All Hail New Outboard King

Newcastle Herald

Friday February 23, 2007

Boating, Mark Rothfield

THE cantankerous old 4hp Seagull outboard of my youth seems light years away as I ponder this week's international release of the king-sized Yamaha F350.

It was elegant in its simplicity, the British-built Seagull rope start, direct drive, external fuel tank and carburettor bowl, rugged construction.

Its drone provided the harmony as I sang Little Arrows and Penny Arcade in falsetto while chugging up the Myall River.

On January 1 this year environmental laws kicked in to prevent the manufacture of new Seagulls and others of its agricultural two-stroke ilk. Four-strokes and direct-injection two-strokes, conversely, are progressing in leaps and bounds.

The Yamaha F350, a four-stroke, is the first production outboard to employ a V8 block. Capacity is 5.3 litres, and at a prop-rated 350 horsepower (257.4 kW) it delivers the world's highest output.

With a streamlined cowl the big Yammie looks the business, while from an environmental perspective it has gained a 3-star rating under the stringent 2008 emissions standards of the California Air Resource Board.

US boaties will see it during their coming summer season, but the production schedule for Australian delivery is yet to be announced.

Brett Hampson, Yamaha's national sales and marketing manager, is enthused nevertheless.

"Now, at last, boat manufacturers and boaters alike have a realistic power alternative to the traditional inboard," he said.

Obviously it will require a fair chunk of boat to cope with the massive power and torque something around eight to nine metres, which traditionally is inboard or sterndrive territory, if not twin outboards.

The single outboard brings the advantages of excellent speed, performance and fuel economy, plus ease of installation and maintenance. For runabout designers it will allow better transom designs with more onboard space.

The mind boggles as to what the future holds but in the outboard "arms race" it's only a matter of time before Mercury and others go one better.

Shrinking sterndrives

WHILE outboards continue to expand, sterndrives are shrinking, with MerCruiser this week unveiling the remarkably compact 100hp Vazer.

The powerplant uses an innovative (and patented) approach to reduce engine height, tilting the block 50 degrees to allow it to fit under seats, platforms and decks on a variety of boats. Accordingly, there'll be more room for passengers and gear.

Vazer is based on the GM Vortec 1600 4-cylinder engine, mated to an all-new sterndrive.

Features include a heat exchanger and heater connection ports to provide hot water or cabin heating a major benefit over outboards.

A closed-loop cooling system, which includes the engine block, aluminum exhaust header and cylinder head, makes the Vazer ideal for both freshwater and saltwater use. It also has a quick-connect freshwater flush port for routine maintenance.

Power steering comes as standard and the engine mounting is designed to reduce vibration and noise. MerCruiser's standard power trim system allows the leg to tilt up fully and then return to its previous trim position to maintain steering control. Production of the Vazer will begin early next month.

Injecting diesel smarts

NOT to be outdone, Cummins MerCruiser Diesel has extended its Quantum diesel technology across a new engine range the QSD series which brings state-of-the-art fuel injection to sterndrive and inboard applications.

The high-pressure common rail injection system significantly reduces smoke, noise and vibration, while providing smoother power delivery.

Similarly, the turbocharger and seawater aftercooler on the new engines have been designed for improved throttle response.

The QSD family will comprise 2.0, 2.8 and 4.2-litre engines, to be seen first at Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show from May 24.

mrothfield@theherald.com.au

© 2007 Newcastle Herald

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