OUTBOARD INFLUENCE

摘要

One of the most striking sights at recent boat shows was HCB's 65 Estrella-the world's largest center-console-and her five Seven Marine 627sv outboards. These engines deliver 3,135 horsepower and, according to HCB, drive the boat at a 39-knot cruising speed and a 56-knot top speed. ¶ While the 65 Estrella has plenty of innovative features, if s those 627sv engines-the most powerful outboards available-that are driving the project's success and sparking possibilities for other boatbuilders. ¶ "The primary technology that sets Seven Marine's outboards apart is that our powerhead is mounted horizontally, like a car, versus vertically, like a traditional outboard," says Brian Davis, Seven Marine's co-founder and vice president, ¶ Davis says the hurdles in developing the 627sv were substantial: "We had to deliverbighorsepower in an arrangement that can push big boats," he says. Seven Marine employed GM's 6.2-liter supercharged V-8 powerhead, moved the gear shifting from the engine's lower unit to a dedicated transmission in its middle section, and developed a lower unit that efficiently transfers power to the water. "We utilized twin-pinion technology and sterndrive-type contra-rotating duoprop technology," Davis says, adding that this resulted in smaller-diameter, lower-drag shafts and torpedoes, ¶ Looking ahead, Davis envisions further developing the 627sv line while innovating new outboards. "Diesel and marine go together very well," he says.