POWER TALK

INDUSTRY’S FIRST V10

Mercury Marine has introduced the industry’s first V10 outboard with the official launch of its 5.7L 350 and 400hp Verado® outboard engines.

“The all-new Mercury V10 Verado outboards are exactly what boaters have been asking for in a 350 and 400hp platform,” said Chris Drees, Mercury Marine president. “They are powerful, smooth and quiet. They have many of the same fuel efficiency-enhancing features that are synonymous with our high horsepower line-up.

“They also deliver the same kind of premium boating experience that has made Verado outboards legendary. The V10 Verado outboards solidify Mercury’s leadership position in the high-horsepower outboard market.”

Tim Reid, Mercury Marine vice president of product development and engineering, added: “We challenged our engineers to improve acceleration and overall performance with the new V10 Verado outboards, while also making them quieter and lighter than competitors’ outboards in this horsepower range. Once again they exceeded expectations while also incorporating technologies that make boat operation and maintenance intuitively simple.”

The V10 Verado engines will be compatible with a new Mercury electric steering system for multi-outboard vessels slated to start shipping in February 2023. The new system will reportedly offer enhanced steering responsiveness, dramatically simplified rigging and a more than 50 per cent reduction in energy consumption.

The development of these V10 outboards is a product of Mercury’s continued commitment to invest heavily in R&D and production capacity to keep up with customer demand. To that end, the company has invested $2B since 2008, and its manufacturing footprint has expanded to more than 275k m² .

Image: RYA/Laura Eaves

WIN A BOAT FOR YOUR CLUB

TheRYA Dinghy & Watersports ShowandSuzuki Marineare offering RYA Affiliated Clubs the chance to win a brand new Suzuki-powered Rigiflex Newmatic 360 safety boat with Extreme trailer, worth £6,400.

Celia Edgington, RYA shows manager, said: “This is an amazing prize package which stands to offer the winning club the opportunity to support even more people enjoying themselves on the water.”

Mark Beeley, head of ATV and Marine for Suzuki GB, added: “The Rigiflex Newmatic 360 is one of the most popular club safety boats on the market and when combined with the Suzuki DF9.9B is a very robust and durable package, which is well suited to the rigours of club use.

“The DF9.9B benefits from our unique battery-less electronic fuel injection and Lean Burn Fuel control, which make it extremely fuel efficient. It also features the Suzuki Function Tiller Handle, which is ergonomically designed to include throttle, throttle friction adjustment and gear shifting all on the tiller handle. This makes it incredibly easy to use, so is ideal for volunteers undertaking safety boat duty.” Enter: www.rya.org.uk/events/dinghy-show/win Cox Marine’s World Record* shines a spotlight on HVO as a more environmentally responsible marine fuel.

The COX Marine team, and its vessel Pegasus, hit the news when they clinched a World Record title for the world’s fastest diesel outboard. The team achieved a final average speed of 62.84mph, measured across the kilometre-long flying start course on Cumbria’s Coniston Water.

Published data from COX Marine’s Project Pegasus revealed that running the boat on HVO fuel offers a net CO2 saving over a comparable petrol outboard of 94 per cent.

James Eatwell, COX Marine’s head of R&D, said: “Of course the whole team are justifiably delighted with 62.84mph from a totally standard CXO300 pulled straight of the production line, but the real message is what the achievement says about HVO, other ‘future fuels’ and the clear benefits they can bring.

“We ran the engine on both HVO and diesel during the week, and it is important to state that in terms of the engine’s vital statistics, including oil and water temperatures, vibration, and of course RPM and top speeds achieved, the data showed comparable results between the HVO and marine diesel.

“In emissions testing prior to Coniston we actually saw a 40 per cent reduction in particulate matter emissions in running a CXO300 on HVO instead of diesel, tying in accurately with claims made by our HVO fuel provider and suggesting more complete combustion was being achieved with the HVO.”

There is an important point to make about HVO; it is a true ‘drop in replacement’ for conventional diesel. Tanks and fuel lines need not be cleaned when changing between the two fuels, and the CXO300’s ECUs will automatically reset and optimise the engine for the fuel in use, whether HVO or diesel, just as they do for the slightly different grades of diesel available around the world.

Explaining the CO2 emissions James said: “Because HVO is synthesised from renewable waste materials, such as used cooking oil, nonfood grade crop-based vegetable oil fractions and residue fat fractions, it has taken CO2 out of the environment for its production. Burning it in an engine then puts this previously removed CO2 back into the environment.

“Fossil fuel derived diesel, by comparison, in effect takes CO2 that was locked away as oil in the earth’s crust, which when combusted in an engine, releases this ‘new’ or additional CO2 into the atmosphere.”

GREENER FUEL CHOICES

*Record awaiting full official ratification by Union Internationale Motornautique

PRODUCTION SET TO START

One year on from making its global debut, Propel is close to completing the testing and development of its S1 electric outboard motor.

The Propel S1 will join the D1 inboard electric motor, which has been on sale since last summer, as well as its new B1 modular ‘suitcase’ battery solution. The B1 batteries will be available in stacks of four, six or eight packs to offer 6.8, 10.2 or 13.6 kWh capacities, offering the flexibility for future expansion and easy removal when a boat is inactive for long periods.

The European market for leisure marine outboard motors sees 200,000 sales per year and is worth US$900m. The rate of transition to electric motors is set to accelerate significantly in the coming few years as major cities plan to introduce new inland marine emissions legislation. For example, Amsterdam has decreed all vessels must be electric by 2025. As a result, it is forecast that 74 per cent of outboard motor sales in Europe will be electric by 2030.

“Leisure boat owners and operators will soon have no option but to switch to electric motors as cities implement new rules to clean up their waterways,” said Sander van Dijk, managing director and CTO of Propel.

Propel will begin series production of the S1 in early 2023.

POWER SHORTS

YANMAR Oyster Yachts has selected the Yanmar engine as standard fit for both the Oyster 565 and 595 yachts. In further news from Yanmar, the Yanmar Green Challenge 2050demonstrates the company’s intention to eliminate greenhouse gas emissions in its business activities and achieve zero environmental impact.

CAPOFORTE At this month’s Boot Düsseldorf the first electric model by Capoforte will be on display. The SQ240iwill be at the show featuring a Molabo ISCAD V50inboard motor, and it is also available with a Yamaha HARMO electric outboard motor. With its 7.38m length and 2.46m width, the Capoforte SQ240i can carry up to 10 people.

YAMAHA Yamaha Motor has announced plans for the adoption of plant-derived cellulose nanofibre reinforced resin for marine product parts, in line with the company’s mission to reduce CO2 emissions and its environmental footprint.