produce enough boats. They would be selling to two market groups.

I like outboards and feel they are as reliable as the new common rail diesels. There are pluses and minuses in handling a boat with a motor hanging far aft. I personally think a R25 with a 220 hp Volvo diesel Duo prop sterndrive would be a fantastic running boat. I would be all over a R27 with a D4 270 hp Volvo Duo prop. I believe the weight distribution would be better providing a better ride and overall handling.

This is all speculation and my opinion. It is not going to happen but fun to talk about.