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Mercury is the first major manufacturer of marine internal-combustion engines to offer an electric outboard option. The Avator 7.5e delivers comparable performance metrics to Mercury’s time-tested 3.5 hp four-stroke gasoline engine, minus the locally emitted carbon dioxide. The Avator 7.5e is also the only outboard currently on the market with a transverse flux motor, a design that Andrew Przybyl, Mercury’s technical manager and engineer for the Avator line, says has high-torque-density characteristics. The Avator 7.5e comes with a 1 kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery that nests inside the outboard’s flip-top cowl, and a color display with GPS that gives operators a wealth of real-time range information.

“One of the biggest challenges we had was setting up the overall architecture of the outboard,” Przybyl says. The solution involved auditioning different concepts and designs, and then choosing the right supporting technologies, including batteries, motor types and overall configurations. “In electrification, overall system efficiency is the name of the game,” he says. “The other aspect was sustainability. This outboard is highly recyclable.” Creating a recyclable design, Przybyl says, involved using componentry from nontraditional materials. “Sustainability is an important part of our culture,” Przybyl says.

While the Avator 7.5e is intended for use aboard smaller boats, Mercury plans to release the bigger Avator 20e and 35e outboards later this year. All three of these electric motors will employ similar architecture, displays and companion apps.

Charge and Go

The Mercury Marine Avator 7.5e can run for 60 minutes at full throttle off a charged-up 1 kilowatt-hour battery, or for as long as 2.8 hours at 75  percent throttle (or 6.2 hours at 50 percent throttle, or 19.4 hours at 25 percent throttle). Users can also change out batteries in seconds.

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Mercury Racing has introduced the Mercury Racing V8 500R outboard, which the company says it created “for no-compromise owners of the fastest luxury sport boats.”

Stuart Halley, Mercury Racing general manager, stated in a press release: “Capable of delivering more than 500 horsepower in a wide range of conditions and weighing as little as 720 pounds, the 500R establishes a new benchmark for outboard power density. This motor offers incredible mid-range punch and pulls with unrelenting authority all the way to wide-open throttle. This is the most exciting production outboard to ever emerge from the Mercury Racing shop.”

The 500R has more than 500 eager horsepower, which is 50 more horsepower plus 10 percent higher torque than the 450R model. Its 4.6-liter, 64-degree, V8 FourStroke powerhead is boosted by a Mercury Racing supercharger. The engine is designed to perform on pump fuel with a minimum 89-octane (95 RON) rating.

Also on the 500R are upgraded component designs in the powerhead, cooling system, midsection and steering system. A new, 5.9-inch diameter gearcase, available in R-Drive and R-Drive Sport configurations, transfers the power to the water.

What lengths are available for the Mercury Racing 500R? It can be ordered at 20 inches, 25 inches, 30 inches or 35 inches for single- or multi-engine applications.

Take the next step: go to mercuryracing.com

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Back in 2018, Mercury Marine thrilled boaters with the introduction of its V-6 and V-8 outboard engines, the result of the largest new-product development program in the company’s nearly 80-year history.

Now, the brand is adding the marine industry’s first V-10 outboard to its offerings. This Verado engine is available in 350 hp or 400 hp. It’s a 5.7-liter design that is compatible with Mercury SmartCraft technology. It also can be ordered with an optional dual-mode 48-volt/12-volt alternator to pair with Navico Group’s Fathom e-power system, an integrated lithium-ion auxiliary power management setup that lets boaters eliminate an onboard generator.

“They are powerful, smooth and quiet,” Chris Drees, president of Mercury Marine, said when introducing the V-10 Verado outboards. “They have many of the same fuel-efficiency-enhancing features that are synonymous with our high-horsepower lineup. They also deliver the same kind of premium boating experience that has made Verado outboards legendary.”

