Powerful New Yamaha Solutions Yamaha has stamped their authority on the Australian marine market with a powerful line-up of products and services for 2008, including the world’s first V8 production outboard, a new portable pocket rocket and a host of fresh and innovative warranty, insurance and finance solutions. F350 Headlining Yamaha’s 2008 star-studded line-up is the world’s first V8 production outboard engine — the F350.
The F350 is the first four stroke outboard motor to utilise a V8 powerhead and delivers unprecedented levels of power to weight performance. With a displacement of 5,330 cm3, the 32 Valve DOHC V8 engine delivers a maximum power output of 257.4 kW (350 hp) at the prop shaft, which is the highest horsepower rating for an outboard motor in the world today. The massive power and torque of the F350 ensures a big boost in speed, acceleration and performance. Larger multi-hull boats will appreciate the torque advantage of a V8 engine when moving several tonnes of hull onto the plane, with a 45% increase in thrust over a conventional 250hp 4-stroke outboard.
Variable Camshaft Timing is again utilised to give the F350 more torque at low and mid-range rpm. Also increasing power, the In-Bank Dual Exhaust with Power Surge Chambers is used to relieve pressure in the exhaust ports. A larger gear shaft is also adopted for greatly increased strength, plus an automatic rpm synchronization function can be employed for multi-engine use (up to 3 engines).
Durability is further enhanced with forged motor mounts and an oversized mounting bracket to minimise noise and vibration. To accommodate the increased displacement, a larger thermostat, large-capacity water pump and dual-course coolant supply system are used to improve cooling capacity. An exclusive new-design drain system has also been developed inside the cowling, to quickly drain away any water that gets inside the cowling and reduce the amount of water intrusion to one-tenth that of conventional outboards.
In keeping with strict environmental emission regulations, the Yamaha F350 qualifies as a 3-star rating under the 2008 emissions standards of the California Air Resource Board (CARB). F9.9 Portable 4-stroke power has also stepped up a gear with Yamaha’s new F9.9 outboard. Based on the current F8C, the new F9.9F standard and FT9.9G High Thrust outboards are now lighter and offer a host of class leading features including optional power tilt.
The SOHC, in-line 2 cylinder engine displaces 212cm3. This exceeds the F8C by 15cm3 to give greater torque and the same smooth running attributes. Previously only available as a high-thrust 4-stroke outboard, the new 9.9hp F9.9F sits neatly between the F8C and the recently released F15C. The new FT9.9G with higher gear ratio and larger dual-thrust prop replaces the older FT9.9DE.
Quick response and smooth running are advantages of the greater engine displacement of the new F9.9 which delivers sufficient torque from low to mid speed ranges. Outstanding fuel economy is the result of higher combustion efficiency while a tighter cowling and water-sealed labyrinth exhaust system significantly reduces both noise and vibration.
Reliability is also a strong feature of the new Yamaha F9.9 outboards which have been improved to deliver less trouble over a longer life. A stronger waist type drive shaft and gear system guard against prop hitting while corrosion is reduced through Yamaha’s specialised YDC-30 alloy self-sacrificing anodes and freshwater flushing device. A warning and protection system governs rev limits, low oil pressure, start-in-gear protection and open throttle shift-in prevention. The environment also benefits from Yamaha’s new compact 9.9hp outboards with the blow-by gas re-burning system and higher combustion efficiency greatly reducing exhaust emissions. Compliance with both the US EPA 2006 and CARB 2008 emission standards is testament to Yamaha’s clean operating performance.
For commercial operators and anglers pushing heavy loads, the compact yet powerful high-thrust FT9.9G, with a higher gear ratio and larger dual-thrust prop, delivers outstanding thrust and stopping power when controlling heavy loads. The FT9.9G is also significantly lighter than the older FT9.9DE boasting more than a 6kg weight advantage.
