Nizpro Marine - Creating complete magic. Not spawning pure evil!
by John Curnow, Editor, Powerboat-World.com 11 Jun 2019 01:43 BST
In my recent editorial, Fair Enough... So We Did!, we had a super-brief look at the Nizpro Marine 450S outboard. So please indulge me now, for the leading paragraphs being repeated once more here are for those who did not read that particular piece. What follows on thereafter, has hitherto not been seen, so please do read on…
All right, this is quite literally ‘THE’ subject of the moment. Seems like a barely a day goes by when there is not a new massive outboard, a big craft powered by them, or the combination of both that gets revealed, hinted at, or lobbed into the equation. Right then. At this juncture I do need to ask you to reset. Refresh your cache, if you will, and even reboot if necessary.
Now if the incredible Seven Marine outboard is modelled after Predator, then I could not help thinking that with the cowling off, the Nizpro Marine 450s is exactly like an Alien wrapped around the face of the next host. However, rather than using the host to spawn the most evil of creatures, Nizpro’s version creates an utter gem.
Brutal, quiet, fuel efficient, powerful, strong, and sturdy, I almost did not believe that a transplant like this could leave you with the most incredible confidence. Alas, once you have driven it, you will not be going back to something else, for they all pale into insignificance.
Think of it like having the torque of a diesel, and the responsiveness of a petrol donk, and also the accordant lower mass than an oil burner. On the latter point, it is like 100kg lighter than Yamaha’s 425hp petrol V8. Anyway, it is all thanks to a gang of tuners and racers out of Melbourne, and what they have done with Yamaha’s brilliant 4.2l V6 is both spellbinding and brilliant.
However, don’t take their word for it, nor even mine for that matter. Here’s what someone who put the cash down had to say about it. Now he’s not just any ordinary old person either. He’s renowned for going quickly whether under sail or power, and builds some of the best, and most finely honed boats in the world. He is the renowned boating identity, Mark Richards of Grand Banks/Palm Beach, and Wild Oats XI fame.
“I started off with the 250hp Yamaha, which is a fantastic engine. I was looking at an engine upgrade, but had no idea about Nizpro Marine at the time. I heard about the system, did some research online, and the guys came up from Melbourne and installed it for me. Wow. Unbelievable. 450hp at 290kg dry mass is impressive, so the power to weight is truly incredible. It is way above anything on the market for its performance.”
“She is super smooth, and I’ve been really, really impressed. We give it a fair old flogging when we get in it too, and it has proven to be a wonderful investment.” Given that a lot of people are swapping out to V8s, I wondered if the noise of the supercharger might be affecting Richards, or his guests? “No. You hardly even hear it. I have had a big improvement in fuel economy too. At 30 to 40 knots we are using 10% less fuel. So the economy is tremendous. We’ve won all round. Obviously, the faster you go the more you burn, but at comparable speeds it is way better. My Axopar 24 is unreal now, and we have gone from a 40-knot boat to one that does 60 knots. Pretty impressive!”
OK. So remember the rules…
#1 - It is power that makes you fast, but it is torque that makes you quick! What that all means is that the former gives you outright dash; whereas the latter is all about the way you get there. You understand that, and you will fully comprehend the earlier statement about never going back. I had a jet skit beside us during our test, and I just planted it to instantly dispose of them into our wake.
By way of examples, I was using less than three grand to pop out from scratch in the Brig Eagle 8m that Sirocco Marine North had laid on for their recent Brig Day Out. It was absolutely not a case of whacking in full herbs, and then throttling back once on the plane. We were four up, and two of us alone easily accounted for 200 kilos of the payload. I used around 2700RPM, and it was more than fine. In fact it was delightful. Using the full quotient does virtually require the use of seatbelt.
The other example came in the form of a Brig 10m with twin 300 Yamahas fitted that was also on demonstration, and I drove this both inshore and off. Whilst an undeniably pleasurable craft, I could not help thinking that powered by even just the one of Nizpro’s 450S gems it would have been even better. More responsive, lighter by 290kg, certainly more economical, and I reckon the top speeds would be comparable, let alone the all-important cruising velocity. Fitted with twin 450S’, given they have the same hung mass, and it would be an entirely electric package.
Because of the torque, our boat spun a four-blade, 15x22 inch screw with ease. Nizpro work with you to set up the correct package in terms of mounting, and also prop, so you won’t have to nut that one out for yourself. She is very susceptible to trim for both take off, high-speed flight, and aggressive turn ins. Naturally you will have far more down plane out in the big blue. This also goes for the mounting height, and also the space off the transom, for you can also order a more streamline bulb (low water nose cone) on the leading edge of the leg.
Inshore, and with 4400RPM dialled up, we had 38.9 knots on the GPS, and were consuming a flow of 65 litres per hour. Scale back to a more than adequate 26 knots from 3000 RPM, and you are using just 31.4 litres. Dial it right out to full noise at 6500RPM, which you will do plenty of, as Mark Richards explained, and you will be making just over 50 knots in the Brig, and using 130lph.
If you’re new to boating, then I would go with the power steering. Personally I preferred the direct feel afforded by the straight hydraulics in our test vessel, but remember you are dealing with 450 ponies and 400 foot pounds of grunt. Some experience does help… Of course, by the time you go to two or more of Nizpro’s ‘Aliens’, then the power steering becomes mandatory.
Now just on that point of turn-in, and one of the most memorable aspects of driving this package is that you can play into the corners so beautifully. Because the Nizpro Marine 450S is spinning such a big wheel with loads of pitch, in combination with the torque, you find yourself not digging a hole, as the screw finds new water. We were doing turns inside itself, and into its own wake, and it was actually begging for more. That kind of predictability equates to complete safety in the end. Here, in tight proximity, you get to fully appreciate just how quiet it is. Normally the squeal of the supercharger would be really obvious, but alas, this is not so. You could even argue that it is a lot quieter than some of the new generation of power plants.
Offshore/Large Craft
This engine, or multiples thereof, is ideally suited to use in boats looking for range, the ability to heft around decent mass, and ease of operation for prolonged periods of time. The reasons are that it will deliver real world punch at suitable revs, and drink only as it needs, which is pretty miserly considering what you get. It will also be quieter, by virtue of not having to work anywhere near as hard to get you where you want to go, as the torque curve is empirical proof of.
The main one is that you will not get weary from driving, for you do not get on and off the throttle so regularly as to give you RSI. You will also make better time for you will not be on and off the gas, nor losing pace when punching into it, nor running over the one in front coming downhill. When I was driving the Brig 8m off of the Gold Coast I was using just thumb type tweaks of the throttle, which was both easy and simple.
Importantly, there are counter rotators available for multiple installations.
Looking for more? Like to take it to 11?
Finishing from whence we started then… Now in the ultimate Alien v Predator story ever, Nizpro Marine have in place all their thinking and equipment to unleash on one of Seven Marine’s GM LSA-based V8 outboards. Think maybe 800hp, each, and you may well be on the money. You could also be the very first customer to have them, too.
Yes, a Seven Marine outboard is not a cheap item to start with, at something like USD100k, but for a 10-15% premium you can go OTT. If you look at the application above, then 3200hp is the equivalent of a pair of V12 Diesels. That Seven Marine offers them in a vast array of leg lengths, and you can have your own choice of colour and LED schemes on top of that, is quite compelling.
Imagine a 40-foot, Scarab like, centre console sportsfisherman, or even Ocean Alexander’s new 45-foot day boat propelled by a pair or more of these mighty donks. Yes. Imagine. Of course, if you have the desire, and the sheckles, then imagine no more!