Evinrude E-Tec High Output 200

De-rated from its E-Tec 225 and 250 counterparts, the High Output, or HO, 200 is also one of the most understressed outboards for its output I've yet tested. It has a tonne of grunt down low and throttle-responsiveness matched only by the Mariner/Mercury OptiMax 200, itself a de-rated 225.

In comparison, the recently-released standard E-Tec 200 is up-rated from its 150 and 175 counterparts and better suited to lightweight ski and performance hulls.

As with all E-Tec engines, the HO 200 uses a mix of stratified and homogenous combustion, where below 1800 revs the fuel only is injected via several short-duration sprays into a "pocket" in the combustion chamber, giving an overall air/fuel ratio of about 40:1. Above 1800 revs, where substantially more torque is needed to plane the hull, fuel injection is switched to homogenous with an air/fuel ratio of about 25:1 but still almost twice as lean as comparable EFI four-stroke engines. The fuel injection pressure varies between 36 and 50bar or 500–700psi, up from the 30bar or 400psi of Evinrude DI engines, successors to the Ficht range.

Like all E-Tec engines from 115hp upwards, the HO 200 is available with "I-Command", a CAN-bus fuel management system with digital fuelflow similar to Mercury Marine's SmartCraft system. I-Command brings Bombardier Recreational Products in line with Mercury and Yamaha, whereas Honda, Suzuki and Tohatsu still don't have fuel management systems.

Mounted on a seven-metre centre-console Intercoastal 23 from Attack Boats and spinning a 19in pitch stainless-steel prop, the demo HO 200 gave blistering holeshot performance yet in its upper rev range was much quieter than the OptiMax 200 tested a while back. The HO 200 started instantly hot or cold and didn't blow any oil smoke, but at times when backing upwind there was an oil smell from the exhaust relief hole. Providing the anti-ventilation plate was kept at least three-quarters immersed, power astern was good and no cooling water starvation occurred.

Pushing a total 1700kg including five adults, the HO 200 trolled us at an almost vibration-free 3.7kmh on 500rpm using 1.6lt/h and averaged 11.8kmh on 2000rpm using 12.1lt/h. A clean plane was achieved at 32.2kmh on 3000rpm using 27.5lt/h and cruising effortlessly on 4000rpm the average was 51.0kmh using 47.6lt/h. Through full-lock figure of eight turns at these speeds there was no prop ventilation.

Flooring the throttle lever from 4000 revs literally threw us back in our seats. The Wide Open Throttle average was 80.8kmh on 5200rpm using 80.1lt/h, and at these revs we could talk normally at the helm.

Compared to an OptiMax 200 tested under similar conditions, the demo E-Tec HO 200 used 22 per cent more fuel when trolling, 50 per cent more at 2000rpm and 64 per cent more at 3000rpm. The most significant increase was at 4000rpm, where the HO 200 used 73 per cent more fuel, but at WOT the difference dropped back to 22 per cent.

The main reason for this fuel consumption difference is that the Orbital Combustion Process used in OptiMax engines has a fuel droplet size down to five microns due to the fuel being atomised with air, whereas single-stage DFI systems have droplet sizes of around 30 microns. Based on a standard spherical volume measurement, the droplets in single-stage systems contain 216 times the volume of fuel of dual-stage systems, giving dual-stage DFI engines a far more thorough air/fuel burn.

Still, servicing the HO 200 is more straightforward than the OptiMax 200 with its belt-driven air compressor and alternator, although Shane from CoastLife Marine, my local E-Tec dealer, recommends changing the gear oil and greasing throttle/gearshift linkages at least once a year. He also said that switching to Bombardier XD100 oil after the first service from the initial XD30 mineral-based oil fill makes a big difference to oil consumption.

The HO 200 complies with California Air Resources Board (CARB) 2008 and EU 2006 exhaust and noise emission requirements and the non-declining warranty coverage is three years or 300 hours for recreational applications.