Outboards are becoming increasingly popular with boatyards and boat owners. While they used to be considered stinky and noisy, times have changed. Thanks to computer-controlled injection and ignition, today's engines are more efficient and powerful than ever before.
We are seeing more and more boatyards switching from inboards to outboards in the 6 to 8 metre boat length range. The market for more powerful engines such as the 200 hp class has grown considerably in recent years. A reason for us to put the models through their paces. The manufacturers Evinrude, Suzuki and Tohatsu also presented their new models in this area at boot 2015.
For our test, which we carried out in Kahl am Main, we were able to secure a Jeanneau Cap Camarat 7.5 WA as a test boat after consultation with Joachim Pfister from Boote Pfister in Schwebheim. The boat is 7.42 metres long and 2.54 metres wide. In addition to the generous bow sunbed and the spacious cockpit, the 7.5 WA has a cabin with kitchenette and toilet room below deck.
It has CE approval for coastal waters (C). Extra-long shaft engines up to 300 hp can be attached. The shipyard states a weight of 1450 kg without engine. In our view, the Jeanneau Cap Camarat 7.5 WA is a good reflection of the boat class in which the 200 hp engines are primarily used in inland and coastal areas.
Before every test, it is important to get the various manufacturers on the same page. As expected, communication with Honda, Mercury, Suzuki, Tohatsu and Yamaha went smoothly. Evinrude told us that it was not possible to take part in the test with either the "normal" or the new 200 HO engine, and the Italian manufacturer Selva left our enquiry completely unanswered.
The engine test list is therefore as follows: Honda BF 200 iST, Mercury OptiMax F200, Mercury Verado F200, Suzuki DF200AP, Tohatsu BFT 200A and Yamaha F200G. With the exception of the Mercury OptiMax, these are all four-strokes. The Mercury Verado can be described as an "exotic" in the broadest sense.
This has a mechanically driven screw compressor to draw in the fresh air. By using this technology, Mercury manages with only 1.7 litres of displacement to achieve outputs of 150, 175 and 200 hp. All the others could be described as "normalos". These are classic naturally aspirated engines.
This also applies to the Yamaha with a displacement of just under 2.8 litres from four cylinders, making it the second smallest displacement in the test. Incidentally, the fuselage engine is also used for the 175 hp models. In detail, it is a four-stroke four-cylinder with two overhead camshafts (DOHC) and a total of sixteen intake and exhaust valves.
At Honda the other way round and uses a high-displacement (3.5 litre) V6 engine, which is also equipped with DOHC and four-valve technology and covers 250, 225, 200 and even the 175 hp class.
So muchDisplacement and technology needs to be properly "packed", and this is reflected in the weight. The Honda weighs in at 291 kg ready to go, i.e. with oil and propeller, making it the heaviest test candidate. The Yamaha turned out to be a lightweight at just under 240 kg, closely followed by the Mercury two-stroke and Suzuki's four-cylinder.
The latter is consistently negative in the noise measurements, so that even the two-stroke performs better in the measurements. The Honda proved to be the quietest test engine, closely followed by the Mercury Verado and Tohatsu.
The attentive reader will have noticed that the technical data of the Honda and Tohatsu outboardsIdentical are. The reason for this is that Tohatsu has been buying engines from Honda from 60 hp to 250 hp since the beginning of last year in order to expand its own range of four-stroke engines.
However, Honda has reserved the right to sell some models and equipment exclusively. For this reason, it is not possible to order the Tohatsu engine with the electronic iST gearstick, but must instead make do with the build cable variant. When it comes to propellers, Tohatsu relies on the support of propeller specialist Gröver for the BFT models (Honda engines), who are on hand to provide Tohatsu customers with advice and assistance.
If you look at the tables, it becomes clear that there is no such thing as an engine that is super economical and quiet in every speed range. Accordingly, there is no clear winner in this class. Each engine has certain strengths over the competition.
In our test, Suzuki's new engine proved to be a real screamer in terms of noise. According to the manufacturer, this is due to the semi-direct air intake system, in which the throttle valve is installed directly under the bonnet to draw in fresh, cool air. When it comes to fuel consumption and range, the advantages of a small and fairly light engine become apparent.
This is because the Suzuki is particularly economical and therefore long-lasting when travelling in the transition range from displacement (20 km/h to 30 km/h) to gliding (60 km/h. ) The DF200AP scores further plus points with its equipment.
Suzuki is introducing a keyless start system with the new model. The start panel is locked and unlocked by remote control. The engine also has the familiar selective rotation gearbox, which can be easily converted from a clockwise to an anti-clockwise gearbox - or vice versa - using a coding plug.
This function is particularly advantageous for multiple installations, as there is no need to buy a special model with a left-handed gearbox. Furthermore, the engine we tested has an electronically controlled gearstick. The latter is also available on the Mercury Verado.
There it saysDTS (Digital Throttle & Shift) and ensures ease of use at the driver's platform. The Verado is even more comfortable to drive. The reason for this is the consistently low noise level on board. Only the Honda was quieter in our test. Consumption seems to be the Achilles heel of the Verado engines, as the fuel is used to cool down the compressed intake air in order to increase performance, which also increases consumption.
With the Opti-Max on the other hand, you probably convert all the petrol intoPower so that it outperforms all its competitors in terms of top speed. With its fuel consumption values at 50 and 60 km/h, the two-stroke has just as little to hide from the four-strokes. The noise level across the entire speed range is also impressive.
Many other four-stroke engines cannot keep up with it. Added to this is the terrific acceleration, which, as with the top speed, none of the other engines can match. So if you still think that two-strokes have no refinement and need huge amounts of fuel, you should realise that a lot has changed in recent years.
The top spot In terms of fuel economy, the Yamaha and Honda are more or less evenly matched. The Yamaha shows peak values from the starting speed up to the 50 km/h mark. Beyond that, it runs out of steam and tries to generate some more power by using a lot of fuel.
The Honda, on the other hand, seems to struggle with the "extra kilos" in the lower speed range and the large displacement only has a positive effect on fuel consumption as the speed increases.
In short,Suzuki is loudbut shines with a good range of features and low consumption values at low gliding speed. As in the past, Mercury Verado offers a high level of comfort when shifting gears and driving thanks to DTS and a low noise level on board.
The Mercury OptiMax shows all four-strokes what a rake it is during acceleration and top speed, and demonstrates good running characteristics. The Tohatsu shows how the choice of propeller can lead to different results. The smallest naturally aspirated engine in the test (Yamaha) demonstrates that compact engines can easily compete with the "displacement monsters" in terms of consumption.
Honda has the right touch when it comes to the propeller: the fuel consumption at higher gliding speeds and the low noise level are proof of this.
