Seven Marine and Volvo Penta Partnership

A Seven Marine and Volvo Penta Partnership means outboards with an IPS joystick and big boat features.

When Volvo Penta became the majority owner of Seven Marine in 2017, most boaters and industry insiders wondered what these two highly innovative companies would come up with. We’re seeing the results of their collaboration with Volvo’s drive technology coupled to Seven Marine’s powerful outboard engines. We’re at the precipice of the Seven Marine and Volvo Penta Partnership. Volvo Penta pioneered sterndrive technology in the 1950s and continues to produce high-performance Aquamatic Stern Drives today.

Coupling the same type of robust lower units from their stern drives to an outboard created the new Seven Marine 527 CR. This not only provides the power and efficiency of their DuoProp counter-rotating (CR) propellers but also creates outboards that use Volvo Penta’s EVC (Electronic Vessel Control) systems and joysticks. There are many benefits of this pairing and I was able to experience them firsthand during the Miami International Boat Show where Tiara introduced the new Seven Marine/Volvo Penta 527 CR outboard package on their Tiara Sport 38LS.

Tiara is an innovator of new technologies and has a long history with Volvo Penta. They worked closely together when the Volvo IPS debuted and the Tiara 38 Open was launched, one of the first IPS-powered boats in 2004. This ongoing collaboration demonstrates how popular IPS and Volvo’s EVC system with joystick control has become. One of the primary benefits of this new system is that the same joystick used on larger
inboard applications is now fully integrated into these outboards.

IPS

Anyone who has driven with an IPS can maneuver the outboards with the same precision and ease, including joystick driving and docking. The optional package on the Tiara also has Volvo’s Glass Cockpit helm (in partnership with Garmin), dynamic positioning, autopilot-joystick integration, and Easy Connect remote connectivity.

Robbie Massengill of Seven Marine demonstrated the benefits of this new system on a rainy, choppy day on Miami’s Biscayne Bay. The joystick moved the boat sideways straight off the dock and when he kicked the boat into forward gear, there was a slight shift noise that was more of a muffled echo than the loud gear clunk many outboards make. The lower units of these big outboards use an electronically controlled 90 ZF wet disc clutch and heavy-duty gears with a 2.55:1 gear ratio designed to handle the big torque needed to produce the thrust necessary to drive larger and heavier boats.

Big Boat Features

In a three-foot chop with winds gusting to 20, the 6.2-liter V8 outboards pushed the Tiara onto plane rapidly and once trimmed, sped easily through the waves. You can fully drive
the boat with the joystick, which felt strange at first. With the throttles set and the course set, it was easy to sit back and steer the boat using only the joystick with the ability to dodge an obstacle to either side and come back to your original heading. You can also reset the heading using the joystick, handy if currents play havoc with your direction.

Maneuvering the boat through turns with the joystick worked flawlessly despite my ingrained urge to grab the wheel. Another interesting benefit of the DuoProp outboards is
their ability to keep the boat on plane at slow speeds. Once on plane, the RPMs slowed and the boat kept on plane down to a speed of 15 mph (13 knots).

This is something many outboard-powered boats can’t do. They can run slow at displacement speeds and run fine once on plane. However, there’s a gap where they can’t really run at intermediate slow speeds. The added surface area of the DuoProps and their counter rotation reduces cavitation. This allows these engines to effectively drive the boat through a wider range of speeds.

DPS

As the boat idled and the dynamic positioning system (DPS) engaged, the big Sevens gently rumbled and held the boat in place. It was remarkable how well it worked in these adverse conditions. The conditions also showed how well the Seakeeper 3 stabilizer works. The boat remained comfortable even while locked on DPS in the open, windswept bay.

The Seven Marine 527 CR outboard demonstrates that combining two innovative companies like Volvo Penta and Seven Marine can lead to great things. “The combination
of Volvo Penta DuoProp technology and Seven Marine’s high-horsepower rating makes it possible to push larger and heavier boats more efficiently at all speeds,” says Massengill,
strategic account manager of Seven Marine. “The result is improved low-speed maneuvering and planing, faster time to plane, enhanced power, and improved fuel efficiency across speed ranges. Additionally, the DuoProps dramatically reduce cavitation, even when running in rough seas.”

By Arnie Hammerman, Southern Boating April 2019

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

Tag: seven marine