MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Indmar Products Company, Inc. will debut its production-ready catalytic converter at the 2006 Miami Boat Show, February 16-20, according to a press release from the company. Called ETX/CAT, the patent-pending system will be standard equipment starting this summer on all 2007 Indmar 5.7L premium electronic fuel injected inboard engines.

"It's the right thing to do," said Dick Rowe, Indmar's founder, in the release. "Therefore, we will have ETX/CAT on all our Indmar 5.7L EFI premium engines, not only those sold in California but also every state. It's a win/win for everyone; the industry, our OEM builders, boaters and our environment."

A first for production gasoline marine inboard engines, the Indmar technology reduces exhaust emissions to less than 5 grams of combined hydrocarbons (HC) and oxides of nitrogen (NOx) as required by California Air Resources Board upcoming regulations. In fact, ETX/CAT-equipped Indmar inboards will be the first marine engines to earn CARB's top rating of Four Star Super-Ultra-Low Emissions.

The most dramatic achievement for boater safety is ETX/CAT's substantial reduction of carbon monoxide (CO) gases in all part-throttle operating modes. Neither CARB nor the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) currently regulates CO emissions, but when they do Indmar stands poised to meet or surpass those regulations.

According to the press release, there is no measurable engine power loss thanks to ETX/CAT's extreme tuned manifold/catalyst design. With negligible backpressure, the ETX/CAT system is a free-breathing, header style, performance exhaust manifold with the catalytic converter built in. Its advanced single-piece manifold design extends the life of the part by preventing water intrusion or water inversion (water back-flowing into manifold), as is typical with outdated two-piece, center-rise exhaust systems.

ETX/CAT has a compact profile that reportedly makes it easy to incorporate the engine into a boat.

The new Indmar proprietary ETX/CAT catalyst functions similar to that of an automobile. Hot exhaust gas flows into an engine-mounted canister with a catalyst brick of precious metals tucked inside. A high-temperature chemical reaction removes much of the government-targeted gasses (HC and NOx) as well as CO.

Indmar 5.7L Premium EFI V-8 engines fitted with ETX/CAT catalysts will become available this summer in 2007 models.

Since 1986, Indmar has partnered with the National Marine Manufacturers Association and worked closely with both CARB and the EPA on inboard gasoline marine engine emission regulations.