Also taking the F9.9 further beyond its class is the option of inbuilt Power Tilt for easy setup and shallow water drive. An optional 10Amp high output alternator can also be fitted to give greater battery charging even at low speed. Variation is the hallmark of Yamaha’s new 9.9hp 4-stroke outboards with 12 model options available to help customise portable outboard power. YMF Yamaha Motor Finance (YMF) has advanced its services to offer Yamaha customers an online, pre-approval loan facility. Making it even easier to secure finance, the YMF Pre-Approval facility is available for Yamaha outboard and Yamaha powered boat/motor/trailer packages. The YMF Loan pre-approval facility is designed to give Yamaha customers the time and space to apply for YMF finance before they visit a Yamaha dealer. Providing a range of loan choices and terms, the pre-approval process is fast, easy to understand and gives the customer the essential information to purchase their new Yamaha product with confidence. The YMF Loan pre-approval process begins with the online application form. Accessed through the YMF website www.yamaha-motor.com.au , the easy-to-follow application form is completed online and then electronically lodged with YMF. Customers can use the online calculator to give an indication of fortnightly or monthly payments with or without a balloon. On completion of the application a YMF staff member will contact the customer within 24 hours. If successful, an approval number will be issued that allows the customer to purchase through any Yamaha dealer in Australia providing choice and complete confidence that their loan has been pre-approved. If the boat, motor and trailer package cost is more than the customer expected, a call to the YMF office quoting the approval number will enable YMF to make the changes to further suit the customer’s needs, subject to normal credit criteria.
Of course, customers who prefer to organise their YMF finance in person at their authorised Yamaha dealership can continue to do so. YMF has provided an industry competitive loan facility for hundreds of satisfied Yamaha customers. Whether their needs are a complete boating package or a re-power, YMF can now offer the convenience of a pre-approval loan facility for all private, partnership of commercial applications. Protection Plus Yamaha Motor Australia has also launched a sweeping range of customer features for 2008, designed to deliver significant benefits to boaters who purchase a Yamaha outboard engine. Operating under the banner of ‘Protection Plus’, the Yamaha protection package represents the highest standard in customer support and vale. The ‘Protection Plus’ package is available exclusively from authorised Yamaha dealers and includes … • Yamaha Marine Insurance • Extended warranty on Yamaha 2 stroke models - 3 years • Extended warranty on Yamaha 4 stroke models - 4 years • DataDotDNA theft protection • Extended Service Protection. Yamaha Marine Insurance is a fresh new product that is a world first for Yamaha. No other outboard company in the world offers its own brand of marine insurance. Yamaha Marine Insurance has an extensive range of features that are unique. Factors such as new for old replacement, exclusive use of genuine Yamaha parts, zero excess when DataDotDNA protected and so on, set the YMI policy apart from other marine insurance products. Yamaha’s Extended Warranty product support program has also been announced. Customers who purchase 2 stroke models (including the High Pressure Direct Injection VMAX models) are now backed with a full three year warranty. All four stroke models have a four year warranty. There is absolutely no additional cost to the customer for the extended warranty. The standard warranty is extended simply by customers having their Yamaha engine regularly serviced by an authorised Yamaha dealer — it’s that simple! DataDotDNA is now applied to every Yamaha outboard engine sold and delivered in Australia. This is a free benefit to Yamaha owners. DataDotDNA is a unique identification code that is applied to each and every outboard in the form of microscopic dots that carry a unique code number. This code number is applied to the serial number and warranty registration of each Yamaha outboard. DataDotDNA has had significant effect in reducing professional theft in the automotive industry; there is no reason why it can’t do the same for the marine product.
Police and insurers are big supporters of DataDotDNA technology, for the deterrent factor alone. In the event of product theft, DataDotDNA enables Police to identify and match stolen goods to their legal owner and assists them to bring offenders to account for their actions. Yamaha’s Extended Service Program (ESP) has been enhanced as it is now available on two stroke engines as well as four stroke models. Customers benefit from a fixed price servicing for 4 years on four stroke outboards and three years on two stroke models. Thanks to ESP, you can lock in the cost of servicing your Yamaha outboard engine for the first three or four years of ownership.
Owning a Yamaha powered boat has never been easier thanks to Yamaha. For more information on Yamaha outboards and financing visit www.yamaha-motor.com.au