For almost 80 years, Mercury Marine has been the world’s leading manufacturer of recreational marine engines. The broad range of marine propulsion spans from 2.5hp to 1,700hp in Mercury’s new racing sterndrive engine. Over the past decade, Mercury has invested more than $800 million in research and development and expansion into its global headquarters in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. That investment has allowed the company to grow its employee base from 1,400 in 2009 to more than 3,200 in 2017—which includes more than 700 engineers. The investment has also allowed Mercury to continue its cadence of averaging one new product launch every six weeks.
Today, Mercury is more than an engine company. It’s a marine propulsion solution company that not only has a portfolio of engines for any boater, but also the technology to enhance the boating experience. Mercury’s ecosystem of technology is unmatched in the marine industry and features Joystick Piloting for outboards or inboards, SkyHook virtual anchoring, Vessel View Mobile and Active Trim. All four products work together with the engine to create the perfect experience on the water and allow boaters to Go Boldly.
The latest innovation from Mercury is an enhancement for Mercury Joystick-equipped vessels. 
Designed for convenient purchase as downloadable content (DLC) from Mercury’s GoFree store, Skyhook Advanced Features provides Joystick vessels with even better positioning control in specific situations.
Boaters and anglers who love the way Mercury’s GPS-enabled Skyhook lets their vessel maintain a steady position while waiting for a bridge opening or hold over a reef will be sure to appreciate Skyhook Advanced Features.
New Skyhook Advanced Features include:
- Heading Adjust provides Joystick operators with the ability to adjust the heading lock in 1- and 10-degree increments while SkyHook is active, making vessel control even more precise.
- BowHook can be used to unlock heading and just maintain position, allowing the boat to point in whatever direction the winds and currents dictate. This feature is useful when a locked-in heading is not necessary.
- DriftHook lets the operator maintain heading and unlock the position of the vessel allowing winds and currents to move the vessel along. Adjustments of 1- and 10-degree increments can be made while drifting when bundled with Heading Adjust.
In addition, Mercury continues to advance its Vessel View mobile technology and roll it out around the world. The VesselView Mobile app instantly provides users access to their boat’s SmartCraft digital data in the palm of their hand.
SmartCraft® is a fully integrated suite of digital technologies, including marine gauges, sensors, vessel systems and computer-controlled features, that gives users a higher level of control over their boat’s propulsion and electrical systems. Now, with Mercury Marine’s VesselView Mobile, users can see SmartCraft engine data right on the screen of their mobile device. The app also includes useful new features such as Maintenance Reminders, Mapping, Performance Summary, and Fault Code Diagnostics.
VesselView Mobile makes preparing for and spending a day on the water easier, safer and more enjoyable by letting users perform functions from their mobile device.
For more information, visit www.mercurymarine.com.