Size of Modern Outboard Engines

[jimh]

I remember when I saw a VERADO engine for the first time in 2004 at the Miami Boat Show. It looked enormous.

Fig. 1. Your author and a 2004 VERADO FOURSTROKE. Both modern engines and I have put on some additional size and weight in the 15-year since this picture was taken.

jwhVerado546x666.jpg (51.21 KiB) Viewed 8778 times

I have not seen the Yamaha XTO engines in person, but I just came across this recorded presentation about them in which the CEO of Yamaha USA stands in the foreground and there are several Yamaha XTO V8 5.6-liter engines in the background.

Fig. 2. Yamaha CEO standing near Yamaha XTO engine.

yamahaXTO_Engine.jpg (54.95 KiB) Viewed 8781 times

More at https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=5&v=HTj4AvDWY5w

It looks like you would need a crane to remove the engine cowling from these monsters. These are not going to re-power any classic Boston Whaler boats.

[rtk]

I was down at the Bass Pro Shop in Atlantic City and there was a Mako boat with what I think was a 300 VERADO. I was fascinated by the size of the engine and had the same thoughts as you with regard to re-powering a classic Whaler with one of these massive engines.

I have not been following the evolution of the new high power outboard engines the past few years except for Evinrude E-TEC engine.

Mercury and Yamaha really trimmed down the weight of these large displacement engines. The Mercury 4.2 liter V8 250-HP VERADO FOURSTROKE weight specification is only 527-lbs (lightest weight model). That is very close to the weight of the 2003 Mercury 250 EFI two-stroke that I had on my 1997 21 Outrage,

https://www.mercurymarine.com/en/us/eng ... 75-300-hp/

The VERADO even trimmed down the weight of the 250 and 300-HP models with the 4.2-liter V8. The VERADO 350 and 400 engines with the 2.6 liter in-line-6 weigh about 10-percent more than the 4.2 liter V8.

https://www.mercurymarine.com/en/us/eng ... 50-400-hp/

Yamaha even lightened up their 4.2 liter V6 line up to about 550-lbs. If it is the Yamaha 425-HP V8 that is in your photo it is a behemoth at close to 1,000 pounds.

The advances in outboard engine technology are very exciting. When it comes to re-powering it's a good thing that they don't make them like they used to. The new technology outboards are a pleasure to own and operate. They truly enhance the outboard boating experience.

Rich

[jimh]

The Mercury VERADO branding used to be limited to the in-line six-cylinder or in-line four-cylinder engines with supercharging. When Mercury developed their V8 engine without supercharging at 250-HP and 300-HP, they gave it the VERADO branding, too. The V8 and in-line-6 are quite different engines. Eliminating the supercharger, the bypass gate, and the intercooler probably helped shed weight in the V8 model.

Since 2004 there has been an accommodation made in the mind of boaters about how large an outboard engine can be. With the Yamaha XTO V8 5.6-liter engine, the size has gone beyond anything imagined 20-years ago. And the price has also soared. However, since these engines are going on boats that cost more than $500,000, there is not much concern about $100,000 in outboard engines on the transom.

[Jefecinco]

We have an L4 135 HP Verado which is identical in size to the L4 200 HP Verado. I cannot remove the cowling from anywhere aboard our 190 Montauk. When the Montauk is on a trailer I need a step ladder to remove the cowling and even then it's a chore. The crankcase oil level dip stick is under the cowling. Guess how often the oil level is checked? Clue: it's not monthly.