Mercury Marine, founded in 1939, is a division of
BrunswickThe Brunswick Corporation , formerly known as the Brunswick-Balke-Collender Company, is a United States-based corporation that has been involved in manufacturing a wide variety of products since 1845. Brunswick's global headquarters is in the northern Chicago suburb of Lake Forest, Illinois...
of
Lake ForestLake Forest is an affluent city located in Lake County, Illinois, United States. The city is south of Waukegan along the shore of Lake Michigan, and is a part of the Chicago metropolitan area and the North Shore. Lake Forest was founded around Lake Forest College and was laid out as a town in...
,
IllinoisIllinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
, in the
United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Mercury provides engines for private, commercial and government sales. Mercury also has its own line of very successful racing engines tailored for power and speed. The company's primary business is outboard motors. Mercury Outboards, 30 Hp and less, are made by
TohatsuThe Tohatsu Corporation of Tokyo, Japan, was founded in 1922. It manufactures and sells outboard motors, pleasure boats, portable fire pumps, small fire trucks, pumps for construction and drainage, refrigeration units for transportation and also does real estate property management in Japan.The...
in Japan. Mercury Marine builds 40, 50 and 60 horsepower outboard motors in
SuzhouSuzhou , previously transliterated as Su-chou, Suchow, and Soochow, is a major city located in the southeast of Jiangsu Province in Eastern China, located adjacent to Shanghai Municipality. The city is situated on the lower reaches of the Yangtze River and on the shores of Taihu Lake and is a part...
, China. Mercury also manufactures engines over 75 horsepower in their Fond du Lac, Wisconsin hub in the USA.
Company beginnings
The company began when engineer
Carl KiekhaeferElmer Carl Kiekhaefer was the owner of Kiekhaefer Marine , and also a two-time NASCAR championship car owner.-Kiekhaefer Mercury founder:...
purchased a small outboard motor company in
CedarburgCedarburg is a city in Ozaukee County, Wisconsin, United States with Cedar Creek running through it. The city is bordered by the Village of Grafton to the east and the Town of Cedarburg elsewhere...
,
WisconsinWisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
. Kiekhaefer's original intention for the Kiekhaefer Corporation was to make magnetic separators for the dairy industry. The purchase included 300 defective outboard
motorsAn engine or motor is a machine designed to convert energy into useful mechanical motion. Heat engines, including internal combustion engines and external combustion engines burn a fuel to create heat which is then used to create motion...
. Kiekhaefer and a small staff of employees rebuilt the motors and sold them to
Montgomery WardMontgomery Ward is an online retailer that carries the same name as the former American department store chain, founded as the world's #1 mail order business in 1872 by Aaron Montgomery Ward, and which went out of business in 2001...
, a mail-order company. The motors were much improved, so the buyer purchased more. Kiekhaefer designed motors that withstood the elements better than his competition and called the motor Mercury after the
Roman godMercury was a messenger who wore winged sandals, and a god of trade, the son of Maia Maiestas and Jupiter in Roman mythology. His name is related to the Latin word merx , mercari , and merces...
. Kiekhaefer took more than 16,000 orders at the 1940 New York Boat Show.
World War II
World War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
changed the corporate climate, and Kiekhaefer sought a government contract to design two-man air-cooled chainsaws. Army engineers were unable to design a lightweight motor. Kiekhaefer designed a new lightweight chainsaw in 2 months. The Kiekhaefer powered chainsaw was able to cut through a 24 inches (609.6 mm) green log in 17 seconds, while it took the nearest competitor 52 seconds. Mercury was awarded the contract, and was the world's largest chainsaw manufacturer by the end of the war.
Post-war history
Mercury foresaw that the average American's interest in boating would increase after the war. Kiekhaefer introduced a 19.8 cubic inch, 10 horsepower (hp), two-cylinder alternate firing design motor at the 1947 New York Boat Show called the "Lightning" or KE-7.
NASCAR racing
Kiekhaefer decided to promote his company by owning a
NASCARThe National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
and
AAAAAA , formerly known as the American Automobile Association, is a federation of 51 independently operated motor clubs throughout North America. AAA is a not-for-profit member service organization with more than 51 million members. AAA provides services to its members such as travel, automotive,...
team. The team dominated NASCAR Grand National (now Sprint Cup) (at one point winning 16 straight races), even though it only competed in 1955 and 1956. The team won the 1955 and 1956 NASCAR championships with drivers
Tim FlockJulius Timothy Flock was one of NASCAR's early pioneers, and a two time series champion. He was a brother to NASCAR's second female driver Ethel Mobley and NASCAR pioneers Bob Flock and Fonty Flock.- NASCAR career :...
and
Buck BakerElzie Wylie Baker Sr. , better known as Buck Baker, was an American race car driver.-Racing career:...
