China's $5,999 Outboards Are Coming for Mercury's $2 Billion Empire — Here's How

Subscribe! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCl40MDImtmCtsC1S_M1RNXA?sub_confirmation=1 Affiliate Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links. If you purchase through them, you support the channel at no additional cost to you. Resources & Links BETOOLL HW0130 Engine Compression Tester Kit 🛒 Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00SKSAB8U?tag=cycleworth-20 OTC 5605 Deluxe Compression Tester Kit 🛒 Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004K2FSXI?tag=cycleworth-20 Sierra 18-3442 Water Pump Impeller Kit for Yamaha F115 🛒 Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B071GKV834?tag=cycleworth-20 Water Pump Impeller Kit for Mercury 30-125 HP (8M0113799) 🛒 Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CDBZBGPN?tag=cycleworth-20 Yamaha Fuel/Water Separating Filter MAR-10MEL 🛒 Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C5JX31H6?tag=cycleworth-20 Quicksilver 18458Q4 10-Micron Fuel Filter Kit for Mercury 🛒 Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000XBDHPG?tag=cycleworth-20 Attwood 11840-7 10-Micron Fuel/Water Separator Kit 🛒 Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001O0D6EM?tag=cycleworth-20 Shoreline Marine Motor Flusher (flush muffs) 🛒 Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004LR9SDI?tag=cycleworth-20 Aluminum Spare Propeller for Yamaha 60-115 HP 🛒 Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07XL8H297?tag=cycleworth-20 13 1/4 x 17 Stainless Steel Propeller for Yamaha 60-115 HP 🛒 Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09L76NXDB?tag=cycleworth-20 Evinrude E-TEC Outboard (discontinued 2020) 🔍 eBay (Best Deals): https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=Evinrude+E-TEC+outboard&mkevt=1&mkcid=1&mkrid=711-53200-19255-0&siteid=0&campid=5339196185&toolid=10001&customid=legacyboats Parsun, a builder in Suzhou, China, lists its 115 hp four-stroke outboard at $5,999 to $7,999 wholesale, free on board in Shanghai. A new Yamaha F115 or Mercury 115 FourStroke costs about $11,000 to $12,000 at a US dealer, and Mercury's parent Brunswick reported $2.18 billion in Propulsion sales in 2025. We look at what the Parsun F115 really is (its spec sheet lines up number for number with Yamaha's F115), at the new Parsun F300 V6 against the Yamaha F300 and Mercury Verado 300, and at the story behind Mercury's engine empire, from Carl Kiekhaefer's 300 defective Thor outboards in 1939 to the 2004 anti-dumping case Mercury filed against Japanese outboards and lost. 00:00 Chinese $5,999 outboard vs Mercury 02:42 The spec sheet that matches Yamaha 04:51 Who builds Parsun outboards 06:44 Kiekhaefer and the Mercury empire 09:29 Mercury's trade war with Japan 13:03 Mercury already builds outboards in China 14:32 Parsun F300 vs Yamaha F300 and Verado 17:17 Tariffs and the real landed price 19:32 Dealers, warranty and California 25:21 The verdict for your boat Sources: Brunswick Corporation — Form 10-K for fiscal year 2025 — https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/14930/000001493026000027/bcorp-20251231.htm Made-in-China (Suzhou Parsun Power Machine) — PARSUN 115HP 4-stroke outboard motor — https://parsunpower.en.made-in-china.com/product/OZeGTVgAgRca/China-PARSUN-115HP-4-stroke-outboard-motor.html Powerboat News — Parsun F300: Does China's 300hp Outboard Change the Market? — https://powerboat.news/parsun-f300-does-chinas-300hp-outboard-change-the-market/ Trade Only Today — NMMA: Brunswick's tariff exemption highlights unworkable nature of the trade actions — https://tradeonlytoday.com/tech/nmma-brunswicks-tariff-exemption-highlights-unworkable-nature-of-the-trade-actions/ BoatTEST — Chinese Outboard Brands Enter the U.S. Market — https://boattest.com/article/chinese-outboard-brands-enter-us-market Boating Industry — Mercury accuses Japanese builders of predatory practices Powersports Business — Outboard Dumping Case Goes to the Judges Power Systems Research — DataPoint: Outboard Engines (June 2025) Power Boat Magazine NZ — Parsun Breaks New Ground For Chinese Outboards California Air Resources Board — Executive Orders for MY2025 Spark-Ignited Marine Engines Write to me: [email protected] This channel is made by a boating enthusiast, not a marine professional. I'm not a licensed surveyor, broker, marine mechanic, naval architect, financial advisor, or insurance agent, and nothing here is professional advice. All content is for entertainment and general-interest purposes only. Boat histories, prices, specifications, and opinions are based on publicly available sources and my own research, and may contain errors, omissions, or out-of-date information. Prices and values vary widely by location, condition, and time. Brand names, models, and trademarks belong to their respective owners and are referenced only for commentary, education, and historical discussion. Before buying, selling, restoring, insuring, or operating any boat, always do your own research and consult a qualified professional.