Miami 2015, The Year of the Big, Powerful Marine Engine

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This is shaping up to be the year of the big, powerful marine engine — if that’s what floats your boat, and if it doesn’t sink your bank account.

Fond du Lac, Wis.-based Mercury Marine Inc. last week unveiled some of the most powerful engines it has ever produced, including a 1,550-horsepower, stern-drive unit that can push a boat at speeds up to about 150 mph.

By changing electronic key fobs, the engine can be powered down to a maximum 1,350-horsepower for more modest activities such as fishing or a pleasure cruise with your family, although it still will run at speeds up to about 140 mph. The system allows a boater to switch from racing fuel, and the extreme top-end power it can provide, to conventional 91-octane gasoline and more moderate performance.

Mercury introduced the $230,240 unit — a price that includes the drive and transom; the engine alone is $163,467 — at the Miami International Boat Show in Miami Beach, Fla.

It’s the largest engine of its kind that Mercury has made for consumer use, and it gives boaters the taste of a race engine without having to use it in that mode all the time.

“So maybe a couple of times a year you will make that investment of buying 600 gallons of racing fuel, put that key in, and have absolute maximum power. But on the other weekends you will use pump gas, put the other key in and still have a boat with the big motor,” said Charles Plueddeman, a contributing writer for Boating Magazine, who lives in Oshkosh, Wis.

The Miami show, which runs through today, features more than 3,000 boats and 2,000 exhibitors. Besides Mercury Marine, several other Wisconsin companies are at the event, including BRP Inc., which has its Evinrude outboard engines headquarters in Sturtevant, and Seven Marine, a Germantown firm that says it has the world’s largest outboard engine.

Seven Marine unveiled a 627-horsepower outboard that’s a supercharged, eight-cylinder, modified General Motors product. It’s well-suited for big boats where the manufacturer would rather have one or two outboard engines on the back than five, said spokesman Dave Kotlan.

An outboard motor is mounted on a boat’s transom outside the hull at the back of the vessel. A stern-drive engine combines the gear case of an outboard with an engine that’s mounted within the hull, under the deck.

Recreational boating is in better shape these days, with modest sales gains, after it experienced one of the worst periods in its history during and after the 2008-09 recession. New boats, including the more expensive ones, are selling as consumers feel more confident about the economy.

In good times, “typically we see a little more risk-taking,” said Christopher Berg, director of marketing and strategic planning for BRP Inc.

In addition to the stern-drive engine, Mercury introduced its largest outboard ever: a 400-horsepower unit priced at $31,530 that can run on 89-octane gasoline.

It’s part of the quest for more power to drive bigger boats. In Miami, a 42-foot boat had five of the new Mercury Verado 400R engines mounted on it, said Kevin Hellman, business development program manager for Mercury’s racing-engine division.

Plueddeman said he took a ride on a boat with four of the 400R engines on it, reaching a top speed of 97 mph. He also hitched a ride on a 30-foot pontoon vessel with twin 300-horsepower outboards.

“You could put 20 people on that boat and still have plenty of elbow room,” he said.

Mercury also introduced a 350-horsepower outboard, with a price of $24,290, that’s a bit less powerful than the 400R but is still aimed at big boats and could replace some twin 200-horsepower engines currently in use.

Both the new Mercury outboards have joystick controls available, for easier steering of the boat, and a gadget called Skyhook that uses GPS to keep a boat in position, without moving, while hanging out at a fishing hole or a diving spot, or waiting for an overhead bridge to open.

“There’s a lot of versatility in these motors. They’re going to find homes on all kinds of boats, even in Wisconsin. I expect to see one of these on Lake Winnebago this summer,” Plueddeman said.

Evinrude E-TEC engines won a National Marine Manufacturers Association product innovation award at the Miami show. BRP says those engines, ranging from 200 to 300 horsepower, have 15 percent better fuel efficiency and 20 percent more torque than leading competitors, and up to 75 percent fewer pollutants.

BRP is using the Miami show to demonstrate a biofuel additive it has spent thousands of hours testing in partnership with the U.S. Department of Energy.

Biobutanol could replace ethanol as an additive blended with gasoline. Unlike ethanol, it isn’t harmful to marine engines when used at higher blends, according to BRP.

With some advancements in microbiology, the production of biobutanol could become more cost-effective, and the fuel could be more widely available in about five years.

“It really is a potential game-changer,” said Jeff Wasil, an engineering manager in engine emissions testing for BRP-Evinrude.

http://www.duluthnewstribune.com/new...-marine-engine

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Mercury Racing 1550 sterndrive

Mercury Racing’s new QC4v 1550 dual-calibration sterndrive is designed for race consumers looking for the thrill of a 1550hp race engine with the option of running as a recreational 1350 on pump gas. It features an advanced control system that enables the operator to switch engine power level via an electronic key fob. The Race key fob turns the engine into a purebred race machine – pumping out 1,550 horsepower on 112 AKI race fuel. The Pleasure key fob is selected when a more leisure ride is in order, creating 1350 hp on 91 octane (98 RON) pump fuel. Both fuel calibrations provide maximum torque and efficiency and are designed to optimize the engine performance at each power level.

