Dean Silvester has spent the past two years relying on the Mercury Marine Pro XS to help him traverse the seas looking for his next bite.
The video creator and social media influencer spends a lot of his time a long way off shore, averaging 180 kilometres on his round trips off the Queensland coast on the hunt for Red Emperors and Nannygai. So it’s no surprise that performance and torque were top of his list when considering the engine for his Sea Fox 200 Viper.
“The torque on that thing is amazing. If you’re not holding on, you’ll very quickly be doing 60kms/hr and you’ll fall over. For me, torque is really important. I do a lot of driving crossing bars and dealing with waves and big swell offshore, so I need it to be very grippy and very powerful when required,” Dean said.
Dean has even given the ProXS the nickname the ‘Redback Spider’ because in his words, “it will sting you if you’re not paying attention!” Combined with the exceptional performance of the ProXS the engine is also surprisingly fuel efficient which is another important factor for Dean.
“The Pro XS is more fuel efficient than any comparable engine I’ve researched. On a rough day on the way out I’m probably doing 1.7 kilometres per litre, and with the wind up my bum on the way home I get between 2.4 to 2.7. That’s what’s most important to me with that boat because the boat only has a 180-litre fuel tank, so I need fuel efficiency. I have three 20 litre jerrycans on my boat and I once did a 580km round trip in that thing. Most people’s boats for offshore might have a 300 or 400 litre tank, so with 240-litres I was able to travel that far,” he said.
But don’t think for one minute that efficiency comes at the cost of power. The 175 HP Mercury Pro XS is lightweight and compact while being packed with incredible power. “For me, its propped for fuel efficiency rather than speed, yet I am much faster than most boats with similar sized motors from a different brand,” Dean said.
Powered by a V6 engine, Pro XS offers lightning-quick acceleration, blistering top speed and legendary reliability. The engine continues to be the power unit of choice for competitive anglers, with Mercury outboards having won more bass fishing tournaments than all other brands combined.
As for Dean’s next adventure, he is set to move south to Gladstone to take advantage of the winds. “Any wind breaks within an eight hour distance of that area we will be heading towards. he said. Seventeen Seventy is 50 minutes away, Yeppoon is only an hour and a half away, Airlie is six hours away – all of which are within easy reach thanks to the Pro XS,” he said.
More information is available by contacting (07) 3808-7333 sales@amcboats.com.au
Mercury Marine – Avator™ electric outboard
Mercury Marine, has announced its Avator™ electric outboard concept, representing Mercury’s next step in marine innovation, advanced technology, and engineering.
Avator creates a new boating experience for Mercury’s global customers combining an investment in electrification with more than 80 years of expertise in the marine industry. Leveraging Mercury’s leadership and reputation for hydrodynamics, corrosion resistance, reliability, and industrial design, the Avator concept will deliver a superior user experience for a wide range of vessels and activities.
“We are excited to formally announce this bold new phase of our vision for the future that only Mercury Marine can deliver,” said Chris Drees, Mercury Marine president. “Electrification is strategically important to us, and this concept provides a first look at how we intend to deliver on our commitment to being the industry leader in both internal combustion products and electric propulsion. We are taking efficiency to a new level, opening up new ways to enjoy the boating experience.”
Avator advances Mercury’s commitment to sustainability by offering the prospect of boating with zero direct emissions. Mercury is also using electrification to make boating more accessible with features such as swappable batteries and enhanced portability.
“Mercury has the industry’s strongest and most robust technology and design teams who are shaping a new power for marine that expands the brand into new applications,” said Tim Reid, Mercury Marine vice president of product development & engineering. “We believe features like easily changeable batteries and quiet operation hold great appeal for current and prospective boaters. We expect our breadth of electric offerings to expand over time, and we will continue to listen to consumer feedback and monitor adoption trends.”
“Our team is taking everything we know about how consumers use our products and incorporating it into Avator, creating an electric propulsion system that will set a new benchmark for the marine industry,” said Drees.
Learn more about the Mercury Avator concept and our vision for electrification at MercuryMarine.com/Avator.
Published in print January-March 2023
