Yamaha Diesel Sterndrive units.

Matal Mickey · 15 October 2006, 17:07

Help, can anyone pour some knowledge on the following statements from Yamaha at the Boat Show. Inboard "Yamaha Diesel engines and stern drives are for leisure use only". The following statement was also made, "No commercial warranties will be given with these units". This sounds very disturbing as it appears they Yamaha have lost confidence in their product? Is it possible that the new range of these engines and drive units have been pushed beyond their tolerances? What about all the commercial operators running these new units? Yamaha positively issued warrantees for both commercial and private use in the past. Gleaned from the conversation with yamaha was that their units were ok for leisure use only, that being approx, two weekends per month. What a load of rubbish! Anyone with any info regarding this information or even the relevant info for the warrantee periods and servicing schedules please come forward, it will be most enlightening. I am shocked that this news, if true, was not made public in any of our Mag's! I would invite Red Bay Marine, Ireland, to come forward as the (I am told) largest supplier and installer of these units in Europe, and furnish us all with the relevant information?

Ezgoing · 15 October 2006, 22:28

Mickey

I am a Redbay user and a big Yamaha fan albeit a Yammie outboard. From what I have experienced within the Redbay community there is a high level of satisfaction with the Yanaha outdrives and Redbay arriving at the position of being the biggest installer of them reflects this satisfaction.

It is well known that Redbay build exceptionally strong boats for the tough environments of the North Atlantic and Scottish coasts. A great number of these boats are used commercially and Redbays ongoing commitment to the Yamaha drives is, I believe, a reflection of their level of satisfaction. The Redbay range of craft are exceptional sea boats and knowing the individuals involved they settle for nothing but the best.

I do know that Redbay have supplied other drives over the years and have not had the same level of reliability from the other manafacturers.

Whether Yamaha warrant the drives is, in my opinion, a corporate issue within Yamaha. I have, over the years, been on a number of Redbay events and it is a pleasure to see how some of the boats, with their Yamaha outdrives, are still performing even after years of service in a very harsh environment. It is also interesting, at these events, to see the Yamaha representatives present to first hand experience the customer experience. I am sure this interest in their clients along with the reliability of their products, could explain the high number of Redbay users who when upgrading their craft repeatedly specify Yamaha again and again.

Rgds

Matal Mickey · 15 October 2006, 23:38

To Rgds:
Sir or madam, Thank you for your response however I can only assume that you have completely misread my input . Perhaps I am mistaken? Are you the Managing Sales Director, or something close to that very important position for Red Bay Marine. Ok, I will most certainly buy the product you have just ranted on about, a boat from RED Bay when I can afford one!
Now to the correct point: Warrantees and guarantees from Yamaha regarding their diesels and stern drives for all of us, both private and commercial. Unlike you, I have had a vast amount of experience owning and running these units and the appropriate question was not regarding their previous quality which was and is I suspect, excellent? I simply asked if Red Bay could enlighten us all as to Yamaha's current rumblings regarding their sales back up (Warrantees etc). If you are not an employee of Red Bay Marine, then I salute you on your inexperienced loyalty surrounding these units and regarding this pertinant question. I apologise for mentioning Red Bay Marine, as it has obviously placed you in a strange and extremely defensive position. I'm sure there are other boat builders who supply and install these units who will help us all out, if Red Bay Marine do not.

codprawn · 16 October 2006, 12:29

Been sniffing too much diesel or something???

Alan Priddy · 16 October 2006, 13:38

Interesting name you have for your boat. Do you have an SSR for it?
Alan P

codprawn · 16 October 2006, 16:21

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alan Priddy

Interesting name you have for your boat. Do you have an SSR for it?
Alan P

Didn't notice that - his attitude was enough.......

craig_c · 16 October 2006, 19:41

I think you should maybe ask Yamaha rather than a boat builder. Only they can have the true answer.

We have had 2 redbays both with yamaha diesels and encountered very few problems. Thats probably why you wont find a redbay owner who are dissatisfied with thier boats.

Matal Mickey · 16 October 2006, 21:07

Allan P. Thank you. The answer is no.
codprawn. Thank you for your intelligent input.
Craig C. Thank you. I received this information at the Boat show on the Yamaha stand. I intended to get the relevant answers about the warrantees etc, from a large supplier/builder, at the coal face, as they say, or from the vast amount of knowledge in this forum! Again I say that there is no criticism of the product, or any supplier/builder, simply a normal question relating to the Yamaha warrantees and again I assume their new units? As I appear to have awakened some kind of defensive mechanism in relation to my simple question about warrantees and the general area I pointed those questions in. Then yes, I will most certainly take your kind advice and write to Yamaha endeavouring to get them to put the information I already gained verbally, into writing! Hopefully by highlighting this issue, if true, it will benifit someone. I am confident that this is the whole idea behind forums like this one.

jwalker · 16 October 2006, 21:26

Metal Mickey, diesel boat engines adhere to a classification system where the running time at maximum revs per 24 hour's use is stipulated and also the maximum revs for continuous running is stipulated.

The high output of many modern, relatively small cubic capacity, diesel engines puts large stresses on their components and so the rating of the Yamaha unit is very likely to be for leisure use.

For your info, my Volvo engine is classified for leisure use.

Are you normally grumpy? Do you get hot flushes?

Ezgoing · 16 October 2006, 22:30

As per my initial posing:

"I am a Redbay user "

Rgds

jackcastoff · 16 October 2006, 23:27

Matal, JWalker is correct in his summing up of rating class. This is very important especially when looking for an engine with commercial applications.

