I'd want to avoid volvos later offerings just because they are so dealer dependent although a lot of folk speak highly of the d4 & d6 & later d3's Yanmar 4lh or yanmar would be my first choices there are a lot of yamahs diesel powered boats about which uses the same base toyota 4.2 engine as the 6lp but they stopped production about 10 years ago so some parts are hard to find but a good reliable engine all the same. Like anything in life - its all about choice and one size never fits allĪvoid the merc 1.7 they aren't a great engine & personally I'd want bigger than 130 for an inboard. Mate had a Botnia Targa with twin D4's, away complaining about repairs and maintenance, he sold it and brought a Boston with twin Merc's and now regretting he didn't do the change sooner And inboard installations are generally heavier and consequently poorer power to weight figures Noticeably better handling in rough water.

With regard to handling, inboard engines are low mounted whereas outboards are high mounted consequently the CG of an inboard boat is considerably lower that an equivalent outboard boat. No, when moored a leg will not raise out of the water anything like a outboard, my outboard completely clears the water Issues will arise if the boat is kept in the water permanently but that is the case with outboards too. That is until anything major requires work, then the fun starts accessing parts

Outdrive oil change just like the outboard lower unit. With regard to servicing, it's just like a car, engine oil and filter, air filter occasionally and fuel filter occasionally. It sounds like you've not expereinced a modern outboard set-up I'm sure there is a few other nos also on some rigs. No hydraulic steering pipes, no control cables, no fuel tanks, no auxiliary engines, no oil tanks and no grubby engine well. With a bit of forethought in the design of the engine compartment there is no loss of useful space, indeed, a flat engine cover is far more use than the dirty, sandy, salty and oilydrips rear deck of an open outboart rib.

Diesel inboard outboard