Mercury Marine’s new 150 hp FourStroke outboard has been given an innovation award this week at IBEX 2011 in Louisville, Kentucky, USA. The 150 FourStroke is the ultimate 150 hp EFI outboard engine for offshore, inshore bay, flats, aluminum, bass, pontoon, runabout, RIBs and aluminum bass boats, appreciated by judges for its light weight, fuel efficiency and performance.

MERCURY 150 FourStroke outboard engine

“Mercury found a way to trim 24 pounds off their new 150 FourStroke, while helping to satisfy the growing need for superb fuel efficiency and performance,” said IBEX innovation awards judge Zuzana Prochazka.

Despite the naturally aspirated engine’s remarkable small size and low weight, the new 150 hp outboard by Mercury boasts a 3.0-liter, four-cylinder in-line configuration that easily creates superior power for single or twin applications – from the lightest flat skiffs to the largest saltwater offshore hulls. In fact, it has more displacement than any other 150 hp four-stroke engine, yet it delivers fuel efficiency at cruising speed that no other engine can beat.

“We listened to what boaters were asking for and then set out to build the ultimate 150 horsepower outboard,” said Mark Schwabero, president of Mercury Marine. “The finished product is an engine that is incredibly durable – more durable, in fact, than any other 150 ever built – but is actually lighter than the less-durable engines of our competition. It delivers great fuel efficiency and tremendous performance.

“I believe we accomplished exactly what we aimed for; this engine is a perfect addition to our wide breadth of four-stroke engines.”

The new 150 FourStroke is designed, built, and tested to be the most reliable and durable 150 hp four-stroke on the planet, which means it will start and run consistently and last longer on any body of water anywhere in the world. The new 150 FourStroke has endured severe field testing in applications as varied as cold 20-foot saltwater swells off the west coast of Canada to commercial fishing in the warm waters of the Bahamas and the unprotected seas around Guadeloupe in the French West Indies. The 150 FourStroke handled thousands of hours of hard-core severe duty, real-world testing in applications the average boat operator will never endure – all with flying colors.

The massive torque curve of the new 150 FourStroke ensures that even the heaviest boats will plane quickly. And if you’re looking for room to fish, this multi-use engine fits nicely under poling platforms on flats boats and in pontoon motor wells, and is easier to fish over and around than all competing engines of equal horsepower.

It’s also the perfect option for boaters choosing to repower their boats, especially older models with transoms not designed to accommodate the weight of conventional four-strokes. Mercury’s new outboard is by far the lightest 150 hp engine, weighing just 24 pounds more than the popular Mercury OptiMax 150 direct-injected two-stroke. With almost 20 percent fewer parts than a Yamaha F150, the Mercury 150 FourStroke proves that technology can be used equally well to deliver durability and performance while simultaneously reducing package size and weight.

“The new Mercury 150 is class-leading in every respect but we particularly focused our attention on being a stand-out in the areas that our customers told us really matter to them; quality and reliability; smooth operation; a great torque curve; low weight and compact size; excellent fuel economy and easy maintenance,” said David Foulkes, vice president of engineering at Mercury. “We started our engineering efforts by listening hard to our customers, and then we executed the most effective possible design to meet their needs. “
Whether you run in saltwater, freshwater or both, Mercury’s new 150 hp FourStroke provides the satisfaction and solutions that boaters have asked for since production of the first marine engine.
As the country and the world recover from the worst recession in history, boaters will find Mercury’s new 150 delightfully easy to maintain, long-lasting and worry-free in a size, weight and horsepower that fit not only premium boats but mid- and entry-level vessels as well.
The new Mercury 150 FourStroke will be available by December, 2011, in time for the 2012 boat show season.

ADDITIONAL FEATURES AND BENEFITS
4.9-inch Gearcase: Similar to the powerhead, the 4.9-inch gearcase housing meets durability requirements for 300 hp-class outboards though it needs to manage just 150 horsepower – an illustration of why this is the most durable 150 hp outboard on the planet.

Gear housing Hydrodynamics: To house its larger gear set and internal components, the 150 FourStroke requires a larger gearcase housing. In most cases, a larger housing equates to decreased boat speed and performance due to increased hydrodynamic drag. The 150 FourStroke’s gearcase, however, challenges the rules of physics with its larger, yet ultra-efficient hydrodynamic profile. In fact, the 150 FourStroke’s gearcase housing, while significantly larger in diameter and longer in torpedo length, features better hydrodynamics than gearcases found on 90-115 hp class outboards.

