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Mercury Verado
4 Stroke Supercharged Outboards
Product Review
By Capt. Steven Lamp
My Story of Mercury Verado
Currently I have a Single 07 275 25" Verado
for Sale
Warrantee Till 2012.
Outboard
Motors
for Sale
Four Stroke outboard motors are becoming the
mainstay. As we all know the bunny huggers of the world are taking control
so the old ways of Dirty engines are gone. The EPA wants the environmental
assets, the public wants the seemingly good fuel economy, quiet operation
and the presumed longevity of the four stroke engine platform. The days of
two strokes are behind us now and the future is Four Stroke.
Almost every outboard engine manufacturer now
has a 4 stroke version of their product, some of them have been making them
for years and others are just catching up. Look around the docks today of
newer boats and I would say that 50% of the engines on transoms are 4 stroke
engines. Are they better? That’s a matter of opinion and application. In the
past 4 stroke engines have had a reputation for being heavier yet quieter
than the 2 strokes. Four strokes were not as punchy as 2 strokes however
seemed to have a smoother power curve. It all depends on who you talk with
about the fuel economy but I say Mercury’ very own Opti Max line of 2 stroke
outboards has not been beaten by any four stroke for fuel economy as of yet.
My opinion of four strokes, Well, Until
Verado, I did not even consider them. Which brings me to my reason for this
review.
Verado,
Mercury
Marine has done it again.
Research was
done to ensure that this word meant absolutely nothing in any spoken or
written language in the world; a process that is not only time consuming but
probably very expensive. Mercury went forward with this aggressive approach
as the very first of many steps toward changing the world of outboard
motors. Unique in every way, Verado has indeed reached the goal Mercury has
set before it, redefining the use of outboard motors once again. Taking
boating to the next level.
The
short end of the story goes like this: hire the best engine designers in the
world, tell them that this motor has to
be different than any other, spend a bunch of money on tooling and research,
test and evaluate the creation more than ever has been done before, then
offer it to the public as the Messiah of outboard motors with confidence.
That’s just what Mercury did when they débuted this creation at the 2004
Miami International Boat show.
With this impressive power
platform Mercury started with a familiar and competitive lineup. Mercury
offers the 6 cylinder Verado in 200, 225, 250 and 275 hp versions. All with
the same block size and engine platform. With typical 20, 25 and 30 inch
transom shafts to fit in any regular marine application with industry
standard bolting patterns. But that may be where the similarities stop. The
Verado L6 is an inline 6 cylinder supercharged outboard. Mercury has used an
inline 6 power head in the past; however this one is totally different.
Being supercharged helps the motor create more power where the users have
been needing it, down low and throughout the power band.
Other qualities of the Verado were
silent and smooth operation. Many things about this engine are an industry
first. An entirely new mid section was created for this motor. The steering
pin is much larger disbursing the weight of the motor more evenly allowing
for tremendous durability for our offshore anglers heading out in 6 ft seas.
The way the engine is mounted the design of the engine itself dampens the
vibration completely, this and the insulation of the new cowling offers a no
vibration silent idling package. The trim system has been totally redesigned
as well to match this new mounting bracket giving the Verado a tough look
and functional presence. The mid section was shapely designed as well to
compliment the state of the art unique cowling design, giving the motor a
powerfully sexy look to compliment any vessel.
On the business end Verado’s gear case also
got a work-over. The Verado puts out a good bit of torque at the low end,
more so than her 2 stroke counterparts so a stronger gear case was needed.
Mercury stepped up to the plate here as well with a newer, redesigned,
tougher gear case and internals to withstand the punishment. No worries
though, the engineers kept the same prop shaft splines to match any of our
Mercury hub propellers.
Why stop there? When Mercury was designing the Verado they went ahead and redesigned the way a boat operates all together
making the Verado the center hub of the boats power and information. Enter,
Digital Throttle and Shift with Smart Craft technology.
