Marine Engines: New outboards, inboards, LPG and more

Engine technology is the 'engine room' of the pleasure-boating market today. Bigger, faster, lighter, with improved efficiency and greater environmental credentials, increasing connectivity and user friendliness, are all key factors driving marine-engine development.

Affordability is always a selling point and herein an eternal struggle for the marine industry. But there might be some good news on the horizon in respect of factory-rolled boating packages thanks to an engine-manufacturer tie-in. Read on.

Following on from the Melbourne boat show, which is a shrine to trailerboats and outboard engines, here are some of the key engine releases and news heading our way.

If not a new boat with a new engine then think about repowering as a way to keep pace with the evolving pleasure boating market driven by new engine development...

OUTBOARD NEWS
With changes to emissions laws and the demise of the traditional carbie two-stroke outboard in the next few years (read the Fact Sheet), all the big marine engine makers are releasing new products onto global boating markets.

Melbourne boat show revealed a taste of what's to come. Expect more news on the four-stroke outboard front, but also a big push from BRP's Evinrude ETEC outboards thanks to new distributorship arrangements with Telwater.

With the country's biggest boatbuilder behind Evinrude, you can expect to see a lot more factory-rolled aluminium boat packages with an ETEC direct-injection two-stroke outboard on the transom in future.

Of course, we reported on the Evinrude ETEC G2 200-300hp release two years ago from Milwaukee, WI. Evinrude is poised to stage another global reveal of a new family of ETECs later this week!

We can only speculate, but new ETEC outboards are due in the mid-range where the lion's share of boating sales are made.

Should new ETECs in popular outboard sizes be forthcoming, and Telwater pass on savings through its direct distributorship from engine maker to boatbuilder, then this might be a good thing for consumers seeking affordable trailerboating options.

As Melbourne boat show revealed, the $20-35k market is pretty much owned by tinnies these days and those from Telwater, the Quintrex, Stacer and Savage brands, dominate.

But it's also fair to say that boating devotees with deep pockets are willing to pay for the latest technology and bigger horsepower outboards are certainly go.

With a new plate-aluminium or fibreglass 6-metre fishing rig often costing in excess of $100k, the engine(s) account for a large slice of that price. Buyers are well researched and the big horsepower classes are selling well.

Here are some highlights from the big engine makers at 2016 Melbourne boat show...

YAMAHA
In the evolving outboard sector, Yamaha had by far the biggest corporate display, where its new VMAX SHO outboards, the VF115 and VF150, made their Australian debuts, alongside the new F90 Four-Stroke, which is described as the perfect option for those looking to extract the maximum performance from their 90hp-rated trailerboat.

Complementing the new Yamaha outboards was a new range of Yamaha-exclusive rigging, using a shock-and-noise reducing Shift Dampening System (SDS) and Talon series of alloy and stainless-steel propellers designed to give "clunk-free" shifts on all Yamaha outboards from the FT60 and now right up to 5.3L V8 F350.

Yamaha was showcasing the all-new, all-in-one, colour high-def LCD gauge which relays real-time information from the outboard and sensors back to the helm. The new 6YC Command-Link Digital gauge is compatible with Yamaha’s complete EFI four-stroke range from the F30-F350.

This year also marks the 30th anniversary of Yamaha WaveRunners. To celebrate, Yamaha had a cool selection of key historical models, its award-winning new three-cylinder TR-1 marine engine and the high-powered SVHO marine engine on show.

Yamaha also launched its new JetFish brand concept across all national boat shows. A concept model was displayed as the basis of Yamaha’s future activity in the fishing Waverunner market. We have reviews excellent Yamaha FXHO with Shoreline Tubby fishing pods previously.

MERCURY
When asked where we are heading with marine engines, Mercury proffered that this was the first boat show where it wasn't displaying an Optimax DFI outboard on its corporate stand. In the four-stroke family, it had a new 115 Pro XS, a new SeaPro commercial range from 40-150hp (commercial marine is a growth area worldwide), and its supercharged Verado outboards in high horsepower.

In fact, it's sold more of those powerful 350-400hp Verados, in black or white livery, than it imagined it would do in Australia.

But the local Mercury team admits there are challenges ahead finding lightweight replacements for the portable two-strokes. It had a full range of those traditional two strokes on show, but the four strokes in the popular 9.9-15hp ranges often weigh a bit more. This is an evolving segment.

Of course, there's greater synergy with engine data being relayed to electronics via NMEA2000 plug-and-play protocols these days. Mercury has made its VesselView product more widely available through third-party electronics and its own app. There is also a redesigned shift and throttle for outboards.

HONDA AND SUZUKI
Honda were paired up with their preferred trailerboat partners and, in Melbourne, the silver-engine maker has a loyal following. The drive-by-wire electronic shift and throttle system for its top-of-the-range BF250hp engine is the latest news and this will likely head down the range to the BF225 and beyond. There was also a white BF 250 on display!

Suzuki is a keen player in the portable four-stroke outboard market with new DF4A, 5A and 6A products, in addition to its lightweight 9.9hp and 15hp four strokes that weigh just 33kg, its 15-20hp with electronic tilt function, and battery-less EFI. The 200A is always a popular engine, especially in dual installations on trailerable sportfishers.

INBOARD NEWS
While overshadowed by the outboard market, the inboard petrol sterndrive engines had some Next Generation V6 and V8 models from Volvo Penta and new 300-350hp 6.2L V8s from MerCruiser in pleasure boats from the likes of Whittley, Chaparral and more.

At the Beneteau stand, there was a Volvo Penta IPS drive on display. We recently travelled to Sweden to cover the 2016 Volvo Penta new product releases and news. Certainly, IPS pod drives are a big thing in diesel engines and 40ft+ boats  today.

Mastercraft tow-sports boats stood out and we hear Ilmor has some new engine news on the way as well. All-alloy blocks and new catalyst technology appears to be the way forward for the American petrol inboard makers needing to meet tough new US emissions standards.

LPG OPTION
For something a little different, Lehr had some LPG-powered portable four-stroke engines on show and it also has a neat composite gas bottle that is said to have an increased safety factor.

The Lehr LPG outboards run from 2.5hp to a new Lehr 25hp and are essentially four strokes with a gas injection systems.

More on this evolving part of the marine industry as it comes to hand...