Australian fishing show repowers with Mercury

The Hook, Line and Sinker crew recently upgraded to brand-new twin 175hp V6 FourStroke engine setup © Mercury Marine

For TV fisho Andrew Hart from Hook, Line and Sinker, dependability and power is everything, so it is no surprise that he made the switched to Mercury.

The Hook, Line and Sinker crew recently upgraded their Bar Crusher 780 Hard Top for their next season, repowering with Mercury Marine to a brand-new twin 175hp V6 FourStroke engine setup.

They made the switch to Mercury seeking more power and enhanced performance from their outboard, with angler and show host Andrew Hart noting that the new engines have completely transformed the boat.

Based in Tasmania, Andrew and the team went to their local dealer CJ Marine to have the boat repowered, with Andrew immediately noticing the superior performance benefits of the new outboards.

"The first difference I noticed was how much quieter it is, especially at that mid-level range. With the boat being a hardtop, it naturally resonates noise so it's a big improvement," Andrew said.

"The amount of torque it delivered was extremely evident, and I am looking forward to testing it out more this season.

"It was amazing when we took it out in rougher conditions along the east coast with it able to tackle whatever was thrown at it, with the extra torque meaning the boat easily stayed on the plane at a slow, rough weather cruise. I have never had a motor able to do that so easily."

Andrew said switching to Mercury proved an easy decision to make, with the direction of the company, with their faith in their own products and reliability on offer too much to pass up on.

"Mercury is in an exciting space and their product are proving to be reliable and better than the rest," Andrew said.

"They have products they are proud of and proud to showcase, and this is something that gives you confidence when shopping around for the right engine."

The Hook, Line and Sinker's Andrew Hart (left) with Mercury's Director of Sales David Meehan (right) with his new twin 175hp FourStrokes - photo © Mercury Marine

The new engine set up features Dometic electric steering, providing exceptionally responsive handling and smooth control, along with Mercury's innovative multi-engine Digital Throttle & Shift (DTS) providing a premium driving experience.

"It is a joy to drive, it's feels like you are cruising down the highway," Andrew said.

"Once you have had electric steering it is very hard to go back, with it providing you with a premium driving experience."

The next season of Hook, Line and Sinker - now in its 24th season - is set to air at the beginning of December with 13 episodes. The Hook, Line and Sinker team will explore all of Australia, including the Solomon Islands, and plan to take the Bar Crusher with its twin 175hp engines down the south-east coast back to Tasmania, where they will fish for swordfish and tuna.

The new season will feature the fit-up of the new engine and a comparison of how the twin 175HP engines perform compared to the Hook, Line and Sinker team's old setup.

Find out more about Mercury's 175HP FourStroke outboards here or you can watch Hook, Line and Sinker on 7Plus here.