The company says it expects the V-10s to become a popular choice with owners of larger saltwater center-consoles, freshwater fishing boats that have single-engine setups, pontoon boats and smaller center-consoles. Each engine reportedly weighs 695 pounds and has the same 26-inch mount spacing as Mercury V-8 outboards, which means the V-10 is compatible with current boat designs. In addition, the V-10s are designed with multi-engine use or repowering in mind.

According to Mercury Marine, the new engines include the outboard industry’s first V-10 naturally aspirated powerhead. It uses 5.7-liter displacement and a quad-cam design to improve speed and acceleration. A 150-amp alternator is also part of the design and is intended to charge onboard batteries quickly while  supporting the boat’s electrical system.

Also part of the V-10 design is a new hydrodynamic gear case and a new Revolution X propeller. Mercury Marine says the larger diameter and wider blades on the prop, combined with the deep ratio of the gear case, result in better handling and acceleration, and in high efficiency from low speed to wide-open throttle. Advanced Range Optimization is part of the package, as is Adaptive Speed Control, which maintains engine rpm despite changes in load or conditions. That means boaters climbing large swells should have an easier time.

The V-10 Verados will also be compatible with a Mercury electric steering system for multi-outboard vessels that is expected to start shipping this month.

“We challenged our engineers to improve acceleration and overall performance with the new V-10 Verado outboards while also making them quieter and lighter than competitors’ outboards in this horsepower range,” said Tim Reid, Mercury Marine vice president of product development and engineering. “Once again, they exceeded expectations.”

Investing in the Future

Creating new engines like this V-10 outboard, and then bringing those products to consumers in a safe and reliable way, is neither cheap nor easy. That’s why Mercury Marine has invested heavily in research and development for quite some time now. Since 2008, the company has invested $2 billion on that front, including expanding its manufacturing footprint to more than 3 million square feet. 

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Mercury Racing is celebrating its 50-year milestone with events planned throughout the year to commemorate the anniversary.

A kickoff event was held at the Miami International Boat Show, with the introduction of the Mercury Racing V10 400R outboard and the Ventera performance propeller.

“For a half-century, the organization known today as Mercury Racing has been at the forefront of marine high performance,” Stuart Halley, Mercury Racing general manager, stated in a press release. “One constant has been the unwavering dedication of our employees, dealers and suppliers, and our boatbuilder partners, racers and customers who have always pushed us to lead the race and to lead the industry.”

The Mercury Marine Hi-Performance Products Department was established in 1973. It evolved to include outboard, sterndrive and performance products for racers and performance pleasure boaters alike.

Where’s the big party? In honor of the 50-year celebration, Mercury Racing is planning a Mercury Racing Midwest Challenge festival of powerboat racing in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, from August 11-13.

Where to learn more: go to mercuryracing.com

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Mercury Marine, a division of Brunswick Corp., has introduced the marine industry’s first V-10 outboard.

The V-10 Verado is a 5.7-liter engine that comes in 350 and 400 horsepower. According to the manufacturer, the V-10 runs 45 percent quieter than competing outboards at cruise speed.

These new outboards are compatible with Mercury SmartCraft technology and are available with an optional dual-mode 48-volt/12-volt alternator to pair with Navico Group’s Fathom e-power system. It’s a lithium-ion auxiliary power-management setup that lets boaters eliminate the need for an onboard generator.

“The all-new Mercury V-10 Verado outboards are exactly what boaters have been asking for in a 350- and 400-horsepower platform,” Chris Drees, Mercury Marine’s president, stated in a press release. “They are powerful, smooth and quiet. They have many of the same fuel efficiency-enhancing features that are synonymous with our high-horsepower lineup.”

Each of the new engines weighs 695 pounds and has the same 26-inch mount spacing as the company’s V-8 outboards. That means compatibility with current boat designs.

Will these V-10 Verados also be compatible with Mercury’s forthcoming electric steering system? Yes. That steering system for multi-outboard boats is scheduled to start shipping in February 2023.

