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Revolutionary Outboards
By John Campbell
Gas prices are on the increase! Without doubt the sportsman can
barley afford the gas in his tow vehicle, what will he do with his boat?
Mercury Marine has answered that question with two top of the line revolutionary
outboard motors. The Verado™ is the newest line of high performance
4 stroke engines, the OptiMax™ is a direct injection 2-stroke outboard
that has been around for a number of years, but Mercury keeps improving
them each year.
Before gas prices increased the concern in the boat industry was low-emission
outboard motors. Fueled by an EPA directive to reduce hydrocarbons by 2006,
outboard makers have assigned their best engineers to develop new engine
technology to meet these requirements.
Verado ™ represents far more than just a new class
of outboard power. It represents the only fully integrated power system
of its kind on the water. That’s because in developing Verado™, Mercury
engineers teamed with some of the top engineering design houses in the
world – Lotus®, AVL®, Motorola®, and Cosworth®– in order
to utilize the best technology available. The result is the only integrated
control system of its kind anywhere. From the Electro-Hydraulic Power Steering
and SmartCraft® Digital Throttle & Shift to the next generation
of Engine Guardian self-diagnostic tools, Verado™ provides a previously
unheard of level of whole boat interaction.
A data cable that conveys information between the computer on the engine
and the System Command Module under the dash has replaced all traditional
mechanical cables. The result is a fully integrated propulsion system that
offers a revolutionary degree of control, performance and security.
Mercury didn’t stop there, their extensive sound-lab testing has resulted
in several revolutionary noise-canceling systems, including an insulated
and isolated cowl system, patented muffling chambers in the supercharger’s
air-induction system and a specially designed idle-relief exhaust silencer.
The result is an outboard so quiet that at full throttle you’ll hear more
wind and water than you will engine. The revolutionary midsection uses
an exclusive four-point, progressive-rate, perimeter-mount system to decrease
vibration by 50 percent.
The Verado ™ has developed unequalled torque and acceleration thanks
to its exclusive supercharged and intercooled design, Verado ™ delivers
dramatically better torque and acceleration than any comparably sized four-stroke
and most two strokes – from hole shot all the way to wide- open throttle.
With a mid-range acceleration that exceeds any other outboard in the world.
Incredibly quiet with dramatically reduced vibration and unmatched reliability.
All major structural components such as the crankshaft, connecting rods
and bearings – have been specifically designed and built for this supercharged
power plant. An entirely new gear case has been designed to provide the
maximum in performance and reliability. Verado™ has accumulated well over
25,000 hours of testing – making it by far the most comprehensively proven
marine power ever produced.
The term “new technology outboard” refers to the new direct injected
2-Strokes like Mercury’s OptiMax™ models, and also 4-Stroke models.
These outboards have greatly reduced hydrocarbon emissions as well as improved
fuel efficiency and operating characteristics. OptiMax™ is another
innovation from Lake X (R &D facility owned by Mercury). It's an engine
with a unique direct fueling process that gives you more than just smooth
running qualities and reliable operation. It also gives you 10 percent
better fuel economy than any other direct fuel injected marine engine in
the world. This is very important especially with the soaring gas prices
at the pump. Nowadays the more efficient you can become the more
money you will save. Also, the new direct injected 2-Strokes as well
as 4-Strokes, achieve greater than 80% reductions in hydrocarbon emissions,
compared with conventional 2-Strokes. Larger 4-Strokes emit fewer
hydrocarbons than most current Direct Injection 2-Strokes, but more nitrous
oxides and carbon monoxide. As a serious angler this allows me to
fish longer and quieter and with a lot less hassle than conventional 2-Stroke
engines that have a tendency to load up with gas and oil and cause smoky
conditions.
Mercury OptiMax™ features technology that the competition isn't even
close to adopting. A high-pressure mixture of fuel and air creates an efficient
plume of atomized fuel in the combustion chamber. A multipoint lubrication
system delivers precise amounts of oil exactly when and where you need
it. Combined, they lead to a unique engine that runs more smoothly and
efficiently than anything you've ever experienced before.
In tournaments, I constantly rely on my two Mercury motors, my 225
HP OptiMax™ and a Mercury 9.9 HP four-stroke, to maneuver my boat. During
different situations, I may choose one motor over the other. Here's why:
calm conditions or conditions where I want to move my bait slow are two
areas where the Merc 9.9 horse motor shines. If I am working a break where
I need to move slowly while dragging a bait, my 9.9 horse kicker fits the
ticket. It is quiet and can change the boat's course easily when there
is no wind trying to push the boat around.
My Merc. 9.9-horse kicker would also be my choice if I want to back
troll using the engine to move the boat in reverse. Back trolling can be
very useful if you want to keep your bait in a precise spot. It's always
more effective to pull a long object than to push it.
The efficiency of my main engine or my 225 OptiMax™ allows me the freedom
to fish where the “good” fish are biting. In tournament situations
I might have to run 12, 20, or 30 miles one way to get to the fish.
I need to have an efficient motor that will use less fuel and get me there
in enough time to get on the good bite. A perfect example of this
was just recently while fishing in Pierre, SD on a reservoir. The best
fishing was some 50-70 miles away from the weigh-in station. My OptiMax™
really gave me the confidence that I could get to the fish and back in
plenty of time and still have a good supply of fuel left over.
When you are on the water this year, you owe it to yourself to have
the most efficient motor that you can run. Not only do you owe it
to yourself, but to the environment as well. The bottom line on these
new technologies is that they will save you money in the long term and
preserve our precious environment for future generations to come.
Look into this “new technology” and ask questions about the whole line
of Mercury OptiMax™ and the Verado ™ 4-Stroke engines.
For more information about these outstanding engines look at www.mercurymarine
on the web or drop me a line at www.walleye.info.
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