Smart Craft has been around for a
few years operating with the Optimax line of engines. Offering boaters a way
to monitor a list of potentially important items, some listed below. All
these features can be found in the Smart Craft Systems View 5000 Coupled
with Mercury Engines that are Smart Craft Capable.
Standard Features
-
Dual Engine Readouts
-
Shadow Mode ( see DTS
section of this article)
-
Fuel
flow
-
Fuel burned
-
Fuel tank level (2 tanks)
-
Water tank levels (2 tanks)
-
Waste Levels (1 tank)
-
Power trim position
-
Oil pressure
-
Water pressure
-
All GPS info (NMEA
link to working GPS)
-
Air Temp
-
Auto Engine Synchronizers (DTS
Only)
-
Troll Control
-
Multi Gauge readout
-
Run History
-
Run Live Data per engine
-
Super Charger Boost Gauge
Race View 5000
-
All of the above and
-
4 engine capable
-
Shadow Mode
-
Prop Slip Calculator
-
Detailed Engine History
-
Detailed Engine Live data
Optional
-
Trim tab position (works
with Mercury K Planes)
-
Oil tank levels
-
Water Temp
-
Depth
-
Paddle Wheel Speed
-
Nav Man GPS and Information
Center.
Along with all of that the processor also
keeps a log of information on running history for the life of the engine.
This aids in diagnostics and troubleshooting in the event of an engine
malfunction. Smart Craft was ahead of its time and still had so much more to
offer. Hard to believe, Well its true I have been working with Smart Craft
for over 4 years and so far it has not missed a beat in what it is designed
to deliver, and it only keeps getting better.
To work with all the possibilities Smart
Craft has to offer rose the the need in the industry for a throttle and
shift system that would communicate digitally with Smart Craft and operate
as smooth as their new motor the Verado. Truly a new age in boating was
about to emerge.
D.T.S. Digital Throttle and Shift. DTS is a
control that handles shifting operation digitally through data cables
instead of Throttle Cables. DTS and Smart Craft together offer a control and
information network that really takes the work out of boating. The DTS
throttle and shift is hooked up to the Smart Craft Network through a small
processor that coordinates all the information. There is one processor
needed per engine. Some folks are concerned about the Old “fly by wire”
being to slow for reaction time or what ever, I was one of them. News is
out. There really is no difference. As a professional boat driver in many
applications I can tell the difference, however easily over come like
driving one car or the other. This system is absolutely the smoothest
operation I have ever used. There is No way a throttle cable can give as
good as or as accurate a response as DTS. Plus, Throttle Cables go bad and
everyone who has a boat knows what kind of a royal PITA that can be to
replace. More about the rigging later in this review.
Like what you see about DTS so far? Well, just
wait it gets better.
Is your application a triple or quad engine
installation? Lets talk about Shadow Mode. Shadow mode is a fabulous
application that allows boaters with 3 and 4 engines to only have two
throttles. Imagine that. I can have three engines and not have to be a world
champ power boat racer to dock my boat with a handful of sticks.
Here is how it works.
Two throttles, three engines.
(Works the same for 4 too). We all know that docking a dual engine boat is
simple, to turn the boat or spin it, one engine forward and one in reverse..
Here it is the same way. The middle engine does the same as the other two
together. If one is in reverse and the other is forward the center engine
stays neutral. Both forward, center engine goes forward and matches the RPMS
through the on board DTS Smart Craft Engine Synchronizers. Reverse, well,
you get the picture.
Ok, we have DTS, Smart Craft and
this amazing new Outboard what’s next?
Now, lets talk about the steering.
Redesigned for this package was also the whole steering system. The Verado 6
cylinder has its own steering ram and helm. This steering system is power
assisted by a very well put together pump that is installed in the boat. Oh,
and lets not leave the pump out of the loop for DTS or Smart Craft. It too
is also hooked up into the digital network for the user to see things like
helm position or auto pilot information.
