Mercury Marine presented its latest products and upcoming innovations at an extensive media event held in Orlando.
By Gregg Mansfield
Photos courtesy of Mercury Marine
Brunswick’s CEO David M. Foulkes surveyed the venue shortly after revealing a new Mercury V10 Verado outboard platform.
It had been a while since Foulkes had interacted in person with marine journalists (beyond boat shows and industry events) due to the pandemic. The Mercury Marine gathering at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort in Orlando highlighted what the company has been developing amid record demand over the past two years.
The Center Console Life team and media members gathered outside the Boston Whaler manufacturing facility after completing their tour.
“Being a CEO for Brunswick is always rewarding, but occasions like these are especially satisfying,” Foulkes remarked. “We’re fundamentally a product-oriented company, and launching uniquely differentiated products like this is always a highlight.”
Mercury Marine has a lot to be proud of, spending four days giving marine writers and influencers from across the globe an extraordinary insight into the company’s operations, products, and research advancements. The media had the opportunity to visit Mercury’s renowned Lake X facility and observed the Brunswick Technology Center and the Boston Whaler manufacturing site in Edgewater, Florida.
In the upcoming months, Center Console Life will release more articles, boat assessments, and videos from the media tour. Join us for the journey.
Mercury Product Launch
Steve Bagby, the director of operations, leads media representatives on a tour through the Boston Whaler factory.
Speculations were high about what Mercury Marine would unveil during the product launch dinner at the Coronado Springs Resort. Theories ranged from the introduction of a series of electric outboards to a high-horsepower outboard model. Ultimately, what the media witnessed exceeded all expectations.
CEO Foulkes was accompanied by Brunswick’s Chief Financial Officer Ryan Gwillim and Brunswick Boat Group President Aine Denari, along with other executives from Brunswick in Orlando. Additional attendees included Mercury Marine executives such as Tim Reid, the vice president of product development and engineering, Perissa Bailey, VP and general manager of eSolutions, and Jamie Evans, VP of Marketing, as they watched Mercury Marine President Chris Drees unveil a new outboard motor.
This was not just any outboard motor. Mercury Marine has expanded its celebrated Verado lineup with a new V10 platform, introducing two outboards with 350 and 400 horsepower. Boat enthusiasts who want a Mercury outboard on their center console can now select from V8, V10, and V12 options.
It’s evident that Mercury views the new V10 Verados and the two outboards recently introduced as pivotal for the company’s future.
The media had a one-day embargo on publishing information, giving marine writers the evening to prepare their content. Lee Gordon, Brunswick’s vice president of global public relations and communications, reminded everyone about the embargo policy.
“We arranged your flights and accommodations, and we know where you are staying,” Gordon joked, eliciting laughter. “Don’t make me wake you in the middle of the night to take something down, because I will.”
No one violated the embargo.
Lake X
Mercury transported the media for an hour-long journey to the iconic Lake X in Central Florida to test the new 350- and 400-horsepower V10 outboards. This secluded three-mile-long lake has been a historic testing ground for the company.
Mercury Marine returned to Lake X in 2018 (having left in 2004), and it remains largely unchanged. The tower with bubble windows stands at the entrance of the small marina, still providing guests with elevated views of the lake.
Mercury prepared 17 boats equipped with the new engines for a day of trials on Lake X. The brands included Avalon, Barletta, Boston Whaler, Caymas, Freeman, Harris, Intrepid, Lund, Monterey, Ranger, Scout, Sea Ray, SeeVee, Tiara, Valhalla, and Vexus.
With numerous test boats operating on the lake, Mercury had to manage the timely departures and arrivals to the marina and the adjacent lagoon.
The outboards performed just as Drees had promised the previous evening, showcasing astonishing acceleration with minimal noise. “Expect Mercury to tackle water and wind noise next,” a marine writer remarked while aboard the Scout 355.
Inside the Lake X facility, Mercury Marine showcased products from its affiliated companies Mastervolt and Navico. The Brunswick subsidiaries highlighted their latest offerings, ranging from navigation tools to charging systems.
