Yamaha's big gun – the F350 5.3 litre V8 outboard – delivers huge torque and offers owners of large offshore boats an irresistible advantage: lots more fish-fighting space in the cockpit. Even better, it comes with sophisticated manners.
The F350 was displayed at a number of New Zealand boat shows during 2007, but the first opportunity to see it in action came at a media launch in Australia late last year. And to get straight to the point, it is a remarkable engine.
It delivers everything implied in the 350hp/V8 description – oodles of torque and deep, gut-wrenching acceleration (a 45 per cent increase in thrust over a conventional 250hp four-stroke outboard). What’s missing is the V8 rumble: it's a remarkably quiet, smooth engine, free of any expected vibration. Boating journos glanced backwards on a number of occasions as we coasted to a stop – "whoops – the engine's just died."
It’s also equipped with a fascinating array of engineering innovations (it received the prestigious IBEX 2007 Award for Innovation late last year) that deliver performance, surprising fuel efficiency and the promise of hours of trouble-free running.
Apart from the space advantages in opting for an outboard on a large offshore boat (in place of the more conventional inboards with shafts or stern legs), there is also a substantial weight benefit – not only versus inboard engines, but also twin-rig outboards. Consider that the F350 weighs in at around 365kg – compared with the 440kg of twin Yamaha 150s (220kg each).
It delivers everything implied in the 350hp/V8 description – oodles of torque and deep, gut-wrenching acceleration (a 45 per cent increase in thrust over a conventional 250hp four-stroke outboard). What’s missing is the V8 rumble: it's a remarkably quiet, smooth engine, free of any expected vibration. Boating journos glanced backwards on a number of occasions as we coasted to a stop – "whoops – the engine's just died."
It’s also equipped with a fascinating array of engineering innovations (it received the prestigious IBEX 2007 Award for Innovation late last year) that deliver performance, surprising fuel efficiency and the promise of hours of trouble-free running.
Apart from the space advantages in opting for an outboard on a large offshore boat (in place of the more conventional inboards with shafts or stern legs), there is also a substantial weight benefit – not only versus inboard engines, but also twin-rig outboards. Consider that the F350 weighs in at around 365kg – compared with the 440kg of twin Yamaha 150s (220kg each).