Comfort and compactness in engine revamp

Mercury Marine has upgraded its range of four-stroke "portable" engines.

The company's new 4, 5 and 6hp models feature four major improvements: a change to a front-mounted shift lever, the addition of an integral fuel tank, a longer tiller handle and the redesign of the engine cowls.

Mercury claims the switch to a front-mounted shift lever will make the engines easier and more comfortable to use, especially when compared with the side shifts offered by other manufacturers.

It says the new models' integral 1-litre fuel tanks also free up valuable space and make the engines even more portable.

All the new tanks come with a fuel shut-off and a remote tank connection is also fitted for longer trips.

The new models' tiller handles have also been extended by 101.6mm. Mercury says this is to improve driver control and hull manoeuvrability.

The longer tillers can also be folded down for easy storage when not in use.

The cowl on the new models has also undergone a redesign with Mercury saying its improved lower seal will result in better protection for the engines and greater levels of durability. The new engines have also retained many of the features found on their predecessors.

These include Mercury's through-prop exhaust system, multiple shallow drive settings, auto-decompression release for easier starting, auto reverse lock; Mercury's three-year corrosion warranty and a fully transferable non-declining engine warranty.