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requirements at procurement stage and reduced operating budgets. The major growth in fast craft development has been under 50 feet (15 meters). Established and new play- ers are delivering propulsion technology solutions that range from slight percentage gains to game changers. Inboards Adjust In the diesel inboard sector various manufacturers; includ- ing Volvo Penta, Mercury, Yanmar and Cummins have recog- nized the growing professional sector demand for high perfor- mance diesel engines. Fast boat operators need to constantly adjust ?power on / power off?, for example when running into a head sea or during boarding operations. The engineering challenge has been to combine the robust characteristics of diesel engines with reduced turbo lag and improved throttle response. Since the 1990s, the automotive sector, particularly in Europe, has driven the development of high performance diesel engines. Lighter weight blocks and components, com- bined with electronic fuel management systems and  y by wire controls are enabling the next generation of inboard diesels to close the ?responsiveness? gap with gasoline (petrol) outboards. Many inboard engine manufacturers offer their own out- drive ?legs? that combine gears, steering and propellers. These stern drive units are designed to be installed with the OEMs own high performance diesel engines. Other manufactur- ers focus on specialist stern drive units that can be coupled with various engines. Konrad stern drives are designed for heavy duty applications where strength, reliability and long service life are required. Julie Heifner, Sales and Marketing Director of Konrad told MarineNews , ?The main design re- quirement is for the stern drive unit to take the torque and the impulse load that comes from a diesel engine. When a high performance craft is running hard in waves, the loading effect of leaving and re-entering the water can be extreme.? Konrad drives are compatible with most high performance diesel engines. The company has just announced the launch of their new 600B Series drive for commercial and military operations. Heifner adds, ?The new system offers a thicker, wider, stronger transom unit - designed to spread the load across a larger area, making the entire unit extremely du- rable. Steering is integrated within the 600B Series unit. Two dual prop models are available, one which excels in perfor- mance, the other in high load carrying applications.? Outboards: Emissions & Economy In the high performance outboard sector various manu- facturers, including Mercury, Honda, Yamaha and Suzuki have invested signi cant R&D budgets to comply with strict emission regulations, and the end-users need for improved www.marinelink.com MN July14 Layout 32-49.indd 41MN July14 Layout 32-49.indd 416/18/2014 3:43:22 PM6/18/2014 3:43:22 PM