Take the next step: click over to mercurymarine.com

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Brunswick Corp. says it saw record-breaking sales for some of its brands at the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show.

According to the company, Sea Ray reported a 33 percent increase in revenue compared to the 2021 show and a 17 percent increase in overall units from last year; Boston Whaler and Bayliner also had strong sales, as Whaler displayed a recyclable fiberglass boat; Mercury Marine accounted for more than half of all outboard engines at the show; and Navico Group saw a 20 percent increase in electronics market share during the show.

“Fort Lauderdale is the unofficial kickoff to the U.S. fall boat show calendar and serves as a barometer for our brands to gauge dealer sentiment, consumer interest and product trends,” Dave Foulkes, Brunswick Corporation CEO, stated in a press release.

What boats and products made their debuts from the Brunswick Corp. family of brands? The Sea Ray 260 outboard, Boston Whaler 280 Dauntless, and Simrad HALO 2000 and 3000 radars.

Where to learn more: visit brunswick.com

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Mercury Marine has introduced next-generation 25- and 30-horsepower four-stroke outboards.

The manufacturer says these outboards are engineered to be lighter, faster, and easier to operate and maintain. They have a three-cylinder, 500-cc powerhead with electronic fuel injection. For the first time, electric-start models come standard with Mercury SmartCraft digital technologies, allowing boaters to connect to digital gauges and to mobile devices through VesselView Mobile.

“In addition to being lighter, faster and quieter, the new engines in this lineup deliver what boaters have asked for, with exciting new options like digital technologies and an ergonomically positioned tiller handle,” Chris Drees, Mercury Marine president, stated in a press release.

The engines start at a weight of 132 pounds, making them 16 percent lighter than the previous generation. They’re ideally suited for 11- to 16-foot V-bottom boats and inflatables.

What options are available: Electric or manual start, tiller or remote controls, manual or power trim, and propeller or jet propulsion. Tiller models have a nearly 23-inch, ergonomically designed tiller handle that is adjustable for right- or left-handed operation.

Routine maintenance made easier: These engines have a no-spill oil-change system with a drip tray under the oil filter, and water can be quickly drained from the fuel filter without tools.

Take the next step: go to mercurymarine.com

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Scott Smith, the marketing manager at Formula Boats, was among the first to get a taste of the on-water action. Back in February, as Mercury Marine was preparing to unveil its new 600 hp Verado outboard engine, Smith had a chance to get aboard the prototype Formula 500 Super Sport Crossover shown here with four of the outboards installed.

“This is a wild package, with a steerable lower gear case and a two-speed transmission, a product that is the result of a clean-slate, ground-up design,” he said at the time. “Let me tell you, this power package is strong and smooth and quiet and unique.”

Since then, accolades have only grown louder for the new outboards, which other builders are embracing as well. Tiara Yachts, for instance, chose the 600 hp Mercury Verados as the power package for its new 48 Luxury Sport—the largest outboard-powered model the company has ever built. As you can see in the photo below, the 48 rides with triple Verados. They are integrated into Tiara’s electronics package, which includes Garmin marine navigation.

“Product launches are always an exciting time for our company, but this one is further elevated with the announcement of the Verado V-12s,” Tiara CEO and president Tom Slikkers said in a press release. “We’re proud to have partnered closely with Mercury and be one of the first manufacturers debuting this new propulsion package, fully integrating these engines into the 48 LS.”

The team at Tiara says the triple Verados get their 48 LS up to 50.3 knots while burning a little more than 157 gallons of fuel per hour. The performance sweet spot in the builder’s test was between 33.2 and 37.4 knots, where fuel burn was 61.8 to 79.2 gph. At those cruising speeds, decibel readings were reportedly between 77 and 86—which is about as loud as a vacuum cleaner or everyday street traffic.

The engines’ ability to provide those kinds of performance numbers also led Viking Yachts to offer the 600 hp Verados on the flagship of its Valhalla line, the V-46. Triple and quad configurations are available. The center-console was repeatedly able to hit 65 knots with the engines, according to Viking, and accelerated from zero to 17 knots in less than five seconds.

