Axius offers precision control through independently articulating Bravo Three drives. The joystick control lets the driver ‘walk’ the boat laterally, turn, move forward or in reverse, or spin on its axis.

The similarity with Volvo’s IPS and the Zeus is obvious, but the major USP of Axius is it brings the benefits of these two systems down to smaller craft: the Axius demonstration boat at the SBS is a Sealine SC29. Another big advantage is Axius requires no modifications to the hull design.

The system is being seen by Mercury’s MerCruiser Business Unit president Kevin S Grodzki as an ideal means of attracting newcomers to boating.

‘It will influence those who don’t have the confidence to handle a boat,’ he told BB, ‘because it makes manoeuvring so simple.’

Grodzki says the system is capable of being used on boats up to 38 or 40ft and that Mercury is ‘working on boats in excess of 44ft’ right now.

BB drove the SBS boat around in Port Hamble and while there was no appreciable tide running, close quarter manoeuvres were simple enough to allow even editor Nash to avoid parking the boat squarely across the end of a pontoon (a spring ebb at Port Hamble is a joy to spectators…).

However, his desire to replicate the opening scene of the Blues Brothers movie by spinning the boat at high speed into an impossibly tight parking space was felt to be an inappropriate suggestion.

The Sealine will be at the show for the duration and will also be used in the Try A Boat feature, where it should find a few new devotees.

Mercury quoted the SBS installation – twin Mercury 5.0 litre MPI petrol engines and Bravo Three drives at £114,950 +VAT - against £115,000 +VAT for the Volvo powered version. This is, however, ‘an SBS special offer’ and the market price will be quoted in January.

The system will be available with CMD’s 2.8 litre diesel engines for delivery in the 2nd quarter of 2008.