Commercial will generally mean that the engine is working harder for longer. Although we are not talking heavy boats like tugs here with ribs being classed as light use, the engines are still being pressed quite hard. With a full boat being driven hard through choppy seas for hours on end, one may be inclined to think that the 4.2 litre ex landcruiser engine which has been more than doubled in output is not doing a bad job!

So i would not be in the least bit surprised if Yamaha will wish to protect their interests by not offering commercial warranties.

In one year alone some companies will put on more hours at a higher rating than an individual will do at a lower rating in a lifetime.

So really we commercial users have plucked a leisure rated engine. This isnt the fault of Yamaha or the people that sell the engines, it is up to the end user to do his homework.

Most of the information for ratings is on the net. As are the power curves.

In a perfect world an engine that is being used commercially will be derated.

That means we buy an engine and dont use it to its full power / speed. The harder the application, the lower the power.

To answer your other post in the commercial forum re hp output, the reason that an engine is advertised with output at the crank rather than the prop is that it may be sold in different configurations, ie with or without a gearbox, or with a sterndrive or with a jet. These configurations would alter the prop output significantly.

I did enquire a few years back with yanmar for their 4lh dte 200hp engines re commercial warranties and they said forget it, I will post the answer to my telephone call for both yamaha and yanmar after i speak to them tomorrow as i am trying to decide which one to put in to a new boat. Not that it will make much difference, i still think they are both great engines for leisure use, and maybe an excellent unit if not slightly a 'throwaway' when used commercially for a few years.

craig_c · 17 October 2006, 00:14

01932 358000

Suggest you call this number. I got it off the yamaha website. Hope they can answer your questions

Matal Mickey · 17 October 2006, 00:55

How nice to have some constructive information posted. I sincerely thank the relevant people for this, especially the super effort made by Jackcastoff. This is most helpfull not only to myself but I'm sure others too. Thank you to CraigC for the Yamaha tel no, it will be most helpful. I posted this info simply to highlight and hopefully inform others reference a possible change in Yamaha aftersales procedure(warrantees) I am sure the replied constructive information will be of use to all within our marine community. It does still appear that I have attracted or perhaps I should say aroused some form of rear guard, or defence surrounding the Irish company Red Bay Marine. I also thank those people for their non constructive remarks and childishness, I'm sure as they say "it takes all sorts" Thank you all once again.

jwalker · 17 October 2006, 01:02

Metal Mickey, it's always worth doing a search.

Post #10

Matal Mickey · 17 October 2006, 01:47

Thank you Jwalker. Very informative and useful. I will still contact Yamaha simply to have their guarantees and warrantees in writing. You have been most helpful.

codprawn · 17 October 2006, 15:23

Quote:

Originally Posted by Matal Mickey

How nice to have some constructive information posted. I sincerely thank the relevant people for this, especially the super effort made by Jackcastoff. This is most helpfull not only to myself but I'm sure others too. Thank you to CraigC for the Yamaha tel no, it will be most helpful. I posted this info simply to highlight and hopefully inform others reference a possible change in Yamaha aftersales procedure(warrantees) I am sure the replied constructive information will be of use to all within our marine community. It does still appear that I have attracted or perhaps I should say aroused some form of rear guard, or defence surrounding the Irish company Red Bay Marine. I also thank those people for their non constructive remarks and childishness, I'm sure as they say "it takes all sorts" Thank you all once again.

Well when a strangely worded post appears with a very dubious signature what do you expect???

Matal Mickey · 17 October 2006, 17:42

Well codprawn, in answer to your question, "I would expect a small amount of intelligence in replying to such a serious post". It would appear in your case that a contrustive reply as opposed to ranting and ravings of total irrelevance, would I think, we will both agree, have been much more constructive. I thought that this subject matter was very important indeed? Perhaps you would enlighten all of us as to how you would have posed this question, in full detail. I apologise and bow to your superior knowledge of the english language including Yamaha warrantees and guarantees. Strangely enough I do not recall you adding anything of substance to the relevant and pertinant question! If I have annoyed or upset you, then I apologise, I will certainly be much more sympathic towards your feelings in the future. Now to get back to the correct subject, I am awaiting information from Yamaha, hopefully also other suppliers and installers such as Red Bay Ireland. On reciept of any relevant factual information I will post it on this forum for all to peruse, if thats ok with you? Again I thank you and all others for their interest and assistance.

craig_c · 17 October 2006, 20:18

Ive said it once and ill say it again.

Its not redbays job to answer for yamahas decision also do you really expect them to be trawling the internet for questions like this.

Have you phoned yamaha or a yamaha specific supplier yet.

Ezgoing · 17 October 2006, 22:56

I suspect Redbay Boats do not as a matter of principle post on the RIB.net discussion forums, it is a good,open and honest forum and I think if you have manufacturers posting it turns it into something commercial which can bias peoples opinions. I am sure Tom or Gary would be quite happy to talk in detail to anyone about Yamaha stern drives on the telephone (028) 217 71331.

Poly · 17 October 2006, 23:29

Quote:

Originally Posted by Matal Mickey

Ok, I will most certainly buy the product you have just ranted on about, a boat from RED Bay when I can afford one!

If you are unlikely to buy a redbay in the near future I think it is unrealistic to expect them to spend any time answering your question.

By the time you have saved up - Yamaha's position may have changed.

As for your actual question - based on the information the JW and others provided it seems a perfectly reasonable position for Yamaha to take. The engine was desinged for a very particular specification of use and opperation beyond that is outside design spec and therefore the warranty. I don't think this is in anyway unique to Yamaha - you will find e.g. many car warranties exclude use as a taxi etc - where usage is typically much higher.