Gear Review: Yamaha 200hp Outboard

The Trade-a-Boat crew was justifiably excited at the prospect of fitting a new outboard to our Haines V19R project boat, since rechristened the Nautek N19R.

A Yamaha 200 seemed like a lot of power for the old Haines V19R hull but with a completely renewed, fully-rebuilt and heightened 25in transom replacing the original 20in and the reduced weight of the newly developed lightweight engine, it was a superb match.

The complete revamp of our boat included raising the transom height, eliminating cable slop stoppers with hydraulic steering and bi-wall fittings, electronic controls to eliminate cable plumbing and a longer fuel tank providing greater weight distribution, which balanced things up nicely. 

YAMAHA 200

The new Yamaha 200hp outboard motor weighs in at only 222kg (225kg with a polished stainless propeller), making it the lightest comparative four-stroke engine on the world market. Indeed, see the difference when compared to competing engines.

• Suzuki DF200 outboard weight: 263kg
• Honda BF200 outboard weight: 272kg
• 200hp Mercury Verado outboard weight: 231kg

Like many Yamaha outboards, it has a very compact, slimline design. On the Yamaha 200hp this is reflected by the upright inline four-cylinder 2.8lt, double overhead camshaft configuration. This compact yet lightweight efficiency makes it a most attractive engine, not only for fishing and general use but also for the ski and performance boat sectors which have been looking for better power-to-weight ratios to combine with the high fuel-efficiency of the four-stroke engines.

The slimline design also fits well into the relatively small enginewell of the Haines V19R and presents as a very good alternative to wider V6s in twin-rig configurations with dramatically reduced weight.

We just love the power and performance of the Yamaha with its Variable Camshaft Timing (VCT) and weight-saving technology. The new Yamaha engine produces 200hp at 5500rpm and can only be described as fuel-miserly in its efficiency.

We were originally a little concerned about fuel capacity when redesigning the boat’s configuration. The low floor in the Haines V19R might aid stability and allow an increased coaming height for safe, stable boating; however, it also meant that we only had room underfloor for approximately 150lt of fuel, which isn’t a lot for an offshore-capable fishing boat.

But our fears were dismissed in actual trials. We have been to the continental shelf and back on regular occasions and have never had any fears in relation to fuel consumption.

Raymarine’s dynamic fuel range-ring display screen also shows the boat’s available range on the chartplotter by calculating fuel capacity and fuel usage throughout the rev range. So we never looked like running out of fuel.

ENGINE PERFORMANCE

Our Haines V19 project boat regularly travel through very choppy water in our local Port Phillip Bay at a comfortable speed of around 16kts. It’s easy on the knees and great for sounding and covering large areas efficiently. At that speed this fishing boat does around 3000rpm and only uses 16.65lt/h of fuel.

Step the speed up a bit to a fast offshore cruise of just under 34kts at around 4500rpm and we are covering a lot of ground really quickly but still only using around 37lt/h. That’ll get us to the shelf and back at Bermagui or Portland with plenty to spare.

And when hooning in ideal conditions this V19R package topped out out at the magic 50mph (43.4kts) at 5800rpm and using around 75lt/h.

While the Yamaha F200G supplies a huge amount of power, in reality we never use anywhere near top-end speed in everyday fishing ventures. But it’s nice to know that this outboard motor has the grunt when it’s needed.

Although we haven’t had the opportunity to use it, the Yamaha F200G also offers Variable Trolling which allows you to fine-tune your trolling speeds in 50rpm.

Another feature on the Yamaha F200G is the Shift Dampener System (SDS) as currently available on Yamaha 4.2lt V6 engines. This is a splined rubber hub inside the propeller drive that reduces the impact force of gear changes and assists in an incredibly smooth, vibration-free drive.

When combined with a silky smooth Yamaha 1.86:1 gearbox, newly developed counterbalance shafts and the instant, friction-free control of the electronic shift, the package slides effortlessly in and out of gear and remains incredibly slick right throughout the rev range for really pleasing operator control. The F200G engine has a Yamaha Reliance 18 three-bladed stainless steel propeller.

DIGITAL GAUGES

The Yamaha F200G engine not only came complete with Digital Electronic control (DEC) and electronic shift but it also has the 6Y9 High Definition Display that delivers clear and concise engine operation, service and maintenance data to a very clear and easy-to-read screen. It’s even good for those of us with eyesight that is getting worse with age.

For maximum visibility, day or night, the brightness and colour of the display can be set to change automatically. The display monitors all of the boat’s systems analysis and also allow the performance criteria of multiple outboard fit-ups on the single screen. The system is Y-COP (Yamaha Customer Outboard Protection) compatible and in the case of the Haines V19R, is fully rigged through NMEA 2000 to our Raymarine multifunction displays.

To power the vast array of electronics on — including four multifunction screens as well as lighting and an anchor winch — the V19R needs a large power source to keep it all charged.

The Yamaha F200G has a newly designed 50amp alternator offering a 13 per cent increase in charging power during idle. The increase at low revs is vital for the large anchor winch.

The engine also has a 10mm offset crankshaft for increased torque, large-volume air intakes for greater airflow and efficiency, and a long-track induction system creating ultimate mixture flows.

The four big 96mm bore x 96.2mm stroke cylinders add up to 2785cc in capacity and provide real state-of-the-art power and reliability, while a 4.5lt wet sump provides plenty of essential lubrication.

Yamaha also states the recommended fuel is standard unleaded (89 octane minimum). This alone can lead to big savings at the pump over premium fuel. While the engine will accept ethanol mixes up to 10 per cent, in our minds there are still the nagging problems with ethanol in marine engines and ethanol storage, such as separation and corrosion in tanks, fuel lines and fittings. For that reason, we simply won’t use ethanol fuel in outboards.

MAINTENANCE

At the time of publication, the Yamaha F200G on our Haines V19R was only just over 12 months-old. However, our experience tells us that Yamaha outboards are leaders in the field of corrosion resistance.

Yamaha’s YDC-30 aluminum alloy, Phase Five paint system and electro-deposited powerhead paint process combines with suitable sacrificial anodes to prolong the life, performance and resale value of the engine. It’s also the little things, like a super-tight cowling seal that stops the salt air from gathering inside the engine and causing corrosion, that make a real difference in the long term.

We could have initially installed our breathers a little better, as service diagnosis found a bit of water in the fuel. This was caused by having the breathers positioned on the outside of the hull instead of in the cleaner air around the engine well. Thankfully, a good water-separating fuel filter and a further on-engine fuel filter supplied as standard with the motor saved any concerns.

The proof is in the confidence we feel with the Yamaha200. The outboard is backed-up by a four-year warranty but we don’t think we will ever need it, such is the supreme confidence we share in our Haines V19R with its amazing new Yamaha F200G outboard motor.

YAMAHA F200G OUTBOARD SEA TRIALS

See the full version of this story in Trade-A-Boat #461, January / February 2015. Why not subscribe today?