. One of Mercury's innovations was using dry paper air filters, which are still standard in automobiles today.
1950s through 1970s
In 1957 Kiekhaefer started testing at a Florida lake he called "Lake X" in order to keep the location secret. Later that year the company designed a new inline 6-cylinder 60 hp motor named "Mark 75". Like its 2- and 4-cylinder brethren, the Mark 75 featured internal reed valves. The reed valve blocks served as intermediate main bearings. Because the valves occupied space already necessary for the main bearings instead of mounting to an extension of the crankcase, crankcase volume was minimized, resulting in a higher crankcase compression ratio, and more power in proportion to displacement than the competition.
Mercury's first 6-cylinder engines featured "direct reversing". Instead of a lower unit with forward, neutral and reverse gears, its lower units were more compact, with only drive and driven gears, and no submerged shift mechanism required. Reverse was selected by turning off the engine and restarting it in opposite rotation, and neutral by simply switching off.
Two Mark 75 motors set an endurance record by running non-stop for over 50000 miles (80,467 km) over 68 3/4 days on Lake X. The motors were refueled as they ran, and averaged 30.3 miles per hour.
When Mercury's top-of-the-line model Merc 800 was introduced, direct reversing as standard equipment was replaced by full forward, neutral and reverse gear shifting, as on Mercury's 2- and 4-cylinder models, and "thru-hub" exhaust was introduced. Previously, as with other outboard brands and Mercury's smaller models, exhaust exited from a chute at the rear of the cavitation plate above the propeller. Thru-hub exhaust was claimed to be more efficient by omitting the added drag of an exhaust chute, and using the low pressure area necessarily created by the gear housing and propeller moving through the water to assist in exhaust evacuation. Over the next several years, thru-hub exhaust became a standard feature of all Mercury models, and later was adopted near industry-wide for both outboards and stern-drives.
In 1961 the company merged with the
Brunswick CorporationThe Brunswick Corporation , formerly known as the Brunswick-Balke-Collender Company, is a United States-based corporation that has been involved in manufacturing a wide variety of products since 1845. Brunswick's global headquarters is in the northern Chicago suburb of Lake Forest, Illinois...
.
The company introduced the MerCruiser stern-drive line at the 1961 Chicago Boat Show. The line would later take over 80 percent of the world market.
http://northamerica.mercurymarine.com/about/heritage.php
In 1966, 6-cylinder Mercury models featured the introduction of electronic ignition, another first that eventually became an industry standard.
Carl Kiekhaefer resigned as President of Kiekhaefer Mercury in 1969, and the name was changed to Mercury Marine. During this time, Mercury produced snowmobiles, like many other companies in the late 1960s. The first ones incorporated a 250 cc two-man chainsaw engine. In 1971, they came out with the Rocket and Lightning models. These sleds combined aluminum tunnels with Canadian Curtiss Wright (CCW) engines. The Rocket was a 340, and the Lightning a 400 with electric start. By 1972, Mercury started production of the Hurricane, a lightning-fast sled with slide suspension (as opposed to bogie wheel). This started off a new era in snowmobile construction for the whole industry and the sled's basic format set up what is seen today in modern snowmobiles. Mercury was renowned in the 1970s as one of the best racing and performance snowmobile manufacturers, as well as an industry leader in marine engine production.
Engine specifications
| Year |
Model |
Disp. (CID) |
Type |
Comp. |
HP |
TKS/MPI |
WOT (RPM) |
Weight (lbs) |
Alpha Ratio (lbs) |
Bravo One Ratio (lbs) |
Bravo Two Ratio (lbs) |
Bravo Three Ratio (lbs) |
| 2010 |
|
3.0L (181) |
I4 |
9.3:1 |
135 |
TKS |
4400-4800 |
|
2.00, 2.40 (635) |
|
|
|
| 2010 |
|
3.0L (181) |
I4 |
9.3:1 |
135 |
MPI |
4400-4800 |
|
2.00, 2.40 (695) |
|
|
|
| 2010 |
|
4.3L (262) |
V6 |
9.4:1 |
190 |
TKS |
4400-4800 |
|
1.62, 1.81, 2.00 (848) |
|
2.00, 2.20 (893) |
2.20, 2.43 (902) |
| 2010 |
|
4.3L (262) |
V6 |
