The Fall of Mercury Racing. Opportunity?
#31
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Joe,
You're correct... we do a fair bit of OBs now... Our 42 Vs take 4 at a shot.... And we have done a few boat with the big V8 627 from Seven Marine... Our new 340X cat has been a great success, and is using the 400 Verado...
The performance that Mercury gets out of a 400 Verado is exceptional..... 400 hp, 7000 rpm....and a 5 year warranty... SO I can run my 340 X at WOT 7000 rpm every weekend for 5 years and they have the faith that warranty won't put them down..... Unreal...
Mercury has done it right.
I'm a fan of two strokes... I actually worked for BRP when they brought out the E-Tec technology..... Very, Very good engines.... I really think a 400hp E Tec would open some eyes....
The point here was about the hi-po two strokes..... What is the real market for them? Will 200 sell each year? Not 1000... I know that...
Mercury is a big dog that needs to be fed... Selling 200 engines doesn't warrant the assembly line, parts, and support....
I certainly understand why they wouldn't want to continue the line...
You're correct... we do a fair bit of OBs now... Our 42 Vs take 4 at a shot.... And we have done a few boat with the big V8 627 from Seven Marine... Our new 340X cat has been a great success, and is using the 400 Verado...
The performance that Mercury gets out of a 400 Verado is exceptional..... 400 hp, 7000 rpm....and a 5 year warranty... SO I can run my 340 X at WOT 7000 rpm every weekend for 5 years and they have the faith that warranty won't put them down..... Unreal...
Mercury has done it right.
I'm a fan of two strokes... I actually worked for BRP when they brought out the E-Tec technology..... Very, Very good engines.... I really think a 400hp E Tec would open some eyes....
The point here was about the hi-po two strokes..... What is the real market for them? Will 200 sell each year? Not 1000... I know that...
Mercury is a big dog that needs to be fed... Selling 200 engines doesn't warrant the assembly line, parts, and support....
I certainly understand why they wouldn't want to continue the line...
#32
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The article was about "Mercury Racing" I thought? who's racing Verado 350"s and 400R's? haven't seen any CC's on the race course as of yet.....I just read an article that Sterling was almost a lock to win the SBI Premier Class in Key West next week.... I think WavetoWave's article makes a good point..... Mercury has abandoned an entire segment of the true performance industry.....
#33
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[/QUOTE]Yeah Man, you lost any opening with Merc forever. Think Monkey, think!![/QUOTE]
This is funny. There is nothing defaming about Mercury in the article at all, if anything it points out how they might make up the space with their latest 3.0L four-stroke platform, which would be great. But if you want sponsored content, there are plenty of publications with no opinion on anything that are happy to do it.
We really love feedback but "Think Monkey" when you clearly didn't read the article nor do you understand digital content, seems a little inappropriate.
This is funny. There is nothing defaming about Mercury in the article at all, if anything it points out how they might make up the space with their latest 3.0L four-stroke platform, which would be great. But if you want sponsored content, there are plenty of publications with no opinion on anything that are happy to do it.
We really love feedback but "Think Monkey" when you clearly didn't read the article nor do you understand digital content, seems a little inappropriate.
#34
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Yeah Man, you lost any opening with Merc forever. Think Monkey, think!![/QUOTE]
This is funny. There is nothing defaming about Mercury in the article at all, if anything it points out how they might make up the space with their latest 3.0L four-stroke platform, which would be great. But if you want sponsored content, there are plenty of publications with no opinion on anything that are happy to do it.
We really love feedback but "Think Monkey" when you clearly didn't read the article nor do you understand digital content, seems a little inappropriate.[/QUOTE]
I actually read the entire thread. I'm not sure where the "defaming" comment comes from. The title for the article is misleading. You have your opinions, I have mine.
This is funny. There is nothing defaming about Mercury in the article at all, if anything it points out how they might make up the space with their latest 3.0L four-stroke platform, which would be great. But if you want sponsored content, there are plenty of publications with no opinion on anything that are happy to do it.
We really love feedback but "Think Monkey" when you clearly didn't read the article nor do you understand digital content, seems a little inappropriate.[/QUOTE]
I actually read the entire thread. I'm not sure where the "defaming" comment comes from. The title for the article is misleading. You have your opinions, I have mine.
#35
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I would say the obstacle is emission requirements. Everything adds weight to a new motor. Lots of sensors, high pressure fuel pumps, computers etc. All this adds to the weight.
Boating is different today. Look at old bass boats as an example. They were narrower and lighter. Today they are wider and heavier. They can handle the extra weight. Then there was the I/o runabout. A new ob is lighter less complex and more fuel efficient.
Formula boats is getting back into the outboard market. The have a new 43' boat with outboards. But they will have some of the smaller boats with ob's too.
I just don't think they can easily shave alot of weight off the engines and still have an affordable engine.
Maybe the boats have to adapt to new engines. Could fuel tanks or batteries be moved forward to rebalance the boats
Boating is different today. Look at old bass boats as an example. They were narrower and lighter. Today they are wider and heavier. They can handle the extra weight. Then there was the I/o runabout. A new ob is lighter less complex and more fuel efficient.
Formula boats is getting back into the outboard market. The have a new 43' boat with outboards. But they will have some of the smaller boats with ob's too.
I just don't think they can easily shave alot of weight off the engines and still have an affordable engine.
Maybe the boats have to adapt to new engines. Could fuel tanks or batteries be moved forward to rebalance the boats
#36
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I would say the obstacle is emission requirements. Everything adds weight to a new motor. Lots of sensors, high pressure fuel pumps, computers etc. All this adds to the weight.
Boating is different today. Look at old bass boats as an example. They were narrower and lighter. Today they are wider and heavier. They can handle the extra weight. Then there was the I/o runabout. A new ob is lighter less complex and more fuel efficient.
Formula boats is getting back into the outboard market. The have a new 43' boat with outboards. But they will have some of the smaller boats with ob's too.
I just don't think they can easily shave alot of weight off the engines and still have an affordable engine.
Maybe the boats have to adapt to new engines. Could fuel tanks or batteries be moved forward to rebalance the boats
Boating is different today. Look at old bass boats as an example. They were narrower and lighter. Today they are wider and heavier. They can handle the extra weight. Then there was the I/o runabout. A new ob is lighter less complex and more fuel efficient.
Formula boats is getting back into the outboard market. The have a new 43' boat with outboards. But they will have some of the smaller boats with ob's too.
I just don't think they can easily shave alot of weight off the engines and still have an affordable engine.
Maybe the boats have to adapt to new engines. Could fuel tanks or batteries be moved forward to rebalance the boats
#37
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No worries man. It was just the comment that I "lost any opening with Mercury" and mentioned a monkey, implied I was defaming Merc. But Merc pulling out of the 200 to 300 HP range is a fact, not an opinion and it opens up an opportunity for someone. Mercury might very well have plans for a new engine in that range, I've heard they are but time will tell. Although I am a Mercury fan, I think it would be great to have some competition. Plus, the 115 to 250 is the best selling outboard segment, so there is lots of room there.