Thank you for your long and detailed responses. Your experience and advice are very useful and helpful for us. We shall continue to think of options.

Thank you for these thoughts. I am a qualified engineer so I understand your points clearly. The conditions we have here quite often in the afternoon are: a wind of force 5 / 6 (above 20 knots); plus a tide of 4 to 5 knots through the narrow gap between the Isle of Wight and the mainland coast; and ...

We are considering purchasing an IF without inboard. We intend initially to use the boat for coastal cruising and in the very busy waters of the Solent in UK, with several crowded marinas. In places, tidal currents here also reach 4 to 5 knots. There are times when powerful engine drive and easy ...