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20 April 2007
OPTIMAX 300XS HAILED "KING
OF THE HILL"
Mercury Marine Racing Division's recently released
OptiMax 300XS outboard has been winning praise from the boating
fraternity.
The engine, a 3.2 litre V6 delivering over
300 Hp, was introduced late last year and is designed for performance
boat use such as bassboats and offshore racing. On a bassboat, speeds
between 90 to 100 mph are typically achieved. In twin engine configuration
on offshore racing catamarans, speeds between 100 and 110 mph have
been reported.
Whilst out and out speed is important in the
performance boat market, the OptiMax 300XS, has additional unique
advantages over its predecessor, an EFI 2-stroke engine. Recent
reports in Bass and Walleye Boats (BWB) indicate that compared to
the original engine, the 300XS has better torque and much better
fuel consumption, which is key for either increased range, or reduced
weight by needing to carry less gasoline. The testing by BWB showed
that the best fuel economy achieved at cruise conditions was almost
a 50% improvement. Over the complete boat test, the average fuel
economy was an improvement of 33%. Instant starting, no exhaust
smoke, smooth idling and clean accelerations were all areas where
the OptiMax 300XS performed well compared to its predecessor.
The Optimax 300XS uses the Orbital Direct Injection
Combustion Process, with the injection system supplied by Synerject,
the 50:50 Joint Venture Partnership between Orbital and SiemensVDO.
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