So new was the triple Verado 350-equipped Cigarette 39' Top Fish that no photos of the boat were available as this story went live. However, the helm station was identical to that of this 39' Top Fish. (Photo courtesy/copyright Cigarette Racing Team.)

So new was the triple Verado 350-equipped Cigarette 39' Top Fish that no photos of the boat were available as this story went live. However, the helm station was identical to that of this 39' Top Fish. (Photo courtesy/copyright Cigarette Racing Team.)

Miami Test Drive Report —On Thursday (Feb. 14) I got to throttle up the new Verado 350 SCi in a triple rig on the Cigarette 39 Top Fish (www.cigaretteracing.com), a 39-foot center-console with a 10-foot beam that weighs 12,600 pounds dry. The 418-gallon fuel tanks were full. So while we didn't have real-world fishing gear on board, the boat was not light. The props were Mercury Revolution 4 in the 14 5/8 x 23 size with the standard 1.75:1 gear ratio.
Internal view of the in-line six-cylinder, 350-hp engine.

Internal view of the in-line six-cylinder, 350-hp engine.



First impression is that these motors remain super-quiet despite the added exhaust relief. They might be a little louder in pass-by sound, but from the cockpit they are unobtrusive. In fact, it's almost unnerving that Mercury can offer this level of performance from a package that is so well-socialized. This is a heavy boat, but the Verados planed it off smartly and were happy to cruise along at about 55 mph at 5000 rpm, a speed that delivered about 1 mpg, with each motor burning about 18 gph. Throttle to the wall (and I was pushing just one lever, thanks to the SmartCraft Shadow Technology on this boat) produced a top speed of 69.8 mph, and a combined fuel burn of 102 gph.

Cigarette says the boat with triple Verados will run 72 mph with a light fuel load. Fishboat Magazine tested this boat last year with quad Merc Racing 300XS motors and got 76.5 mph top speed with about 200 gallons of fuel on board

As with every other supercharged Verado I've run, the mid-range punch delivered by these 350 SCi motors is just outstanding. There is no hesitation when you nail the throttle. Just a nice push in the back as the thrust comes on hard. I think these motors are a really "strong" 350 horsepower"¦more like 375. When I asked a Merc rep about real propshaft power, he just smiled and shrugged. These motors still need to prove their reliability and durability in the hands of customers, but it looks like Merc has really delivered the goods.

Editor's Note: Charles Plueddeman is the editor at large for Boating, the nation's largest recreational boating magazine

Written by: Charles Plueddeman
Charles Plueddeman is Boats.com's outboard, trailer, and PWC expert. He is a former editor at Boating Magazine and contributor to many national publications since 1986.