The electronic fobs work off of Mercury’s Theft Deterrent System (TDS). The Race/Pleasure key fobs provide the operator visual cues via an interactive VesselView display. One key fob controls the horsepower output of multiple engines. The Theft Deterrent System (TDS) disables the vessel when an assigned electronic key is not engaged. The dual calibration enhances consumer value by offering essentially two engines in one, both backed by a factory warranty.

This is a fully integrated control system with switchable engine calibrations, greatly enhancing the boater’s experience by providing the option to switch to pump gas when in areas where 112 AKI fuel is not available or when full race performance is not desired.

The 1550 is the latest generation of Mercury Racing’s exclusive QC4v (quad cam four valve) engine platform. Engine durability has been enhanced with forged race pistons designed for 112 AKI race fuel for maximized torque and efficiency.

An all-new intercooler filter with stainless steel element and housing is designed for ease of removal and cleaning while keeping smaller debris, such as sand, from entering the intercooler. The 1550 also features an engine-mounted hot lead for ease in rigging to vessel battery isolators.

The 9.0-liter quad cam four valve (QC4v) cylinder block and head design, combined with SmartCraft Digital Throttle & Shift (DTS), provides big power with luxury-car-like drivability. With the dual calibration of the 1550, you get both a race boat and a high-performance pleasure boat.

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Verado 400R

At a staggering 153 horsepower per liter, the all-new Mercury Racing Verado 400R outboard is the most powerful consumer outboard ever produced by Mercury and provides the highest power-to- weight ratio of all four-stroke outboards in its class, achieved through a number of advancements to the proven 2.6L Verado platform. This powerhouse is designed to complement the latest generation of lightweight, high-performance deep-V and center-console boats. The Racing Verado 400R is also the perfect fit for performance catamarans, larger bay boats, and high-performance pontoons.

The 400R features a custom performance calibration, along with a cold-air induction system for improved air flow and power development while significantly reducing intake noise for improved sound quality. An all-new water-cooled supercharger is designed to reduce intake temperatures and significantly increase air density, enabling the engine to generate unprecedented torque and unmatched acceleration all the way from the lower end of the power band up to the 7,000 rpm maximum engine speed. Electronic knock control enables the engine to safely run on 89 octane (95 Ron) fuel when the recommended premium 91-octane (98 RON) fuel is not available to maximize performance.

The 400R is the first Verado to feature the race-proven Sport Master gearcase with low water pickups for added performance.

The Mercury Racing Verado 400R is available in classic Phantom Black or Cold Fusion White to complement virtually any boat hull color. Cold Fusion White models feature Racing blue accent graphics from the factory, and accent graphics are available from Mercury Racing in six additional options for the ultimate customization.

The Verado Racing 400R is the first Mercury Racing outboard to feature Joystick Piloting for Outboards (JPO) technology. Mercury Digital Throttle & Shift (DTS) replaces the lag and hesitation of traditional throttle and shift cables with digital precision, resulting in smooth shifting and instant throttle response. Mercury Racing’s ergonomic, high-style Zero Effort® Digital controls go hand-in-hand with Joystick Piloting for an intuitive control experience.

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Mercury Marine Looks Back at Successful Miami International Boat Show

Mercury Marine launched four new engines at the 2015 Miami International Boat show, but what does the marketplace have to say about the new offerings?

"It's a new benchmark," said Skip Braver, President, Cigarette Boats.

Fond du Lac, Wisconsin (PRWEB) February 26, 2015

In the wake of a successful Miami boat show, Mercury Marine has released a new video showcasing its customers and dealers talking about the new engine launch. Mercury had cameras out on the water throughout the entire boat show, capturing video and testimonials about their new offerings.

Mercury launched four new engines in Miami; the Verado® 350hp outboard, Mercury Racing Verado 400R outboard, Mercury Racing QC4v 1550 sterndrive and Mercury 4.5-liter 200hp sterndrive.

The Verado 350 is the most powerful engine in Mercury’s class-leading Verado family of four- and six-cylinder supercharged FourStroke outboards, ranging from 175hp to 350hp. Built on Mercury’s proven supercharged inline six-cylinder Verado outboard engine, the Verado 350 delivers unsurpassed speed and overall performance without sacrificing durability and cruise fuel economy.

The highly efficient Verado 350, which operates on 89 octane gas with 91 octane recommended for full performance, provides up to 10% greater fuel economy than competitive outboards, which translates into 100 miles or more in additional range per fill-up and hundreds of dollars saved at the pump each year. Weighing just 668 pounds, Verado 350 is 95 pounds lighter than the nearest four-stroke competitor. True to the Verado brand, the new 350 provides class-leading performance. This engine has superior torque across the operating range, creating rocket like hole shot and faster top-end speed.

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Of course, the biggest @ 1947 HP........