Yanmar returns to the Outboard Market
The realm of small outboards has broadened just recently, thanks to the introduction of what’s billed as the smallest turbocharged, common-rail-diesel outboard on the market today—the Neander Dtorque Turbo Diesel. Besides its diminutive size, what primarily sets this torquey little BOSCH-fuel-injected beauty apart is a set of dual counter-rotating crankshafts which, by generating opposing forces within, essentially cancel each other out, thereby significantly reducing the vibration and noise that might otherwise be associated with a small engine that produces radical amounts of torque.
Fuel consumption is reportedly exceptionally low, even when stacked up against economical, four-stroke gasoline-fired competitors. The builder of the Dtorque, Neander Motors of Kiel, Germany, says the Dtorque burns only about 2.5 to 3 gallons per hour of diesel fuel at wide-open throttle, a pittance when you consider that mainstream gas-powered, 70-horsepower four-strokers will typically burn more than twice as much.
While the market for the Dtorque is primarily focused on workboats, diesel-powered yacht owners with tenders are bound to show some interest in a product that cuts fuel costs, improves range, boosts acceleration, and nixes the need to carry a separate supply of gasoline on board. Because of its heavily-built, long-lasting diesel nature, the Dtorque might be relatively expensive, although actual pricing was not available at press time. Yanmar Marine International has signed on as Neander’s global distribution partner and will reportedly offer the Dtorque in the United States at some point in the near future.
