New Outboard Models

If the get-up-and-go in your outboards got up and went and never returned, it’s time to consider new power. So check out these new outboard models.

In recent years, many builders who only offered boats with inboard or I/O power are debuting new outboard models. Think Formula or Tiara. Outboard manufacturers responded to the increased demand by offering new products in a broader range. They are continuing to do so at an accelerated pace. Here are some of the newest outboards that debuted this year.

Mercury Marine

The Wisconsin-based manufacturer launched the Mercury 115 Pro SX in 2016. Now, there is the new 150 Pro SX, which was introduced at the 2018 Miami International Boat Show. According to John Buelow, Mercury Marine vice president of category management, this new four-stroke model is based on one of the company’s most successful engine platforms, the Mercury 150.

“Building on this solid foundation, Mercury engineered the new performance-tuned 150 Pro XS to be the quickest, lightest and most advanced high output outboard in its class,” says Buelow.

Mercury Marine 150 Pro XS features include:

Lightest weight: At 456 lbs., it’s 20 lbs. lighter than the closest competitive product.
Quick acceleration to give anglers a competitive advantage
Improved fuel efficiency
Superior protection against corrosion in saltwater environments

Mercury also announced its new outboard models would include the V-6 FourStroke. It was added to the outboard family with a horsepower range of 175, 200 and 225, plus a V-6 200-hp SeaPro commercial outboard. The new 3.4-liter V-6 platform employs a large displacement and set a new benchmark in the marine industry according to John Pfeifer, Mercury Marine president.

“They are the quietest, lightest, smoothest, quickest, and most fuel-efficient engines we have produced in this range,” he says. The new FourStroke engine weighs 475 lbs. and is the lightest weight in its class by more than 10 pounds. The 3.4L V-6 FourStroke achieves the best acceleration of the builder’s products and 20 percent more torque than the closest four-cylinder competitor at cruise.

Learn more at mercurymarine.com.

Seven Marine

In mid-2017, Volvo Penta acquired majority ownership of the Milwaukee, Wisconsin-based outboard manufacturer. However, the transition did nothing to slow down the innovative builder’s momentum. Seven Marine introduced two brand new models ranging from 527 to 627 horsepower. In addition, the company redesigned and enhanced their 627-hp model.

According to Rick Davis, Seven Marine president and CEO, the intent since the beginning has been to improve the outboard experience. The new product line furthers that vision. “With the market introduction of the 557 seven years ago, we revolutionized the outboard industry with luxury style and big power to carry larger boats. Now, with our Outboard Portfolio, we’re optimizing our product range to adapt to the ever-changing style, performance and reliability requirements of the expanding outboard market.”

The new outboards were built with Seven’s 6.2L supercharged V8 platform. That means closed cooling, wet-disc clutch transmission and fuel injection. All three models have Seven’s new twin-prop contra-rotating (CR) gearcase option. The CR gearcase supports the largest blade area in the industry, ranging from 18 to 19.5 inches, with four- or five-blade props.

Seven Heaven

The results speak for themselves: optimized low-speed maneuverability, better fuel efficiency, less engine stress, and a better trim response. Additionally, the CR is offered as one of three options, along with the standard single-prop twin-pinion and the GT high-speed gearcases. “The standard single-prop unit is for speeds from 60 to 85 mph. The twin-prop unit is for heavier boats running less than 60 mph,” says Davis.

The new 527 features an all-new 1.91:1 gear ratio option, which transmits big torque into high thrust to propel big boats.
The new 577s is a higher-horsepower outboard, with a Spectra-Lite lighting package that provides full-spectrum LED lighting on the rear of the motor.
The enhanced 627sv delivers durable power, torque, fuel efficiency, and industry-leading thrust, and, according to Davis, represents the most technologically advanced outboard in the history of outboard evolution.

The existing Seven Marine 557 engine will be phased out and replaced by 527 and 577 models. Seven also introduced an extended warranty plan at the Miami show with a new optional two-year limited warranty extension on top of the standard three-year warranty.

Learn more at seven-marine.com

Yamaha Marine

In addition to new power offerings in 2018, the Yamaha Marine Group added new rigging options and colors. Ben Speciale, Yamaha Marine Group president, says “With new outboards, rigging, and feature-rich choices, customers can tailor their outboard power. There’s choices available to fit their exact boating needs and preferences.”

The new V MAX SHO 90 is the smallest of the line but comes with class-leading torque and top speed for more power with less weight. The V MAX SHO 90 is reportedly the fastest in its class and also the quietest. The outboard is compatible with Yamaha’s variable trolling RPM switch (VTS) for slow trolling. It is also Y-COP compatible for increased theft protection. The V MAX SHO 90 is compatible with Yamaha’s award-winning multifunction tiller handle.

