Mercury Marine introduces the new range of Fourstroke portable engines with electronic injection of 15 and 20 hp with handle, throttle and rudder left or right, that is to say for both right-handed and left-handed pilots. The secret lies in the assembly of the multifunction rudder bar that can be adapted to the needs of those who use the right hand or those who use the left to steer the outboard.
Experience that everyone sitting next to an outboard to maneuver it from the “wrong side” knows exactly how frustrating and often unpleasant and even dangerous it can be, for example, instead of removing gas it accelerates because the knob is turned in the reverse direction ). “We are excited to bring this 15hp and 20hp EFI outboard platform,” said vice president John Buelow, “an easy-to-start, intuitive to use, lightweight, fuel-efficient, quiet, powerful and reliable engine.”
But how was this initiative to create a “double-faced” engine? It is always Buelow who speaks: “Through extensive consumer research. We have identified the characteristics required by our customers and what our engines provide them. Our goal is always to give, to those who choose us, the best possible navigation experience and these new engines go in that direction ». Jim Hergert, responsible for the Mercury Marine category explains in more detail: «The brand new handle set up by our company can be adjusted in unusual on small-sized outboards and in addition to the dual right-left setting, instead of just left as traditionally happens; also the catch that adjusts the vertical angle can be adapted, just a wrench, to specific to more types of boats to make the use as comfortable and immediate as possible and making it extremely user-friendly ».
Mercury Marine 15-20 hp an outboard suitable for everyone
In practice, the bar can be moved 18 degrees to starboard or to the left of the longitudinal axis in three different positions per side, in addition to the central one. And the same thing can be done for the throttle that can accelerate clockwise or counterclockwise depending on the side where you want to use it while maintaining the rule and instinctive reaction: I open my wrist to give gas and I close it to remove it. Moreover, to adapt the engine to the different types of boats, the vertical angle of the bar can be changed up to 10 °.
The inverter control and the quick stop button are also shown on the bar. But the improvements are not over, the new Mercury outboard, designed for both recreational and professional use, have battery-free start and have been subjected to a weight loss diet that has guaranteed a saving of about five kilos compared to the model they replace , the smallest of the range now weighs only 45 kg, to the advantage of economy of use: less weight translates into lower consumption. Attention has also been paid to maintenance with the oil drainage system without dripping, the direct connection for rinsing with fresh water, fuel water separation filter and maintenance guide with the periodic checks installed under the calender.
