Engine Room

Mercury Debuts 2 New Electric Outboards

By Peter Janssen on January 16, 2024 Cruising Life, Engine Room

Mercury just introduced two new, more powerful, Avator electric outboards at the big Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. Mercury now has a total of five electric outboards on the market. The new outboards are called the Avator 75e (10-hp) and the Avator 110e (15-hp). The high-torque, portable and rechargeable outboards are designed for small boats or tenders for cruising boats. The appeal for larger boat owners is that they can have an environment-friendly outboard for their tender and they don’t have to carry gas on board if they have a diesel-powered cruiser. The new Avators require minimal maintenance, and…

Yanmar Building New Hydrogen Engine

By Peter Janssen on January 9, 2024 Engine Room

Yanmar just announced that it’s making a 4-stroke, high-speed marine engine that uses hydrogen fuel. The goal is to develop hydrogen power for zero-emission vessels. Yanmar is working with the commercial coastal cruising industry in Japan on the hydrogen power project now, but the implications for recreational cruising boats in the future are vast. While it is developing the new hydrogen engine, Yanmar is also working on a hybrid-electric-propulsion vessel that would combine hydrogen-engine generators with batteries. The preliminary innovative design incorporates a container type of a hydrogen power generation system on the upper deck. As part of its transition…

7-Point Diesel Engine Checklist

By co_admin on January 1, 2024 Cruising Life, Engine Room

Here’s some basic, but important, advice from Skipper Tips about how to make sure that all is well once you start your boat’s diesel engine(s): You turn the key, push the diesel engine starter button and your engine starts just like you expect it to. But did you realize that you have seven quick checks to make that could spell the difference between a trouble-free day or a long, slow tow back to the marina dock? Follow these seven tips from marine diesel guru Peter Compton: 1. Watch for Exhaust Water. Look over the side. Make sure you have water…

Yamaha Making Hydrogen Outboard

By Peter Janssen on December 10, 2023 Engine Room

Yamaha just announced that they will unveil their new hydrogen-powered outboard prototype at the big Miami show, starting. Feb. 14. This will be Yamaha’s first entry into the hydrogen-powered marine market, and we don’t have many details so far. The Japanese company says it is using “a multi-directional development” approach, and that Yamaha USA will focus on boat development, while Yamaha Japan will focus on engine development. Most hulls would have to be redesigned to hold a fuel cell for hydrogen power. Yamaha entered a partnership with Toyota in 2022 to develop a hydrogen engine for cars, ending up with…

ePropulsion Unveils New 3 New Outboards

By Peter Janssen on November 29, 2023 Engine Room, Gear

ePropulsion just announced its full lineup of X Series electric outboard motors, running from 12kW to 40kW of silent and eco-friendly power. The three motors in the series are the X12, generating 12kW of power; the X20, for 20kW, and the massive X40, for 40kW. The X40 was unveiled at the recent Fort Lauderdale show. It weighs just 218 pounds, considerably less than a comparable gas outboard, and its modular design takes up less room on a transom than a traditional outboard. ePropulsion says the new outboards are designed to improve the boating lifestyle. “With the advanced X Series, we…

EPropulsion Launches X40 Electric Outboard

By Peter Janssen on October 30, 2023 Engine Room

EPropulsion just launched their new X40 electric outboard at the Fort Lauderdale show. The new clean, quiet and powerful outboard delivers 40 kW of power; the company says that’s the equivalent of a 60-hp gas-powered outboard. The new X40 weighs just 218 pounds, much less than comparable traditional outboards. It uses proprietary algorithms with more than 20 variables to produce efficient hydrodynamic power to the prop, resulting in a smooth ride that uses less energy than gas outboards. The X40’s compact design integrates electric steering, power trim/tilt, an electric control unit and a motor controller into a single unit. Its…

Honda Unveils New 350-hp V8 Outboard

By Peter Janssen on September 26, 2023 Engine Room

Honda Marine just unveiled its most powerful outboard yet, a 350-hp V8, the company’s first V8 ever. The sleek new BF350 represents a big step up for Honda; the previous outboard flagship was a 250-hp model. The new 350 is aimed at boats in the 25-foot plus range, and Honda says it’s appropriate for single, twin, triple or quad applications. It weighs 765 to 776 pounds, depending on shaft length. Honda says the new outboard provides smoother power throughout the operating range, improved ergonomics, and it’s 17 percent more fuel efficient at cruising speeds than its competitors. It also operates…

Mercury Unveils New 20e and 35e Electric Outboards

By Peter Janssen on August 30, 2023 Cruising Life, Engine Room, Gear

Mercury Marine just launched its new Avator 20e and 35e electric outboards that you can order now. Mercury launched its first electric outboard, the Avator 7.5e, at the Consumer Electronics Show last January. John Buelow, the president of Mercury Marine, said the two new outboards “set new benchmarks for innovation, performance, and connectivity.” The 20e and 35e have many of the same features as the earlier 7.5e, including transverse flux motor technology, color display, and ambidextrous tiller handles. They also can be connected to multiple Avator batteries to extend their range and run time, and they have access to the…

Mercury Launches New 500-hp Outboard

By Peter Janssen on June 18, 2023 Cruising Life, Engine Room

Marking its 50th anniversary, Mercury Racing just introduced its new 500-hp outboard designed for fast luxury sport boats. The new 500R V8 has Mercury Racing’s exclusive supercharger, and it not only has 50 more horsepower but also 10 percent more torque than the company’s 450R. It has a 4.6 liter, 64-degree FourStroke powerhead and is designed for pump fuel with an 89 octane rating. The company says the 500R is “the most exciting production outboard to ever emerge from Mercury Racing.” The 500R tops out at 6,600 rpm. To handle all that power, it has upgraded its powerhead, cooling system,…

Volvo Unveils Most Powerful IPS Yet

By Peter Janssen on May 29, 2023 Cruising Life, Engine Room

Volvo Penta just announced that it’s testing a new, more powerful IPS (Inboard Propulsion System) for larger vessels from 82 to 180 feet with a top speed from 12 to 40 knots. Volvo calls the new system an IPS professional platform, or IPS 40, and it’s the most powerful IPS yet. The IPS 40 is designed to work with Volvo’s 800-hp D13 engines. The platform can be installed as twin, triple, or quad applications, meaning it can work on vessels with from four to eight engines. Volvo says the IPS 40 “is a true piece of state-of-the-art engineering.” It is…

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