Mercury announces plans to launch Electric Power starting in 2022

Mercury Hybrid Future

May 27, 2021

As the world of engine power has evolved, both on the water and via Tesla, Mercury Marine has been steadily heading to alternative power offerings. As much as a decade ago, CY editor Andy Adams ran Merc’s hybrid-electric concept vessel. 
During their recent virtual investor day, Brunswick CEO David Foulkes announced that that by 2023, Mercury Marine and the Advanced Systems Group will launch five electric-propulsion products, with the first landing in 2022. Foulkes also stated that the builder will have electric boats in four segments by 2023.

In an article in the February / March 2021 issue of IBI, Craig Ritchie wrote that last September the California Air Resources Board (CARB) published its 2020 Mobile Source Strategy Workshop Discussion Draft calling for increased emissions standards that would target outboard motors. The document proposes reductions in outboard emissions of 40% from engines less than 40kW (about 50 hp) from present levels and from engines above that power level by 70%. These new standards are proposed to also apply to personal watercraft by 2027.

Boating Industry Canada News Week Digest had previously reported that on March 25, 2021, BRP announced its five-year plan to offer electric models in each of its product lines by the end of 2026. That was big news too, but it makes perfect sense given the many new market forces and impending regulations.

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Neptunus 650F Review

Neptunus 650F 400

By Andy Adams

Over the years Canadian Yachting has had the pleasure of doing several boat review articles on new Neptunus models and we are familiar with the qualities that Neptunus is famous for. They have all been exceptional yachts, but this is the one I would most want to own myself. It’s a personal choice and a matter of taste as to whether you would prefer to have a sedan express model or a flybridge but in my opinion, the flybridge layout offers some wonderful attributes.

We met with Neptunus Managing Director Jan Willem De Jong this past fall to take the new Neptunus 650F out in Lake Ontario. 

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Destinations

The Other Virgin Islands

Sunset off St John

By Mark Stevens

I was first seduced by the United States Virgin Islands during a ferry ride from St. Thomas to Tortola to begin one of our earliest British Virgin Islands charters nearly twenty years ago.

A perfect sunset off St. John with St. Thomas views for backdrop.

Clearing Pillsbury Sound, surrounded by voluptuous emerald mountains as the ferry sliced through royal blue waters, I was struck by the unspoiled ambiance of St. John, the island gliding past our starboard beam and the irresistible charm of a village called Cruz Bay visible from our quarter stern.

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