LEHR OUTBOARDS HEADLINE THE MIAMI BOAT SHOW

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Lehr used the Miami International Boat Show to debut its latest propane-powered outboard, a 15-hp model, which follows last year’s introduction of a 9.9 horsepower propane outboard. The new model will be available in 15- and 20-inch shaft lengths, with electric starting and remote controls available on either size. This motor uses a new 323cc twin-cylinder four-stroke powerhead that offers 50-percent more displacement than the 212cc 9.9, and weighs 110 pounds (the lightest version), about 22 pounds more than the 9.9.

When equipped with electric start, the Lehr 15 features a compact 12-volt lithium iron battery made by Shorai that weighs less than two pounds and is mounted under the outboard’s cowl, so there’s no remote battery cluttering up the boat. The motor has a charging system and the battery carries a three-year warranty.

Propane fuel is extremely clean-burning, impossible to spill, and probably creates less explosive danger on board than a portable gasoline fuel tank. It also eliminates all of the issues caused by ethanol-blend gasoline. Lehr says its new 15-hp model will run for about 7.3 hours at a 3000-rpm cruising speed on a 20-lb. tank of propane – that’s the size typically used on a gas grill.

The new Lehr 15 will be priced between $3,516 and $3,996, depending on features.

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