9.4:1 |
220 |
MPI |
4400-4800 |
|
1.47, 1.62, 1.81 (865) |
|
2.00, 2.20 (912) |
2.20, 2.43 (921) |
| 2010 |
|
5.0L (305) |
V8 |
9.4:1 |
220 |
TKS |
4400-4800 |
|
1.62, 1.81 (946) |
1.50, 1.65 (987) |
2.00, 2.20 (1004) |
2.00, 2.20, 2.43 (1013) |
| 2010 |
|
5.0L (305) |
V8 |
9.4:1 |
260 |
MPI |
4600-5000 |
|
1.47, 1.62, 1.81 (952) |
1.50, 1.65 (993) |
2.00, 2.20 (1010) |
2.00, 2.20, 2.43 (1019) |
| 2010 |
350 MAG |
5.7L (350) |
V8 |
9.4:1 |
300 |
MPI |
4800-5200 |
|
1.47 (946) |
1.36, 1.50, 1.65 (987) |
2.00, 2.20 (1004) |
2.00. 2.20, 2.43 (1013) |
| 2010 |
377 MAG |
6.2L (377) |
V8 |
9.0:1 |
320 |
MPI |
4800-5200 |
|
|
1.36, 1.50, 1.65 (993) |
2.00, 2.20 (1010) |
2.00, 2.20, 2.43 (1019) |
| 2010 |
496 MAG |
8.1L (496) |
V8 |
9.1:1 |
375 |
MPI |
4400-4800 |
|
|
1.36, 1.50, 1.65 (1199) |
1.81, 2.00, 2.20 (1214) |
1.26, 1.35, 1.50 (1224) |
| 2010 |
496 MAG HO |
8.1L (496) |
V8 |
9.1:1 |
425 |
MPI |
4600-5000 |
|
|
1.36, 1.50, 1.65 (1199) |
1.81, 2.00, 2.20 (1214) |
1.81, 2.00, 2.20 (1224) |
| 2010 |
8.2 MAG |
8.2L (502) |
V8 |
8.75:1 |
380 |
MPI |
4400-4800 |
1080 |
|
1.26, 1.35, 1.36, 1.50, 1.65 |
1.81, 2.00, 2.20 |
1.65, 1.81, 2.00, 2.20, 2.43 |
| 2010 |
8.2 MAG HO |
8.2L (502) |
V8 |
8.75:1 |
430 |
MPI |
4600-5000 |
1080 |
|
1.26, 1.35, 1.36, 1.50, 1.65 |
1.81, 2.00, 2.20 |
1.65, 1.81, 2.00, 2.20, 2.43 |
|
Today
Today, Mercury product brands include Mercury, Mercury Racing, MerCruiser, and Mariner outboards (sold outside the U.S.). Outboard sizes range from 2.5 hp to 350 hp. MerCruiser sterndrives and inboards range from 100 to 450 hp and Mercury Racing outboards produce up to 350 hp and sterndrives to 1200 hp. Subsidiaries include Mercury Precision Parts and Accessories as well as Mercury propellers and Mercury Jet Drives. In the U.S. Mercury outboards, from 30 hp and below are rebadged Tohatsus.
Mercury has recently developed a processor enhanced line of outboards called the "Verado" outboard engine
http://northamerica.mercurymarine.com/engines/outboards/verado/. The "Verado" system integrates the outboard into an entire system, including "
fly-by-wireFly-by-wire is a system that replaces the conventional manual flight controls of an aircraft with an electronic interface. The movements of flight controls are converted to electronic signals transmitted by wires , and flight control computers determine how to move the actuators at each control...
" steering and advanced diagnostics.
In 2007 Mercury Marine began selling its Zeus drive system
http://northamerica.mercurymarine.com/otherproducts/smartcraft/smartcraftinaction/zeus.php. Developed by Mercury and its joint venture company Cummins MerCruiser Diesel (CMD), the Zeus drive is a dual engine pod drive system. Some of the most notable benefits from this class design for boaters will be enhanced helm control. While underway an automated trim control feature simplifies operation. Also, Zeus includes Skyhook Electronic AnchorTM which will keep a vessel on a fixed heading within a tight range. The system might be called all weather as it will keep a heading in strong currents and winds.
Mercury Marine is one of the world’s leading providers of marine propulsion. As $2.3 billion division of Brunswick Corporation, Mercury and its 6,200 employees worldwide provide engines, boats, services and parts for recreational, commercial and government marine applications.
Mercury’s brand portfolio includes Mercury and Mariner, Mercury MerCruiser sterndrives and inboard engines, MotorGuide trolling motors, Mercury and Teignbridge propellers, Mercury inflatable boats, Mercury SmartCraft electronics, and Mercury and Quicksilver parts and oils.
MotoTron electronic controls was also a part of Mercury Marine, but as of October 2008 Brunswick Corp. sold MotoTron and its intellectual properties to Woodward Governor of Fort Collins, CO.
SeaCore is a brand of sterndrive marine propulsion systems manufactured in the United States by MerCruiser. The SeaCore engine design utilizes materials, technologies, and systems, created specifically for Mercury Marine, to prevent galvanic corrosion within its engine, transom and drive. SeaCore propulsion includes models generating between 220 and 425 hp. SeaCore is designed for a wide variety of vessels operated in or moored on saltwater.
External links