Additional offerings include counter-rotation. That’s now an option for the Yamaha F200 on boats that require a 20-inch shaft (with digital electronic control). A new color, Yamaha White, also is available for Yamaha F300 and F350 models. Yamaha White is preferred by more than 30 percent of new boat customers in the offshore segment.

Eligible buyers of Yamaha four-stroke outboards in the 2.5 to the 150-horsepower range will also benefit from the “Wake Up to Savings” promotion. It runs until June 15, 2018, at authorized participating Yamaha outboard dealers.

Learn more at yamahaoutboards.com.

By L.N. Evans, Southern Boating June 2018

New Suzuki Outboard

Suzuki Goes All Outboard

The newest Suzuki Outboard features innovative contra-rotating propellers and more exclusive features.

Suzuki Marine, a leader in four-stroke outboard technology and performance, introduces its newest model, the DF350A. At 350 horsepower, this V6 fourstroke is the largest, most powerful outboard Suzuki has built to date. In development for more than three years, it represents a significant milestone in both engineering and design.

“We have put a lot of work into this new outboard, and we cannot wait to see how the market responds. We have watched with great interest as boats have gotten bigger, especially the center console market,” said Yasuharu Osawa, executive general manager of Global Marine & Power Products Operation for Suzuki Motor Corporation.

“Not only that, but we’ve seen an increasing preference for outboards on all kinds of boats that used to be exclusively stern drive or inboard. The time is ripe for this new outboard.”

The air intake system allows the engine to draw in ample fresh air while separating out water, spray and moisture. Dual louvers under the hood trap larger water droplets and then moisture as it enters the engine cowling, resulting in zero water intake during testing. In addition, intake air temperatures are, on average, 10 degrees cooler than ambient, providing the combustion chamber with colder, denser air for a more powerful cycle.

Two smaller fuel injectors enable precise injection of fuel to the center of the combustion chamber, which avoids off-center combustion—a major cause of knocking. Plus, because 100 percent of the fuel is injected into the cylinder at once, a degree of cooling is also obtained, giving up to 3 percent more power.

To achieve 350 horsepower, the surface of the piston needs to withstand added forces. To assure both performance and long life, Suzuki outboard engineers switched from a standard heat treatment to “shot peening,” a more expensive process that creates fine dimples in the face of the piston that evenly distributes the pressure created during combustion.

While contra-rotating propellers are not a new technology, they have never been successfully used on outboard motors until now. The DF350A’s dual propellers offer three key benefits: compact size, increased stability and greater “traction.”

By distributing the power of the engine over six blades instead of just three, the size of the gears and gearcase could be kept to a minimum, which, in turn, allowed for the design of a sleeker, more hydrodynamic gearcase. Suzuki outboard engineers spent many hours in computer simulation and on the water, knowing that reducing drag underwater would be essential to improving overall boat speed and performance.

Contra-rotating propellers also provide added surface area for more stability and increased “traction” or grip underwater. (Think of the wide slicks on a drag racer as compared to typical tires.) This results in exceptional acceleration, or hole-shot, truer directional propulsion (eliminating steering torque), better-than-expected top speeds and incredible reverse thrust. More important, these benefits are apparent even on heavier boats with full loads of fuel, gear and people.

The DF350A features Suzuki Outboard Precision Control, drive-bywire throttle and shift controls. Skippers will appreciate smooth shifting and precision control of the throttle, not to mention easier rigging, especially when second stations are involved.

Like Suzuki’s other V6 outboards, the DF350A also has Suzuki’s offset driveshaft engine layout, which allows for a more compact outboard and two-stage gear reduction. Twostage gear reduction provides a larger reduction gear ratio (2.29:1), more torque for quick acceleration and improvements in top speed, as well. (It is worth noting that the DF350A can be mounted 27-inches on center, so it will fit on more transoms and take up less space in twin, triple and quad installations.)

The DF350A takes advantage of Suzuki’s Lean Burn Control Technology for improved fuel economy throughout the entire rpm range, and especially at cruising speed. Like all Suzuki four-stroke outboards, the DF350A is extraordinarily quiet at idle.

The development of this new outboard has been driven by Suzuki’s belief that it is important to provide the market with more than just horsepower. While power and speed are critical factors, the added dimensions of efficiency, reliability and stability make the DF350A the ultimate four-stroke outboard. The DF350A will be available in the U.S. in July.

For more information, visit suzukimarine.com.

