MerCruiser Makeover

With a host of innovative product intros, MerCruiser has had a big year that will change the way you view sterndrive power.

by Alan Jones

Axius

Talk about pressure. You're attempting to dock a 30-foot boat on which you've never before set foot, using a control system you've never even tried, and - what's worse - there's an audience of about 15 people watching your every move. If you've ever had that recurring nightmare where you're back in school and you sit down in class only to discover you have a big test you haven't studied for, then you just might know the feeling. But this time it's a dream called "Axius" by MerCruiser - a system that may just change all your preconceived notions about how large a boat you can handle.

In case you didn't guess ... the docking maneuver was nothing short of perfect.

If you were to take your average small-boat driver and put him at the wheel of a 40-footer out in the middle of a large bay, chances are he'd do just fine handling it and wouldn't feel threatened. Now point him to the nearest marina that he knows to be congested and prone to heavy current, then tell him to dock that 40-foot beast, and that same small-boat driver might just have a major anxiety attack.

But MerCruiser's game-changing Axius joystick docking system will make a pro even out of the most fearful docker, with approximately a 10-minute learning curve.

There are already other joystick docking systems out there on the market - such as Volvo Penta's IPS Joystick and MerCruiser's Zeus system - but they've been designed for diesels only, and these systems require either a pod-drive or hull tunnels. When these systems originally were released, many thought they'd be for large boats only, like those boats that currently use bow thrusters. But a little market research showed that owners of smaller gasoline-powered boats also wanted to enjoy the numerous benefits of joystick docking technology. Even better for manufacturers, no special hull modification needs to be made to accommodate this innovative technology - other than to have enough space between the two MerCruiser Bravo outdrives for them to be able to move independently of one another.

The Axius system couldn't be simpler to use: You just move or twist the fat joystick in the direction in which you intend for your boat to go - no matter if you want it to go sideways, spin on its own radius, or at an oblique angle - and then the boat goes right where you want it to. Typically, those who use it for the first time tend to make too many corrections, which causes the outdrives to bump in and out of gear quite a bit. After a little practice, however, you'll learn how to minimize this tendency.

One potential difficulty is that when you push the joystick all the way forward or rearward, it has some "giddy-up," so you could possibly overcook certain maneuvers. To counteract this problem when docking in tight quarters, though, you simply push the response button on the accompanying Precision Pilot panel, and it'll greatly reduce the sensitivity to allow for gentler maneuvers. Although it hasn't been released yet, MerCruiser is working on a Skyhook feature that will enable your boat to automatically stay in one place like an obedient dog at the push of a button. Now who wants that big cruiser they always dreamed of, but didn't think they could handle?

The Axius control system allows for unprecedented control in tight docking conditions, reshaping notions about how large boats can be handled.

SeaCore

Any owner of an older-model sterndrive that sees regular saltwater duty can attest that it's a constant battle to keep the corrosive effects of seawater from damaging your outdrive and engine. The primary culprit is that when you have dissimilar metals touching each other (the more dissimilar, the worse the reaction), which are immersed in an electrolyte solution (saltwater is a great example), then you're basically creating an electrical current. When this happens, the least noble of these two metals will begin to corrode. On the scale of noble metals (the opposite of base metals) used in boating, stainless steel is right near the top and aluminum is just near the bottom. To counteract this phenomenon, MerCruiser hard-anodizes the exterior and certain interior areas, which alters the molecular structure of the XK-360 aluminum alloy used in its outdrives to create an electrically non-conductive surface that the company claims is second in hardness only to that of a diamond. This hard-anodized aluminum alloy is fundamentally the same material used in those $150 high-end skillets made by companies such as Calphalon and All-Clad. It's then painted with a durable paint that's specially formulated to bond with hard-anodized surfaces. The only other metal used on the outdrive is stainless steel, which gives these engines the ultimate barrier against corrosion.

Additionally, the SeaCore system doesn't use the water from whichever body of water you're boating in to cool the engine like most standard outdrives. Rather, MerCruiser uses a closed cooling system like a car's radiator to circulate freshwater/radiator fluid throughout the engine block. An efficient heat exchanger filled with small copper tubes then dissipates the heat so your engine is running cool. MerCruiser even goes so far as to ensure the exhaust system is protected against corrosion by using either stainless- steel or ceramic exhaust elbows, depending on which of the various models you choose. Consumers are given the choice of a wide range of horsepower ratings that will work on almost any sterndrive-powered boat, with models ranging from the 220-hp, 4.3L MPI V6 engine all the way up to the 425-hp 496 Mag HO V8. Every SeaCore engine runs on regular unleaded gas, and all (with the exception of the 4.3L model) are available with Digital Throttle and Shift (DTS), which is a no-manual-cable, all-electronic way of changing gears and controlling power.

MerCruiser has designed its SeaCore engine systems to be very user-friendly by providing easily serviceable parts, like an easy-access water strainer and a fuel/ water separator. To flush it out at the end of a day at sea, you use an ordinary garden hose that doesn't require use of chemicals like some systems. MerCruiser's SeaCore replaces the Horizon series of engines that were the first MerCruisers to use a closed cooling system.

The SeaCore sterndrive engine replaces the MerCruiser Horizon.

Vazer

When some people heard about the Vazer for the first time, they said, "A 573-pound, 100-hp, in-line, 4-cylinder sterndrive engine ... so, what's the big deal?" Well the deal is, instead of being narrow and tall like most standard in-line engines, MerCruiser took the iron GM engine block and then canted it 50 degrees to form a low-profile engine that can be used in many interesting and innovative applications. Among the most promising of these applications is likely to be its use as a pontoon power plant. The Vazer's lack of height will allow builders to position it underneath the boat's deck and then move it further forward, thus freeing the boat's stern for recreational use. As an additional bonus, the propeller will be positioned underneath the boat for enhanced safety.

The 1.6L GM Vortec SOHC 4-cylinder Vazer engine even features a composite-shell heat exchanger and heater connection ports that will allow boat builders to add a cockpit or cabin heater, which could possibly be used in conjunction with a pontoon's camper enclosure. It features a closed-loop cooling system that also makes the Vazer the perfect choice for boating in saltwater conditions. Another big plus is that its all-new outdrive can handle an extra-large 15-inch diameter propeller, so the MerCruiser Vazer performs much like Mercury's Bigfoot outboards.

The MerCruiser Vazer is an ideal power plant for pontoons.

MerCruiser Vazer

Engine Type: In-line 4-cylinder, 4-stroke EFI-canted 50 degrees to port
Horsepower: 100 hp
Weight: 573 lbs.
Cooling System: Closed cooling
Max RPM: 5600-6000