Recently, there is a movement to apply emission control in marine engines in the United States. Environmental measures for marine engines have become severe. Honda has developed a three seat personal watercraft with a 4-stroke engine installed in consideration of environmental suitability and the future. Using the motorcycle CBR1100XX in-line 4-cylinder 4-stroke engine, with a displacement of 1,100 cm3 as the base engine, the specifications were modified for marine use to satisfy such areas as engine performance, function, and corrosion resistance, as a PWC engine. Moreover, the turbocharger was employed to obtain a power/weight ratio greater than that of PWCs with 2-stroke engines. Driveability and durability exceeding conventional PWCs with 2-stroke engine were achieved. Emission performance of the engine satisfied EPA2006 and CARB2004 regulations, while fuel economy also improved by 16 % compared to conventional 2-stroke engine models.
Article of Honda R&D Technical Review Vol.14 No.2 (17 - 24)