Description of a Marine Motor
- Cruiseships are powered by massive inboard motorsImage by Flickr.com, courtesy of Tony Hisgett
The size of inboard motors varies in relation to the size of the craft which it powers. Large carrier ships contain massive inboard engines that can weight several tons. Smaller watercraft, such as riverboats, operate on a smaller, single cylinder engines. Most inboard motors are cooled during operation by way of a water intake mechanism that utilizes the same water the vessel is traveling through. All submarine vessels use inboard motors. Inboard motors are fueled by either gasoline or diesel fuel. - Outboard motors are the most commonly used marine motorsImage by Flickr.com, courtesy of John Morgan
Outboard motors are self contained engines that are mounted onto a vessel. They are the most common form of engine for watercraft. Small water craft can operate on low power outboard motors that are steered by hand with a tiller. The largest outboard motors operate using eight cylinders and are used on boats that are longer than 35 feet. The three main parts of an outboard motor are the power-head, the midsection (exhaust) and the lower unit (propeller). Outboard motors can be electric, or fuel by gasoline or diesel fuel. - An inboard motor propellerImage by Flickr.com, courtesy of Paul Englefield
Both inboard and outboard marine motors use propulsion force to allow vessels to travel on top of or through water. In marine propulsion, engine power turns a propeller, which moves water in a direction opposite of that in which the boat is intended to travel. The speed that the watercraft travels correlates to the speed at which the propeller turns. - Significant damage can be caused to the propellers that drive outboard motors if caution is not taken to avoid the ground in shallow water. Sand and rocks can cause propellers to break and become inoperable. In addition, plant life such as grasses and seaweed can become entangled in outboard propellers and render them inoperable.
- SailboatImage by Flickr.com, courtesy of Mikul
Many modern sailboats are equipped with inboard or outboard motors to allow for continued transportation during conditions in which wind propulsion is not viable.
