Seaswirl Striper 2101 WA: Outboard or Stern Drive? YOU Be the Judge!


In this age of increasingly generic brands with most automobiles and many boats looking virtually the same, it is a
pleasant surprise to find a builder who gives the consumer a choice not only of
engine brands but also of engine types in the same model! Seaswirl is one of only two major
builders offering a 21’ walkaround in both an outboard or stern drive configuration.
But now that we are given the option, which one is best? That’s the trouble with
having a choice – consumers need to think about what they really need, what would
be the advantages and disadvantages of each.



Seaswirl 2101 WA

Seaswirl is one of only two major builders of a 21’ walk around which offers the boat in
either outboard or stern drive configurations – but which is best?

See our
video review of the Striper 2101 WA --


See all Seaswirl boat tests -- 


It is only on rare occasion that we get a chance to look at a boat that has two
different types of power options. This is one of them and we hope you will join
us as we sort through some of the issues involved with deciding which is the best
engine type for a particular application.



We have not yet tested the 2101 WA, but we have tested the 2101 DC. To see that test, click here… 



A big reason why you don’t see more stern drive powered fishing boats in the 21-foot
class is because cockpit space is at a premium and most anglers don’t want to give
it up just to have a stern drive engine. But Seaswirl has eliminated that objection!



If you look closely at the two designs you will see that in the outboard version
the live bait well is just forward of the outboard engine well. In the stern drive
version, this is precisely where the engine goes! The live bait well is located
in the starboard stern quarter of the boat.



So, take a look and tell us which configuration you prefer and why. (Please answer
in the space provided below.)



Seaswirl 2101 WA Stern Drive Floor

Advantages of Stern Drives


1. Miles Per Gallon at Best Cruise. Historically, stern drive engines
were more fuel efficient than 2-stroke outboards by a large margin. But with the
advent of 4-stroke outboards, then electronically controlled, fuel injected outboards,
stern drive engines have largely lost that advantage. These days even 2-stroke outboards
are competitive. Nevertheless, stern drive engines probably still have a slight
advantage here.


2. Quieter. Again, outboards have made great strides and when it
comes to noise suppression, they have improved greatly. Still, by and large, at
best cruise speeds stern drive boats still register lower numbers on our noise tests.
Our readings are taken at the helm. Be advised that that our dBa meter picks up
all sound produced during our testing and not just that of the engine. So if there
is a rattle or some sort of resonance in the boat, that will be picked up, too.


3. No Engine Protrusion. Many fishermen object to the protrusion
of an engine at the stern of the boat where they do most of their fishing. When
fighting a fish, the outboard can get in the way. Yes, a stern drive’s lower unit
can snag a line too, but since there is no engine in the way it is easier to avoid
trouble with a stern drive. Then there is just plain asethics. Many people feel
that the lines are more flowing and graceful without an outboard motor perched on
the transom.


4. Lower Cost. On the Seaswirl Striper 2101 WA the stern drive
model powered by the Volvo Penta 4.3L 190-hp GL is $38,349 compared with $40,014
for the outboard version powered by a 150-hp Evinrude E-TEC. You get 40 extra horses
and save $1,665 in the process. You do not have to buy the Volvo Penta 190, you have
a choice of 11 different stern drive packages, including two diesel engines, from
both MerCruiser and Volvo. See below:


Volvo

• 4.3 GL -190 HP


• DuoProp Outdrive


• 4.3 GXi - 225 HP


• DuoProp Outdrive


• 5.0 GL - 220 HP


• DuoProp Outdrive


• 5.0 GXi - 270 HP


• DuoProp Outdrive


• 5.7 Gi - 280 HP


• DuoProp Outdrive


• D3-190 DIESEL (includes DuoProp Outdrive) - 190 HP


MerCruiser


• 4.3L TKS - 190 HP


• 4.3L MPI - 220 HP


• 5.0L TKS - 220 HP


• 5.0L MPI - 260 HP


• 1.7 MS DIESEL - 120 HP


5. Easier to Find a Mechanic. Since all gasoline engines offered
by both engine makers are marinized versions of the GM Vortec block there are a
lot of auto mechanics who can work on your engine. However, like automobiles these
days, the introduction of electronic control and the little black boxes, means that
a backyard wrench is more limited these days in what he can do. It is better to
go to an authorized Mercury or Volvo Penta dealer.




Seaswirl 2101 WA Outboard Floor


Advantage of Outboards


1. Less Weight. The heaviest Evinrude 150-hp unit for saltwater
weighs 415 lbs. The Volvo Penta 4.3GL 190-hp engine with lower unit weighs a total
of 922 lbs. The weight savings here alone is 502 lbs. – more than the weight of
the whole outboard. Remember that the motor is a 2-stroke. The other outboard options
weighs 510 lb. for the Mercury Verado and 402 lbs. for the Yamaha 4-stroke 150-hp
engine.


2. Ease of Maintenance. There is nothing easier than having a boat
on a trailer in a boatyard, or in your driveway, and being able to stand up while you
are doing regular maintenance on your outboard engine. That compared to crouching
down and reaching around a stern drive engine in an area that is inherently confining,
gets a nod from most owners we know. And if there is serious trouble with the outboard,
you can simply get some friends together and wrestle it into your truck and take
it to your outboard service center. Try doing that with a stern drive engine.


3. The Lower Unit Tilts out of Saltwater. This is a biggy for people
who live on saltwater. Stern drive boats need to be trailered or hoisted out of
the briny. If your outboard boat is properly set up, you simply power tilt your
engine up and forget about it. The skeg and bullet may grow some grass, but it is
nothing like the mess you will have with a stern drive lower unit immersed in salt
water.


4. Easy to Flush Out. Once you are done for the day, it is always
a good idea to flush out your engine in saltwater. Virtually all outboards have
handy ports to attach to your garden hose for flushing. Stern drive engines are
problematical, and if you are in saltwater, you should really have a freshwater
cooling system on your boat. Winterization is also considered by most owners to
be easier on an outboard.


5. It Can Take More Abuse. Many boaters run their boats in rivers
that get skinny and on lakes here there are logs, deadheads and uncharted boulders
under the water. Our readers tell us that they feel that they are less likely to
incur costly damage if they hit something with their outboard’s lower unit vs. that
of a stern drive. They also tell us that their experience is that less damage is
done to the internal parts of an engine if they have a mishap with an aluminum prop
vs. a stainless steel one.



Following are the outboard options that are available on the Seaswirl 2101 WA:


Yamaha


• F150 TXR - 4 Stroke


• F200 TXR - 4 Stroke


• F225 TXR - 4 Stroke 

Evinrude

• E150 DPX - 2 Stroke ETEC


• E175 DPX - 2 Stroke ETEC


• E200 DPX - 2 Stroke ETEC


• E200 DHX - 2 Stroke ETEC


• E225 DPX - 2 Stroke ETEC


Mercury


• 150XL VERADO - 4 Stroke


• 175XL VERADO - 4 Stroke


• 200XL VERADO - 4 Stroke


• 225XL VERADO - 4 Stroke



After reading all of this, you will be either more confused than ever, or possibly
have some idea which way you want to go, outboard or stern drive.


Now, we would appreciate input from our readers – which way would you go and
why?