Trade-A-Boat — December 2017

what John is doing with his 788SF. The
Suzuki DF350s have already taken out
the converted NMMA Innovation Award
for 2017 with a tag line that confidently
boasts, “A Revolution in Innovation!”
This is an entirely new design with
some major innovative features.
Instead of just boosting performance by
traditional methods Suzuki have stuck
with a narrow 55-degree V6 design with
4.4lt displacement but increased the
compression ratio and improved the
ventilation via a new dual louvre design.
They induct a greater volume of cool,
dry air thus improving performance
whilst maintaining, and actually
improving efficiency. To keep the
fuel, air and exhaust mixtures moving
rapidly Suzuki have fitted four valves
per cylinder with dual injectors thus
developing 80 horsepower per cylinder

from the highest compression engine

ever fitted to a production four-stroke

outboard engine (12.0:1). The engineers

at Suzuki know it works as they have

been utilising similar technology in their

motor vehicles for many years.

It’s all good increasing the powerhead

efficiencies but the added torque and

horsepower must transfer to on-

water performance. Suzuki engineers

recognised further improvements in

their drive train, gearbox design and

power transfer by maintaining the

traditional offset drive, but enhancing

the concept with a freshly designed

gearcase and ‘contra-rotating’ drive. The

result is more positive power transfer

direct to the water with two propellers

pushing more blade area for enormous

grip throughout the rev range. Try as

we could, in steep banking turns we

couldn’t get the 788SF to break its grip

even at high speeds.

In a high speed run offshore John’s

new toy peaked at 54.5kts (101kph) with

a tank full of fuel and five passengers

onboard, but it handled it beautifully.

She lifts to the plane through the

variable deadrise effortlessly and

has a constant power transmission

throughout the rev range with no

obvious peaky power bands. The note is

more like a high performance sports car

than an outboard, enough to take the

wrinkles out for any red-blooded soul.

Unfortunately our sneak peek didn’t

allow the opportunity to get the beast

out into the rough stuff, but that will

come soon enough. (I can’t wait!)

JOYFUL JOYSTICK

This is the first boat out of the new

OPPOSITE, TOP ABOVE The all-new 788SF lifts to the plane effortlessly thanks to the
SVDH; Boasting Haines family DNA, this latest offering simply explodes out of the hole on
take-off.
ABOVE This ‘absolute weapon’, and its twin 350hp engines, shot the lights out at the
Annual Suzuki Marine National Dealer Conference.

Signature 788SF

facts & figures

PRICED FROM

$N/A

OPTIONS FITTED

Twin Suzuki DF350A four-stroke

outboards with joystick controls, Twin

Simrad NSS16 evo 3 multi-function

displays, Lectrotab trim tab controls, JL

Audio display

GENERAL

TYPE Offshore Signature Variable

Deadrise Hull (SVDH) centre console

MATERIAL Fibreglass

TYPE Offshore Centre console

LENGTH 7.88m

BEAM 2.5m

WEIGHT 1900kg approx. (dry hull only)

DEADRISE 16-34 degrees

DRAFT N/A

MAX HP 500

CAPACITIES

PEOPLE 10/900kg

FUEL 500lt

WATER 57lt

ENGINE

MAKE/MODEL DF350A (x2)

TYPE V6 – 55-degree DOHC 24-valve

RATED HP 350

DISPLACEMENT 4390cc

WEIGHT 330kg each

GEAR RATIO 2.29:1

PROPELLER Front – 3 x 15.5 x 19.5in,

rear 3 x 15.5 x 19.5in

SUPPLIED BY:

S I G N AT U R E B OAT S / S U Z U K I M A R I N E

140 Viking Drive, Wacol, Qld, 4076

WEB http://www.signatureboats.com.au ,

http://www.suzukimarine.com.au

tradeboats.com.au 75

Signature 788SF / Suzuki DF350A