Yamaha outboards are in a great position in 2020. Not so much from a product standpoint, but they are in a fantastic place for their next move. When it comes to brand loyalty, Yamaha has it in a big way. Yamaha owners love their engines and are often lifetime Yamaha owners. The reasons are easy to see, excellent product, huge dealer network, they own many transoms for distribution and they have an engine for almost any application. Yamaha were pioneers in the next generation of higher horsepower four stroke outboard engines. Now that Mercury Marine has followed suit and upped the ante, what is Yamaha’s next move? 

Although the Yamaha 5.6 V8 XTO is an impressive engine from a technical standpoint, credit has to go to Yamaha’s introduction of the F150 in 2003. The F150 broke ground on what four stroke outboards could be, the diminutive four cylinder was way ahead of the curve. A totally new concept, the 2.7 liter engine utilized a narrow 4 cylinder design, double overhead cam, weight reducing materials like forged pistons and composite intake tubes, making it 470 Lbs, and an ultra quiet exhaust. Yamaha set the standard for 150 hp engines then and even now. The later 2.8 versions from 150 to 200 HP, including the Vmax SHO are stellar engines.

Competitors are making engines that have the same features and performance of the F150 now, but it took them around 10 years to catch up. The F150 is certainly no performance engine, but for utilitarian use the little 4 cylinder was a workhorse. The Vmax SHO 150 and 175 are much more capable with slightly more displacement and making quite a bit more power. When Yamaha launched the 4.2 liter V6 just 5 years later, you knew the large displacement, naturally aspirated philosophy was where Yamaha was going. Mercury Marine’s Verado at the time was the opposite, small displacement forced induction. Today, Mercury has reversed that, and gone large displacement in a big way throughout their lineup. 

Yamaha had a few flops along the way, the 5.3 V8 was clumsy and heavy early on, and just not a great engine overall at 300 HP. The 4.2 V6 was far superior technically. 

Last year, Yamaha introduced their flagship, the 5.6 liter XTO at 425 HP. This V8 power plant is very advanced, with a fully integrated electric steering system, housed within the bracket, and a few other Yamaha firsts, showcasing what might trickle down to the next generation of Yamaha 4 cylinder and V6 outboards. If Yamaha improves their 4 cyl and V6 to be just 5% lighter and bring a few other features to those platforms, they would be in the lead again in many ways. 

Hydro Tec Marine

All that said, Yamaha doesn’t really make a performance engine so to speak. The Vmax SHO engines are bass boat orientated, but lack a few features to make them great performance outboards. Thankfully, Yamaha’s loyal following means the aftermarket is there. Wayne Worthy of Hydro Tec Marine is a Yamaha rebuild center and a Yamaha performance parts developer. Wayne has been offering upgrades to Yamaha models for a long time. With Hydro Tec you can turn your 4.2 V6, and older Yamaha models into serious performers, solid mounts, fat shafts, lightweight cowlings, and other accessories. Hydro Tec even offers performance heads for earlier model Yamaha’s, as well as kits for the 4.2 V6. 

Tuning Yamaha’s makes sense, they have a loyal following, plenty of used ones out there, and most of their engines are bulletproof. Finding a well kept used outboard, and adding a few things to improve is a great economic way to go. Australian company Nizpro Marine also makes a very cool supercharger kit for the 4.2, making it 450 HP. The kit includes a spacer for the cowl to fit the blower.

I am a Mercury guy through and through but I do love competition. I think Yamaha will have a new generation of 4 cylinder and V6 engines soon and the V6 will most likely have integrated steering like the XTO. Yamaha probably won’t have anything in the hardcore performance catergory, SHO is mostly a decal, but I love seeing what they will come up with as Yamaha has been an engine technology leader for a long time. Who knows, maybe our next project will have a Yamaha on it.