OnBoard Magazine - Issue XIII - 2021 Season

ver the last two decades, as center console and express boats continue to grow in length and add more weight with sophisticated components and expansive interior spaces, outboard engine builders have been challenged with answering the call for more power. Manufacturers have several avenues to provide more push: increase displacement, cylinder count or introduce forced induction, to name a few. While horsepower figures have steadily climbed over the years, cylinder count has long been stuck at eight. Yamaha produces big horsepower via displacement, direct injection and natural aspiration. The former Seven Marine cranked up huge power figures thanks to a supercharged Corvette engine, while Mercury has also relied on superchargers to extract the most horsepower from their inline-6 and new V8 engines. With Volvo’s shuttering of Seven Marine, the industry lost their only 500-plus horsepower outboards. Thankfully, Mercury had already committed to years of design, development and implementation of a top-secret unit that was sure to fill the power gap and literally revolutionize the outboard engine industry. In early 2021, at their secluded “Lake X” test site outside of Orlando, Florida, Mercury made an announcement to members of the press, boat builders and dealers: greater horsepower has arrived. Mercury’s all-new 600hp Verado engine features a 7.6-liter V12, along with a two- speed ZF transmission and a unique steerable gearcase. One of the first boats to be outfitted with these engines was the Valhalla V-46, which received a set of quad outboards for testing. The 2,400hp propelled her to an impressive 65-knot (75 mph) top speed and 44.6-knot (55.9 mph) cruise. A new era has dawned for high horsepower outboard boats, thanks to the recent unveiling of Mercury’s incredible V12 Verado engines. by Magnus Thiersmann 22 BLUEWATER