By B.L. Wade, Southern Boating Magazine July 2017

Volvo Penta’s All-Aluminum V8

A power-to-weight ratio champion

Power-to-weight ratio is a key factor in boat performance. Lighter boats need less horsepower to run properly, which saves fuel, reduces emissions and lowers the cost of ownership.

The new Volvo Penta 5.3-liter V8 gasoline engine is a perfect example of a lighter weight powerplant that produces the same horsepower as previous heavier engines. General Motors cranks out more than 4,500 of these Gen V aluminum engine blocks per day at its North American manufacturing plants, and although most end up in cars and trucks, Volvo Penta’s marine division gets its share and marinizes the blocks at its plant in Lexington, Tennessee.

The new Volvo Penta 300-hp 5.3-liter V8 weighs 119 pounds less than the previous engine, which results in a 15 percent improvement in power-to-weight ratio. That weight savings and performance upgrades are a result of a host of design advances, most notably the new lightweight aluminum block versus the old, cast iron block and viable valve timing over fixed-cam timing.

In addition, direct fuel injection replaces multi-port fuel injection, and that precisely mixes air and fuel to provide faster acceleration, more stable rpms, improved low-end torque, and up to 8 percent better fuel efficiency. “We are establishing a new industry benchmark for acceleration, speed, weight-to-power ratio, fuel economy, emissions reduction, and proven reliability,” explained Ron Huibers, president of Volvo Penta of the Americas, at the 2015 Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show, where the new V8 was introduced. “Our new engines are going to power highly efficient cruising boats as well as some exciting new boats. We’re out to make boating more fun and easier for today’s families to discover the joy of being on the water.”

Huibers pointed directly to Regal’s new 2100 RX Surf boat, a 21-footer that is powered by the new 300-hp V8 and mated to Volvo Penta’s new Forward Drive system. The Forward Drive is like a mini IPS setup and safer for watersports because the DuoProp propellers are under the boat—more than two feet farther forward than a conventional sterndrive.

As opposed to a fixed inboard, the Forward Drive’s variable trim easily adjusts upward to enhance watersports action, cruising or docking. Another benefit with the Forward Drive is that exhaust and noise are greatly reduced because everything is under water.

“It’s amazing how much people love the sport of wakesurfing, and that’s where the new V8 and the Forward Drive are really good,” said Huibers, a watersports enthusiast who learned how to wakesurf over the last year. “If I can do it, anyone can do it. It’s like riding an endless wave. You are only five feet from the back of the boat, and when you are done you just jump off.”

Regal’s 2100 RX Surf is built for watersports, and offers comfortable seats, a premium sound system and large aft swim platform for getting on and off the boat. “Volvo Penta delivered a leading edge power package that will enhance our product,” said Duane Kuck, president and CEO of Regal Marine.

“Our new V8 and V6 engines also incorporate our tried-and-true rpm-based speed control, which automatically maintains speed,” Huibers said. “That’s a big plus for watersports. Volvo Penta was the first to pioneer rpm-based speed control back in 2008 and standardized it across our sterndrives in 2010.”

Another benefit for consumers and marine service centers is the standardization of all the maintenance across the V8 and V6 line. Common parts and service points have reduced the number of parts that dealers need to carry, and also simplified service and maintenance. The V8 is the big brother engine to the lineup of V6 4.3-liter Gen V engines offered in the 200-, 240- and 280-horsepower range that were introduced at the 2015 Miami Boat Show. Also, Huibers said a 6.2-liter V8 will be introduced in 2016, which will finish off the new lineup.

Manufacturers offering the new Volvo Penta engines on new models include Chaparral, Chris Craft, Cobalt, Cutwater Boats, Formula, Four Winns, Monterey, Regal, and Stingray. For example, the all-new Cutwater 24 is powered by the Volvo Penta V6 240-horsepower engine, and runs to 32 knots. “That’s fast and efficient,” Huibers said. “And all these engines run on 87-octane gasoline, which is convenient for the customer.”

Other improvements to both the V8 and V6 include standard closed cooling for more consistent internal temperature. That’s a big benefit to boat owners who want to tube, wakesurf, wakeboard, and waterski in salt water. The closed-cooling system means internal engine parts won’t be subjected to the corrosive effects of raw water.

“With more than 1.3 million Gen V engines in operation, customers are getting proven quality, reliability and long life,” Huibers said. “This gives unprecedented economy of scale and enables us to introduce new technologies that have never before been available in the marine industry at an affordable price.”

— By Doug Thompson, Southern Boating Magazine February 2016

INFORMATION:
volvopenta.com