Weight difference between I/O and Outboard boat?

I've been looking at used boats and I noticed that boats that have an I/O engine are about twice the weight of boats that have an outboard motor. For example, a 17' bowrider with an I/O sterndrive weights almost 2000 lbs, whereas a 17' Outboard bowrider only weighs about 900 lbs. Does this sound right to you guys? Weight does matter to me because my towing vehicle would be a V6 Ford Ranger.

That doesn't sound right to me. I've owned both and to me, it really all depends on where your going to be using this vessel at. A I/o isgreat for fresh water, I prefer them, but you get into brackish or salt water, and ohh what a nightmare. You can't keep um clean, you can't flush um out the way there suppose to be. I dunno if that helps or not, but I tried. Oh ya, and outboards are less expensive to work on and maintain!

Yep, thats about right. Keep in mind- the sterndrive model weight includes the engine and drive, the outboard model weight is hull only. As well, outboards have a much better hp to weight ratio than a sterndrive. As example, let's take your 17' bowrider. Without any engine or drive, both a sterndrive hull and an outboard hull will weigh almost the same. 17' sterndrives usually come with a140 hp 4 cylinder engine and drive- total weight about 800-1000 lbs. A comparable 4 stroke 140 hp outboard weighs in at around 450 lbs- less than half the weight of the sterndrive.

Yes the inboard engine will in most cases weigh more than an outboard engine.