Now that’s a ton of information to go boating
with. When I first started looking into and playing with Verado I could not
wait to get into the rigging and technical about this engine. At first I was
hugely over whelmed. It took some studying but when I started looking at the
whole system I was thinking to myself that Mercury has made this whole
network of Engine, Control, Gauges, and Boat more complex and concise
however this time not at the cost of more complication. In the past, when a
manufacturer came out with some latest and greatest thing it was sometimes
too complicated for even a skilled mechanic to understand. Verado, DTS and
Smart Craft are not that way; in fact I see this system being the forefront
of things to come in the industry. Mercury has once again set the bar.
Being inundated with all this new
technology for marine use is a huge undertaking for someone who is looking
to re-power their boat with Verado. Mercury even thought of that, and came
to the challenge by making a dealer/service tech accessible data driven web
site to completely rig out a boat piece by piece Verado style.
The job I did on my Pro Line was a
complete re-rigging going from Optimax to Verado. I was fortunate enough to
be allowed to use the new data driven site that the dealers can use to order
my parts in spec to my boats needs. This worked great! All the parts that I
and my service guy needed showed up in days complete and ready for assembly,
there was nothing missing and everything was the right size. I was truly
amazed.
Doing the job itself was a large
undertaking. I was lucky enough to have a week off work and the service
center of Murray Marine here in Key West who was gracious enough to allow me
to work in their facility to do as much as I could as Joe boat owner with
the assistance of their master Mercury Tech when I needed him. The job was
tough and it was hot, however, I will say that it seemed to take longer to
unrig that boat than it did to put it back together. Remember there are no
throttle cables, the whole installation are plug in and play. They even have
the plugs labeled for slow folks like myself. Once we had everything
together the master tech plugged in his Mercury Verado computer to “Wake Up”
the motors and set the defaults I was on my way.
Keep in mind that I did not
install my engines myself to prove that it can be done by Joe boater to save
himself some money on service and labor. Nor would I even suggest someone
try it themselves. I ran into plenty of snags that were completely foreign
to me that only a tech would know how to correct. I did this experience to
learn more about how the Verado network works so that I could share it with
folks who are interested in buying one of these fantastic machines.
Now that’s a ton of information to
go boating with. When I first started looking into and playing with Verado I
could not wait to get into the rigging and technical about this engine. At
first I was hugely over whelmed. It took some studying but when I started
looking at the whole system I was thinking to myself that Mercury has made
this whole network of Engine, Control, Gauges, and Boat more complex and
concise however this time not at the cost of more complication. In the past,
when a manufacturer came out with some latest and greatest thing it was
sometimes too complicated for even a skilled mechanic to understand. Verado,
DTS and Smart Craft are not that way; in fact I see this system being the
forefront of things to come in the industry. Mercury has once again set the
bar.
Lets talk about the package now.
I waited a while before I actually
wrote this piece on these motors. As most of my regular readers know, I will
not to jump to an impression about a product to soon but sit back and study
not only my first hand experiences with the product but also the experiences
that other professionals have shared with me as well.
My experiences with the Verado are not
limited to one boat. I have had the chance to operate several different
applications from single engine bass boats, twin engine center consoles and
triple engine applications with and without the new Shadow drive DTS
innovation. All with Verado and DTS applications. Currently in my charter
arsenal we have a 28 ft Pro Line with 2 250 Verado and a 23ft Action Craft
Coastal bay with a single Verado 250.
Quiet, Smooth and Responsive.
I am sure many folks have been at the dock
and heard these motors idle, or not heard them. I have made jokes that the
motor is so quiet that I will go through starter trying to restart my motors
again and again not being able to hear them running back there like the old
days. Once again this is a testament to Mercury’s dedication to quality.
Many resources were put into this motor being the quietest it can be. Along
with silent idle operation there is absolutely no vibration. This in itself
is truly, a huge step forward and away from the old days.
General operation of the Verado is a real
treat. Let’s start just around the docks. First there are a few small things
that old school guys like myself have to get used to. First, the DTS
controls. As a mentioned there is no feed back to the throttles or
stickiness or stuck ness, they are all about smooth. When maneuvering around
the docks for the first time one may have a tendency to overpower, again we
are used to the engine noise and with Verado there is very little engine
noise. Gear shift is so smooth and firm, definitely a testament to Mercury’s
new gear case design changes. No more grinding gears with a slow shift
Verado’s are either in or out of gear. Remember, you now have a computer
doing the technical work for you. I can’t tell you how much this will help
in an engines life because of less wear and tear.