“We’re extremely excited,” Viking president and CEO Pat Healey said in a press release. “This is truly an incredible engine, with groundbreaking performance and the kind of innovation we’ve come to expect from Mercury.”

Sea Ray has also added the 600 hp Verados as an option on the SLX 400 Outboard starting with model year 2022, citing the engine’s power, handling and “whisper-quiet operation.” And, as this issue of Yachting went to press, Technohull in Greece was reportedly offering the Verados as an option on its flagship Omega 47 superyacht tender.

The president of Mercury Marine says the powerplants were designed for increasingly large dayboats, which continue to be introduced in increasing numbers. If this initial industrywide embrace of the 600 hp Verados is any indication, the engine-maker is giving a lot of builders and buyers exactly what they want.

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When the big CES show of consumer electronics hands out innovation awards each year, names such as Samsung and Sony tend to top the list. But for the 2021 awards, a brand well-known to boaters—Mercury Marine—was also in the mix. Mercury was honored in two categories for 1st Mate, a safety-and-security system that integrates a boat’s propulsion system through an intelligent hub.

In essence, 1st Mate is an expandable network of FOBs connected to the same hub as an app and the boat’s engines. While the promise of the technology is broad—and while the system is built for future updates via the cloud—today, 1st Mate has three primary functions.

First, the system handles man-overboard monitoring and alerts. If a captain goes into the drink, the engine automatically cuts off, a GPS location is logged, and the system sends passengers instructions for how to restart the engine and get back to the coordinates. If a passenger falls overboard, the system doesn’t kill the engine, but it does sound alarms and give the skipper GPS coordinates.

“We see folks who tie things to the back of their boat; you could attach this on a dinghy, on a cooler,” says Zach Savage, Mercury’s lead engineer for 1st Mate. “If you’re going forward and something falls off, you’ll get notified.”

The system’s second primary function is distress messaging for solo boaters.

“Let’s say you’re fishing and fall overboard, and you can’t get back on board,” says Rob Hackbarth, Mercury’s director of controls and rigging. “The app knows that you went overboard, and there’s a countdown timer. After it expires, it will send notifications to the emergency contacts in the app. So now, the family member ashore can notify the right authorities and give them the actual coordinates where the person went into the water.”

The third primary feature is theft deterrence. The system can be programmed so that only the skipper can start the engine, or so it won’t start after a certain time—say, if a teenager stays out past curfew.

“We’re trying to think about scenarios for people sharing the boat with large families,” Savage says. “You can log in on your phone and start it back up after he calls you to grovel a little bit.”

More features are in the works, Hackbarth says, with the technology offering “much more potential.” For now, look for the available versions on Amazon.

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Mercury Marine just introduced its 600-horsepower V12 outboard, and Formula Boats installed four of them on its prototype 500 SSC boat, creating an experience that’s unique on the water.

The Mercury V12 Verado reportedly has the first-ever steerable gearcase in an outboard engine, as well as an industry-first two-speed transmission. Those features, plus the V12 powerhead, create range and performance that other outboards cannot provide, according to Mercury.

Formula’s marketing manager, Scott Smith, says he had a chance to experience the new outboards on the Formula 500 SSC in February: “Let me tell you, this power package is strong, and smooth, and quiet, and unique.”

The 500 SSC is the new flagship in Formula’s line of Super Sport Crossover designs. Its features include an enclosed coupe-top salon, lounges aft and at the bow, and a full-width motorized glass salon bulkhead for connecting the space to the cockpit when desired. For overnights on the hook, there’s a stateroom aft with a queen-size berth.

What does a steerable gearcase mean? The bottom section of the outboard turns without moving the upper part of the engine, freeing up transom space for other uses. 

Where to learn more: go to mercurymarine.com or formulaboats.com

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