Engine Room

Mercury Intros New, Light, 25- and 30-hp Outboards

By Peter Janssen on July 13, 2022 Cruising Life, Engine Room

Mercury Marine just introduced a new series of three-cylinder, four-stroke 25- and 30-hp outboards that are lighter, faster and more user-friendly than ever before. The new outboards all have a 500cc powerhead with electronic fuel injection. And for the first time, electric-start models in both the 25- and 30-hp size come standard with Mercury’s SmartCraft digital technologies, so owners can connect to sophisticated digital gauges and mobile devices. The outboards start at just 132 pounds, making them 16 percent lighter than previous models; they’re also more fuel efficient. They come in models designated as 25- and 30-hp Four Stroke; 25-hp…

New H-100 Electric Inboard Motor for Cruisers

By Peter Janssen on May 25, 2022 Cruising Life, Engine Room

A young, creative company that calls itself an “innovator for water-related fun,” ePropulsion, from Somerset, New Jersey, just unveiled its new, powerful H-100 electric inboard. The new motor will make its public debut at the Electric & Hybrid Marine Expo starting June 21 in Amsterdam. The H-100 is a 100kW inboard motor, aimed at the OEM market, for power and sail boats from 60 to 100 feet and with a displacement of up to 200 tons. ePropulsion said it would be appropriate for a wide range of boats, including cruisers, fishing boats, work boats and even ferries, and it would…

New Protector 410 RIB with 600-hp Outboards

By Peter Janssen on March 12, 2022 Boat Reviews, Cruising Life, Engine Room

Rayglass Boats just announced they’ve built a Protector 410 Targa with twin 600-hp Mercury Verado outboards, the largest outboards ever mounted on a RIB (and Mercury’s most powerful production engine). Rayglass, a New Zealand builder, said they had to customize and strengthen the transom to handle the weight and torque of the massive V12, 7.6 liter displacement outboards. A new 600-hp Verado weighs 1,260 pounds. In an announcement, the company said, “The result is one of the world’s most capable all-water vessels, combining the unmatched power of the Verado V12 engines with the Protector’s world-leading capability for safety and handling.”…

Mercury Announces First Electric Outboard

By Peter Janssen on February 20, 2022 Cruising Life, Engine Room

Mercury just announced at the big Miami show that it’s building its first-ever, all-electric outboard engine, and it will be ready for delivery in 2023. The new engine, called Avator, is the first in a range of five other models that will be announced later this year. It represents a major innovation for Mercury, and a step toward the future of electric power. Indeed, Chris Drees, the president of Mercury Marine, says the company wants to achieve an 80 percent reduction in outboard emissions by 2025, with Avators playing a large part toward reaching that goal. At the other end…

GM Invests $150 Million in Electric Outboards

By Peter Janssen on December 1, 2021 Cruising Life, Engine Room

General Motors just invested $150 million in Pure Watercraft, the Seattle-based company that makes electric outboards and battery packs. The investment represents a 25 percent stake in the company. Pure Watercraft, founded by Andy Rebele nine years ago, makes all-electric Pure Outboards as a drop-in replacement for boats that use 25- to 50-hp gas outboards. It also has partnerships with manufacturers to sell complete electric boats, in the RIB, pontoon boat and small fishing boat categories. The Pure Outboard operates with a 25kW electric motor that the company says is the equivalent of a 50-hp gas outboard. It is built…

Yamaha Introduces 9.9-hp Electric Outboard

By Peter Janssen on October 4, 2021 Cruising Life, Engine Room, Gear

Yamaha just introduced its HARMO electric outboard to the U.S. at the big International BoatBuilders’ Exhibition and Conference (IBEX) in Tampa. The outboard couples a 48-volt power supply with a high-yield, low-drag 3.7 kilowatt motor. The rim-drive electric motor and specially encased impeller provide 225 pounds of static thrust. Yamaha says that is the equivalent of a conventional 9.9-hp gasoline outboard. The electric outboard’s running time depends on the type of battery, the size, configuration and other parameters. Rim motors have been used for thrusters and some other marine applications in the past, but Yamaha says this this the first…

Candela Unveils New Electric Drive With Long Life

By co_admin on August 23, 2021 Cruising Life, Engine Room

Candela, the Swedish boat builder, just unveiled its revolutionary new electric C-Pod drive unit with two motors, each one driving a counterrotating propeller. The company says this electric drive will have “an almost unlimited life.” In this story, Electrek says the drive is “an engineering work of art.” Read about it here: Swedish electric boat manufacturer Candela has just unveiled a revolutionary new electric drive unit known as the C-Pod for its premium electric boats, and it’s an engineering work of art. Candela claims that these are the highest-efficiency and longest-lasting boat motors ever. The company’s patented C-Pod consists of…

Cox Tests 300-hp Diesel Outboards on Axopar 37

By Peter Janssen on August 18, 2021 Cruising Life, Engine Room

Cox Marine just tested its V8 300-hp diesel outboards on a new Axopar 37, and the results were impressive. Cox, a British company, worked with its German distributor to test two new CXO300s on the Axopar, built in Finland. In trials in Lymington, UK, in moderate sea conditions, the Axopar topped out at 41 knots at 4,000 rpm. In subsequent trials in calm conditions on the Mosel River in Germany, it topped out 46.3 knots at 3,900 rpm. In the past few years, the Axopar 37 has become a popular boat in both Europe and the U.S. Here, it’s usually…

MAN Building Hybrid Diesel-Electric Engine System

By Peter Janssen on May 25, 2021 Cruising Life, Engine Room

MAN, the major German engine builder, just announced that it’s developing a new hybrid engine system, called the Smart Hybrid Experience. The new system combines conventional diesel and electric modes, as well as providing another mode with zero emissions at anchor. The new system is designed around the way you want to cruise, and it can be customized to focus on performance, comfort and efficiency. The different modes include battery-electric, diesel-electric, cross-over, hotel, and boost. Several driving and operating profiles can be set up, depending on the owner’s wishes. An efficient, economical mode can be used to boost the range,…

Vision Marine Starts Selling 180-hp Electric Outboards

By Peter Janssen on April 27, 2021 Cruising Life, Engine Room

Vision Marine Technologies in Canada just announced that it will start selling its new E-Motion 180, the most powerful electric outboard in the world, on May 1. You can reserve your new outboard on its website, visionmarinetechnologies.com, with a $300 deposit in bitcoins, Paypal or Stripes. Then you will get your outboard within the next six months. The E-Motion 180 delivers the same power as a 180-hp combustion engine. It provides 650 V and is paired to a 60 kWh lithium battery. Vision Marine Technologies, formerly the Canadian Electric Boat Company, is a high-tech builder, just north of Montreal, and it…

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