Focus mount system: Situating the mounts farther from the powerhead significantly reduces mount temperature and significantly increases mount durability. By contrast, our competitor’s upper mounts are tucked directly below the powerhead, which causes the mounts to constantly operate at the temperature of the powerhead. Angling the mounts on the Mercury 150 FourStroke significantly reduces vibration transmitted to the boat at all points in the power band, especially at transient points from a fast idle to the point the boat is coming on plane. In addition, this configuration makes inspection and service easier without removing the powerhead (as is required with conventional mount configurations).

Lightweight thermo-bonded SMC top cowl: Thermo-bonded SMC top cowl uses commercial-grade bonded composites to help produce smallest physical size of all 150 FourStrokes on the market. Inside stabilizers ensure a watertight seal to protect the powerhead from the elements. Stabilizers also incorporate resting points to prevent top cowl edges from scratching when top cowl is removed and set on docks, piers, concrete drives, etc. The powerhead features built-in alignment points to help guide proper cowl installation and avoid snagging electrical components such as harness wires. Single-point automotive style rear latch opens with a single pull and provides positive disengagement and engagement during removal and installation. High-grade stainless steel latch components ensure corrosion-free, reliable operation.

Steel balance shaft gears: Mercury’s new 150 FourStroke uses a bulletproof high grade steel to produce its balance shaft gears.

Heavy duty transom brackets: Mercury’s 150 FourStroke transom brackets are of the very highest quality and are 22 percent heavier than those found on our competitor’s 150 hp outboard. The Mercury 150 FourStroke is the lowest-weight 150 FourStroke anywhere, yet no durability compromises were made to accomplish that.

Rig it  and forget it The 150 FourStroke is the world’s easiest 150 hp outboard to rig, with standard mechanical cables, dual cable or hydraulic steering compatibility, optional power steering on dual-engine setups, and the ability to run on either standard analog or full SmartCraft instrumentation straight from the factory. All connections under the cowl for throttle and shift cables, data harnesses, etc., are easily located and accessed for quick, intuitive, hassle-free rigging. It’s also compatible with Mercury’s innovative Big Tiller system.
Repowering is also quick and easy. The new 150 will connect to any steering, Mercury rigging or instrumentation currently in the boat, or whatever the consumer wants to upgrade in the dash or console.
What seems like magic is Mercury Marine doing what it does best – creating game-changing, incomparable engines that elevate boating and fishing to the next level. The new Mercury 150 contains almost 20 percent fewer parts than our competitor’s 150 hp engine – a feat Mercury engineers likened to their efforts in designing the technologically advanced Verado line.

Freshwater flush system: Routine engine flushing is easily accomplished from inside the boat or when the boat is trailered. To flush the engine, simply twist the flush cap one-quarter turn and pull. The cap is attached to a length of hose that provides easy flushing access from the front, side or rear of the engine. Remove the flush cap and attach a standard garden hose. The flush system has a swiveling head to avoid twisting the garden hose while connecting it. The flush cap is tethered to the hose for added convenience. The engine may be flushed while trimmed up or down, and with the engine running at idle speed or turned off.  When secured, the cap is flush with the cowl and there is no unsightly hose hanging out of the engine.

60 amp alternator: The 150 FourStroke’s marine-hardened alternator is automotive-style, which means it’s an external unit driven by the crankshaft via the serpentine belt.  This system – which is significantly lighter than our competitors’ engines –  is fully regulated and supplies current only on demand; therefore, when the system senses the battery voltage has dropped below 14.2 volts, the alternator will engage and re-charge the battery. The 150 FourStroke’s automotive-style alternator develops more than 67 percent of its 60 amp output at only 1,000 RPM. When the alternator is not charging, it “free-spins,” which minimizes power drain on the engine and unnecessary heat build-up.

SmartCraft SmartStart: Instead of turning the ignition key to the “start” position and holding it until the engine starts, the operator simply turns the key and immediately releases it. SmartStart will automatically continue turning the engine until it starts. This feature is also available with the accessory push button start/stop panels. With the new 150 FourStroke, it is impossible to grind the starter gear or engage the starter motor in the event the operator attempts to start the engine while it is already running.

Idle exhaust relief system: As part of its world-class sound-management technology, the 150 FourStroke features a special idle exhaust relief system that uses a low pass acoustic filter to attenuate high frequency exhaust noise at idle speeds.

Warranty: The 150 hp EFI FourStroke features Mercury’s standard 3-year limited, non-declining warranty and will be eligible for promotional warranties.