The other key difference is the
adoption of a gyroscopic sensor to
maintain the boat’s heading instead
of the GPS systems used by its main
rivals. Similar to the sensors fitted
to everything from smartphones to
aeroplane autopilots, this recognises
and remembers the direction the
bow was pointing at the moment
the joystick is pushed sideways and
maintains that heading regardless
of wind or tide. Again Evinrude claims
this makes it quicker, simpler, cheaper
to produce and more intuitive to use
than rival systems. The only obvious
downside is that without a GPS feed,
it doesn’t have the useful skyhook
feature which allows you to press
a button and hold station indefinitely
while fishing over a favourite spot
or waiting for a lock to open.
It’s not just the engineering which
has been simplified, the joystick itself
has also been cleaned up to make it
more user friendly. The only button
on it is an on/off switch, which you
press to engage when the throttles
are in the neutral position. Once
activated, you point the joystick
in the direction you want the boat
to move, or twist it to spin it on the
spot. Instead of a boost button to
increase power when needed, a simple
two-stage resistance switch means
the first inch of movement gives you
the standard level of assistance but
if you push through the resistance
then it automatically doubles the
available thrust.
● Unlike most modern
outboards, which use 4-stroke
technology, the Evinrude E-TEC
G2 range uses a 2-stroke design.
This means the fuel and air
mixture is injected during the
same cycle as the spent exhaust
gases are being expelled
● Because every second stroke
develops power rather than every
fourth, 2-strokes tend to deliver
more power for a given capacity
● 2-strokes burn a mix of oil and
petrol to help lubricate cylinders,
making it harder to control
emission. Evinrude overcomes this
using direct injection for complete
combustion. It claims the G2s are
more efficient than most 4-strokes
● The range runs from 150hp to
300hp and boasts best power-to-
weight ratio: no servicing required
for the first 500 hours/five years
and an instant winterisation button
● A clean rigging system means
all the fuel, steering and electric
cables run through a single tube
into the body of the engine
● Mix-and-match coloured
styling panels allow customisation30 SECOND
BRIEFING:
E-TEC G2 ENGINESIT TAKES TWO
Although we haven’t yet had a chance
to test the iDock system on the water,
early reports from the US suggest
that it is indeed a faster, smoother,
more intuitive system than its main
outboard rivals. It’s still unlikely to be
as effective as a pod-based system
such as IPS because the architecture
of most outboard-powered craft
means the two motors are set much
closer together and have a more
limited steering arc than a pod-driven
one. The fact that it only works with
twin-engined setups (not singles,
triples or quads) will also limit its
appeal in some markets, as will the
news that it can’t be retrofitted to
existing setups, even those fitted
with twin G2 engines. That’s becausealthough much of the internal steering
mechanism remains the same, the
iDock engines use a different steering
module with a faster-acting brushless
motor for the power assistance.
This aside, the new iDock system
appears to be a very appealing new
option that taps neatly into Evinrude’s
suite of features designed to make
driving a boat easier. These include
iTrim (automatic engine trimming),
iSteer (variable power steering
assistance), iControl (electronic throttle
control) and iLink (an app- based
interface for smartphones). Evinrude
may be a relative latecomer to the
joystick party but by offering its iDock
system at a fraction of the cost of its
competitors, it may have the last laugh.
Contact http://www.evinrude.comA simple on/off switch is the only manual control, everything else is automatedThe key to the iDock’s manoeuvrability is the built-in steering mechanism which can vector each engine independently
83BOAT MASTER NEWTECH