When it comes to innovation in the marine outboard industry, its hard to go past mercury from their new electric outboard the Avator to the world first V12 600HP Verado. We caught up with the team from Mercury at the 2022 Sydney International Boat Show to take a good look at this monster of an outboard.
Introducing the 600HP Verado
“Would anyone want to purchase or upgrade to a 600hp outboard engine?”. This is the first question we asked ourselves after seeing the newest outboard engine from the Mercury Marine stable. Sure, it is packed with incredible looks that would make you blush and swoon like a lovestruck teenager. We’re pretty sure serious boaters and anglers even drooled after getting their first view of this five-year project that is now the Mercury 600HP V12 Outboard Engine. At that very moment, one or two crazy fishing nuts probably even briefly considered selling their houses to upgrade and repower with this baby.
As we consider ourselves as serious as any other fishos out there, we also spent a great deal of time obsessing about Mercury Marine’s newest and most innovative creation to date. We looked into the innovations packed into the V-12 outboard engine before we decided to go superficial and admire its sleek, luxurious body and list down all the reasons that made this outboard the ultimate dream gear for all boaters and anglers out there.
Customers are looking for more horsepower, because of the transition from inboards and sterndrive driven boats to outboards. to allow that, something like the mercury 600hp was needed
Justin, Mercury Marine Australia
A Closer Look at the Mercury Marine V12 600HP Outboard Engine
Released in February 2021, the V12 600HP outboard engine is Mercury Marine’s most recent proof of its commitment to bold boating experiences. Five years of constant analysis, innovation research, tests, and on-water experimentations helped Mercury create a new outboard option for the future of boating.
Just as outboards became the present choice for boaters and anglers after they ditched flybridge boats and moved towards the 50+-feet center console, the Verado 600HP is, at the moment, the best option for improved future boating experience. It supposedly addresses the inherently limited room at the transom on center consoles—a problem that market leaders aim to resolve by creating a fuel-efficient outboard engine that could put 2400-hp within a limited space.
Unlocking the Innovations on the New Mercury V12 600HP Outboard Engine
As the most advanced outboard boat engine in the market now, the V12 600HP outboard engine sports many drool-worthy features that are entirely different from earlier versions.
V12 Powerhead
A V12 cyclic cylinder is also used for another outboard engine as it is available with the Seapro 500HP, which was released at the same time. But, if it comes with a 7.6-liter displacement capacity and packs a quad-cam powerhead that does easy work of generating an impressive 600HP and torque, now, that is an outboard that beats every other one in the market. With these features, propelling heavy boats out of the hole, up on the plane, or over the swell is a lot easier. As if that’s not impressive enough, those guys over at Mercury Marine also fitted the Verado 600HP with transient spark technology, a calibrated spark plug technology that makes optimum use of low-end power.
Automatic Transmission
Smooth. Quiet. Effortless.
This is how Mercury Marine described the automatic transmission gear on the V12 600HP outboard engine. The automatic transmission itself is the first-of-its-kind in the industry. The effortless switch from first to second gear is like a bonus, the good kind that facilitates power and efficiency in terms of acceleration and engine performance.
Independent Steerable Gearcase
All that being said, the surprise is far from complete. This baby is also fitted with a revolutionary pivoting gearbox specially developed for the 7.6L V12 600hp Verado outboard. The actual engine powerhead was designed to be stationary, and the actual steering pivot happens underwater. In doing so, Mercury Marine allows for outboards to be mounted closer together, which, in turn, means more space for more multi-engine setups. To top it off, Mercury Marine fitted a new series of dual contra-rotating props to distribute the massive torque coming out of the 600 hp, offering easy docking and close-quarters manoeuvring.
Contra-rotating propellers
A new series of dual props were expertly crafted to harness the full potential of 600hp. Designed to run in a contra-rotating configuration, the new propellers power the boat on plane swiftly and efficiently, while delivering exceptional handling and fuel economy at midrange speeds.
Maintenance
Finally, Mercury built the V12 Verado outboard to make maintenance easy. This engine is capable of operating for 200 hours before requiring a routine service, including oil changes. They also added a couple of other cool features: having the top of the cowling popping up like a car bonnet as the entire cowl doesn’t need to be removed to allow a more in-depth service until 1000 hours or five years and offers direct access to your dipstick, oil filter, oil fill, and fuse box so basic maintenance can be done through the innovative top cowl service hood while the boat is still in the water. It also comes with a 150-amp alternator with self-monitoring and self-adjusting capabilities, so you’ll always have the power that you need when you need it.
Engine controls
Next Gen Digital Throttle & Shift
The 600hp Verado outboard comes standard with Next Gen Digital Throttle & Shift (DTS) controls for ultra-smooth shifting and instant throttle response. Intuitive push-button access to select SmartCraft technologies such as Active Trim is integrated with the control. For multi-engine configurations, a Premier electronic remote control model is available. It includes a convenient display on the control base that’s particularly beneficial for Joystick Piloting for Outboards applications.
Joystick Piloting for Outboards
Docking with the industry’s most advanced Joystick Piloting system – compatible with multi-engine configurations with up to six Verado outboards – is now smoother and more refined thanks to the V12 Verado outboard’s steerable gearcase and electro-hydraulic, automotive-style power steering. Maneuvering in tight spaces is as simple as nudging the joystick whichever direction the boat needs to go. The engines stay still, while the gearcases turn underwater, giving you the control to command the boat with nothing but the palm of your hand.
Skyhook Advanced Features
Joystick Piloting includes access to Mercury Skyhook Advanced Features, which allow you to “digitally anchor” the boat in current, set and maintain a heading, lock the bow in place or line up accurate drifts. Just punch a button, and the system goes to work. Adjustments are subtle, with no shift clunk, and they’re smooth thanks to the steerable gearcase, which eliminates distracting engine movement above the water.
VesselView
Available VesselView displays transform the helm of the boat into the ultimate command center by linking together the Mercury propulsion system with compatible onboard accessories. You can monitor engine data, control SmartCraft digital technologies, view charts and sonar, and even operate onboard entertainment systems all from an intuitive touchscreen interface.
Criteria for Selection of Outboard Engine
Historically, outboards are fitted with simple, reliable, and lightweight technology, and most improvements take the form of addressing fuel economy issues, noise, ventilation, and efficiency.
As the evolution of outboard motors continues, more criteria in unlocking that ultimate engine that will boost the boating and fishing experience started to look important. So, if you find yourself struggling in your attempt to seek an upgrade for your engine, we suggest looking no further than the basics first. That said, we recommend matching the hull with the horsepower, transom dimensions, and shaft length before taking into consideration all the other technological improvements it offers.
Check it out
If you haven’t seen the newest and most revolutionary Mercury V-12 Verado 600HP outboard engine, check out the video below.
