Tuesday dawned dark and dreary, and for two hours the heavens did their best the raise the Tennessee River even higher than it's been. However outdoor writers, boat dealers and marine experts were not deterred. They converged on the tiny town of Bridgeport, Ala. to get a first-hand glimpse at what Yamaha Marine is calling a "revolutionary" line of new outboard engines.

Photo Gallery below

"This is the largest introduction of new motors in the history of Yamaha," according to Dale Barnes, Marketing Manager for Yamaha Marine Group.

Barnes held court on a boat dock at Yamaha's somewhat secret facility in Bridgeport on the banks of the Tennessee River. Most people, including hardcore boating enthusiasts, don't realize that every new line of motors Yamaha has created since 1999 has first been through a series of stringent tests at its facility in Bridgeport.

The Yamaha Test Facility, well-protected behind an ominous-looking chain link gate, was built in 1999. Yamaha headquarters is located about 90 minutes away in Kennesaw, Ga.

Barnes said, "Obviously it would have been much closer for us to have a facility on Lake Allatoona or Lake Lanier in Georgia, but we preferred the seclusion (of Bridgeport)."

"Seclusion" is a PR code word for "secret." You do not enter the Bridgeport Yamaha Facility except by special invitation. That, and the new motors, is what drew more than 40 journalists from all across the country for the formal Yamaha announcement in Chattanooga Monday night, followed by the "on the water" demo's Tuesday.

The last year however has been a dismal one for the marine industry with a laundry list of boat builders and engine makers going belly up. However Barnes feels that the timing of their new release is actually good.

"These motors have been in development for three years," he said. "The timing of the release is at an important time when the market seems to be stabilizing."

This historic release of nine new motors at once is unprecedented... everything from light-weight "portable" 4 hp four-strokes... all the way up to their show horse, the VMAX SHO (Super High Output) in 250 hp, 225 hp and 200 hp. Barnes says the SHO is a breakthrough for bass anglers looking for high performance.

"The VMAX SHO delivers the performance of a four stroke that will outperform a two stroke," said Barnes.

These days nearly everyone on the water knows that four strokes run clean, run quiet and are much more fuel efficient. They also know that to date, virtually every four stroke is slower, especially out of the hole (on takeoff) and often on top end.

Barnes says with the introduction of the VMAX SHO, those days are over. He says a wide array of engineering changes led to the breakthrough, but a major factor is ... (get ready for it)... plasma-fused sleeveless cylinders.

If you're like me and know absolutely nothing about engine design, it's simply a big fancy phrase one would expect from a marketing man trying to sell motors. However Barnes actually explains the technology for laymen like me.

He said plasma-fused sleeveless cylinders means they have replaced the typical stainless steel cylinder sleeves used in most previous engines.

"Those sleeves add a lot of weight and add a lot of heat," he said. "The new motors with the plasma-fused sleeveless cylinders are much lighter, much stronger and run much cooler. Add all that together and you have a larger displacement motor in the same size package."

Suppose you don't have the interest, or the pocketbook, for a $21,870 VMAX SHO 250 hp (Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price).

Yamaha is putting a lot of faith in another new motor, their F70 (70 hp).

"The 70 is going to be a very exciting motor for us," said Barnes. "It's over 100 lbs. lighter than our previous 75 horsepower model. That's between a 25 and 30 percent weight reduction. It provides a better power-to-weight ration than any other motor in its class."

Like the SHO, Barnes said the lighter weight is thanks to new materials and new engineering throughout the F70 motor and housing. Barnes is quick to point out however that the lighter materials do not sacrifice strength or reliability.

"You can understand that mindset but the best thing I can tell you is that our (Yamaha) brand is based on being the leader in reliability," he said. "We take that very seriously, so every motor we design starts with the principal that it will be the flagship in the industry for superior reliability."

The MSRP on the F70 starts at $8,745... a competitive number compared to the price of their current models... $8,045 for a 60 hp or $9,375 for the 75 hp.

All the new engines offer Yamaha's standard 3-year limited warranty.
Barnes said the smaller portable motors are arriving at dealers now. The VMAX SHO should be available in January 2010 with the other new Yamaha's hitting the market in April or May of 2010.

All put through their paces first in Bridgeport, Ala.

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