Move the throttle lever, and Mercury Racing's 500R outboard crushes you into the seat or bolster. There's torque to spare all the way to its max-rated 6,600 rpm. It proved a blast testing aboard various boat types, from pontoons to center-consoles to high-performance catamarans. The 500R's supercharged whine will appeal to serious speed and power devotees.
This 4.6-liter V-8 delivers this visceral experience thanks to its supercharger. Belt-driven, the supercharger forces more air into the engine, resulting in more torque and power. Mercury Racing says it delivers 10 percent more torque than the 450R, which it replaces, and it increases boost pressure by 26 percent.
The 500R also boasts many technological innovations. For instance, a humidity sensor monitors intake air. This allows the engine ECM to combine humidity, air-pressure and air-temperature data to determine the ideal spark timing. It is the first marine engine with humidity compensation.
Mercury Racing claims that 30 more horsepower is made available in high humidity thanks to this technology.
Denne historien er fra August/September 2023-utgaven av Boating.
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Denne historien er fra August/September 2023-utgaven av Boating.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
AFFORDABLE SATCOM
Communications devices using satellite technology are more abundant today than any time in the past. What's more, many are portable, ultra-compact, affordable relatively and designed for boating, dispelling any perceptions that you need a big, expensive dome antenna aloft to access satellite communications.
IN THE BEGINNING
REPOWERING FOUNTAIN HULL NO.1
NAVICO GROUP FATHOM 2.0
Engine charging at 48 volts could be a game-changer.
PROPS FOR INNOVATION
Sharrow MX3 propellers live up to most of the company's performance-improvement claims.
MERCURY RACING 500R
Supercharged power for a variety of boats.
FLIPPING THE SWITCH
Much reporting focuses on reasons why one might choose electric marine power. The issues of range, speed, noise levels, winterizing and ethanol challenges, lake restrictions, environmental concerns and more all must be resolved on an individual basis. Little gets said about how a boater choosing to repower with electric actually gets that accomplished. Is it DIY? And if not, how does it get done?
TOW-VEHICLE TECH
If it's been a while since you bought new tow vehicle, you might be surprised by the many built-in advancements in trailering technology. New tow tech ranges from integrated weight scales and adaptive suspensions to systems that automatically back up your truck to hitch up your trailer. Here are a few examples to look for. -Jim Hendricks
MONUMENTAL TIPS FOR BACKING A TRAILER
Three Boating greats offer advice for a perennial reader query.
STICKING POINTS - Anchoring alternatives, and why you will always need a traditional anchor.
My brother-in-law likes to fish offshore reefs, and the process once entailed navigating to a mark, dropping a float, and idling upwind or up-current to drop the anchor in hopes the set would drop us back to the float.
FOR WANT OF A CLAMP
When 100 miles from shore, home and help, this boater’s preparedness prevented potential catastrophe.