One note of mention about the Steering pumps
performance. I have heard some of my colleagues mention something about pump
noise from the older 04, 05 steering units. I went to investigate and found
this to be a really silly point. If we had the engines of old days we would
not even hear the pump over the engine noise. Mercury has since fixed the
issue with even better insulation for those with delicate ears. The power
assisted pump does a great job keeping up with helm demand and the engines
will turn without the motors running or the pump turned on.
Another thing missing from the old days is
the smoke. These motors are truly smoke less. Even the extremely fuel
efficient Optimax would smoke just a little. Verado Being 4 stroke engines
they does not burn lubricating oil through the combustion chambers of the
cylinders rather than more like a car it has an oil plenum and oil pump that
showers, the vital engine parts that need it as the engine runs, all to be
recollected back at the plenum for recirculation. Reducing the operating
cost even more for this engine there is no need to buy oil.
Now we are out of the harbor and getting ready
to plane out. I have been looking for a good analogy for this for a while
now. I keep coming back to the Old Star Trek television show. Remember when
Kirk would give the go ahead to leave the Galaxy and Mr. Chekhov would slide
those two levers forward and the ship would just go to warp 3 effortlessly..
Well there ya go. That’s what my twin engine boat feels like coming out of
the hole and down the way with Verado. There is a TON of torque in those
engines and you will really feel it.
Moving along at Cruise in my boat is about 35
mph @ 3800 rpm. At this speed I can hold a long conversation with a client
out to the fishing grounds at normal speaking range. This has not only made
my day nicer with less noise, but also helped me build relationships with my
people on the way out giving them a better experience on my boat as well. I
have been finding lately all they want to talk about though are my engines…
Oh well, pretty soon everyone will have them.
Ok, lets put the fire to it and let em eat.
Performance of the Verado is truly awe inspiring. I have some very good
comparisons. On my 28ft boat I went from the 250xs Optimax from Mercury
Racing to the Verado twin 250’s. I lost exactly 2 miles per hour in my top
speed. Same props, same load, and same grade of fuel. This to me was truly
amazing. The Verado is not only a 4 stroke but also out weighs my other
application by roughly 250 lbs over all. I was impressed by that comparison.
On a personal note I never thought I would put as much weight into the
engine noise that I have after operating the Verado. As a 20 year veteran
captain with a whole lot of thousands of hours with outboards running in my
ear for hours on end I can’t tell you how much nicer it is to have a quiet
motor back there. At the end of my day I am actually not as tired and feel
as though I am enjoying more of what I do out there in god’s nature all
because of the Verado.
Environmentally speaking, there is really no
point in going here in this article. I have seen lots of propaganda
regarding the use of 2 stroke versus four stroke engines and which ones are
more Enviro Friendly from both sides. I have even seen some evidence that
the Optimax is more environmentally friendly with fewer emissions than any 4
stroke in on the market today. The answer to this section here is, the
powers that be are making us change what we use and tightening the laws the
way they see fit. By 2010 I am not sure if Mercury will be allowed to make
the super efficient Optimax any more. Things are changing, just like the
meat in your burger at McDonalds. As consumers we may not have asked for it,
in the testing it may show we really don’t need it, but someone is telling
us we gotta have it, so there we have the 4 stroke outboard.
In closing The Mercury Verado is not only the
next big thing in the marine industry. It will be the thing that all others
are based on. Mercury has jumped years ahead and made boating so much safer
and enjoyable for everyone. After I have had the chance to run, test, work
with, rig, and maintain the Verado I can honestly tell someone that with all
that is out there on the market both 2 stroke and 4 stroke, Verado coupled
with Smart Craft is the Propulsion system that you need for your boat. |
