7 New Must-See Marine Engines, by Capt. Richard Thiel (continued)
Volvo Penta gets my vote for the most unusual introduction at the show. Its Forward Drive (FWD) combines an adjustable-trim drive unit with contrarotating forward-facing props. Why has Volvo, which has always used aft-facing props for their stern-drives, suddenly done an about face—literally? The answer is wakeboarding. Volvo says FWD not only lets the driver customize a boat’s wake for different ability levels but also offers a “unique symmetrical wakeboarding wake and equally shaped wakesurfing wake on your side of choice.”
This technology might also prove to be a safer option for tow boats because the props won’t be as close to the vessel’s transom. FWD can be mated to five gasoline V-8 engines ranging from 300 to 430 horsepower. www.volvopenta.com