“The event at Lake X illustrated the past, present, and future of Mercury Marine,” remarked Bill Taylor, publisher of Center Console Life. “The company is not just great at making engines and boats; it has also evolved into a technology leader. Mercury is optimistic about its future, and that’s clear from its current product range.”
After a full day of testing, the group returned to the Coronado Springs Resort for dinner and rest ahead of visiting the Boston Whaler plant and Brunswick Technology Center.
Boston Whaler
Approaching the Boston Whaler plant and Brunswick Technology Center in Edgewater, Florida, the scale of the facility is impressive. The plant produces nearly 2,000 boats annually, and the production process is notably labor-intensive.
Kristopher Neff, president of Boston Whaler, welcomed the media to a spacious building resembling an airport hangar, providing an overview of the facility. Journalists were split into groups for a tour of the manufacturing site or the Brunswick Technology Center.
At the Technology Center, the company demonstrated its product design and engineering capabilities. The team is responsible for crafting every aspect of boats for several of the company’s brands, including Bayliner, Crestliner, Sea Ray, and more. A notable feature is that some designers utilize virtual reality headsets to create the layouts of a boat’s cockpit or cabin.
“This technology lets them virtually step inside the design to visualize how it functions,” explained Jeff Etapa, director of product design and engineering for Brunswick.
During the entire tour, Brunswick highlighted the technologies being utilized in its boats.
Another compelling dimension of the tour focused on design and consumer insights. This team analyzes vast amounts of consumer data to forecast top trends for the next three to five years.
Autonomous technology is expected to remain at the forefront of trends, and the metaverse is likely to persist as well.
The day concluded with a visit to the Boston Whaler factory, which employs over 1,000 people in boat construction. The production process resembles a large assembly line but is, in fact, more intricate. Tasks like lamination and fiberglass work are assigned to one area, while rigging and interior assembly take place in a separate, sanitized section of the building.
As boats navigate through the assembly line, they are rigged and approaching completion.
During the factory tour, Boston Whaler explained how their boats are designed to be unsinkable. The company employs a proprietary foam that is injected into each hull to fill voids and add buoyancy during the assembly of the hull and deck.
Workers demonstrated the foam by spraying a small amount into a large wooden container with a transparent acrylic front. Within moments, the foam expanded to nearly fill the container, eventually causing the acrylic face to crack due to the pressure.
Boston Whaler officials showcased the foam technology used to enhance the buoyancy of their boats.
Applying the foam requires precision, as excessive amounts can lead to issues. Though infrequent, some hulls may crack during the manufacturing process each year.
The employees we spoke to took immense pride in constructing Boston Whaler boats, especially when they leave the factory as scheduled.
Return to Lake X
The group returned to Lake X to witness some of the technological advancements Brunswick has been developing and try out any remaining boats from the earlier proceedings.
Engineers outfitted a Boston Whaler 350 Outrage with three Mercury Marine 300-hp outboards, attaching various sensors and cameras to the bulkhead. During the demonstration, the engineers moved the center console away from the dock, pressed a button on the screen, and stepped back into the cockpit.
The boat subtly glided towards the dock amid windy conditions, with the bow thrusters and outboards operating in harmony. An engineer standing at the dock deployed an inflatable raft, which triggered the boat to halt the autonomous docking process, functioning as intended.
Engineers believe this technology will assist novice boaters with docking, while the collision-avoidance system may significantly minimize accidents. Brunswick has not announced a timeline for the public rollout of the autonomous docking technology, yet engineers are progressing toward it.
Looking Ahead
Brunswick has much to take pride in, as demonstrated across the four days spent in Florida. This is merely the beginning of what Mercury has planned for the upcoming years.
“We maintain long-term product strategies extending ten years into the future, so we’re not left wondering, ‘What’s next after completing one product?’” stated Brunswick’s CEO Foulkes. “We have clarity on our product competitiveness and technological advancements moving forward.”