Leaving Tommorrow for Chatanooga to see and test drive the new boat and motor. I will send pics back the day I see it and will have them posted on our website www.funnsunboats.com I will take deposit checks as soon as I get back if anyone would like to be one of the 1st to have one. I will also do a little blog on all the new bells and whistles ans well as all the new features.
Monte

http://www.yamaha-motor.com/waverunner/shoEngine.aspx

SUPERCHARGED SUPER HIGH OUTPUT ENGINE

Yamaha�s 1.8 liter, Supercharged, Super High Output engine is the largest ever in a PWC and 300cc�s larger than any other model. Compact and lightweight, it�s also 45 pounds lighter and packed with power to provide the best acceleration and top speed ever offered in a WaveRunner. Earning a 3-star low-emission rating, it is also the only engine in its category optimized to run on the least expensive regular unleaded fuel.

http://basscatowners.yuku.com/topic/10803

The Puma FTD has a 225 SHO on it. THe other two bass versions were are 20 iClass and a Z520, each with a 250 SHO.

The engines ran well! The Puma FTD with a 225 apparently is the quicker of the boats there running around an average speed of 75.6 and 20.9 GPH, with a 4.2 ltr block assembly. 1:75 gear ratio and has a 25 M propeller. The Hole shot on through are as expected and good at 505 pounds of weight dry we understand.

The early indications are it will stack up against a 250 Pro XS and E Tec well.

They announce it tonight to the first 100 dealers and we don't want to get all caught up in the scoop. The engines we ran are not production engines, though they are in process of production now. Overall it was almost exactly what was expected from early development reports we heard. The engine is impressive and if you were blindfolded and muffed, you would not know it from a two stroke if you were riding or driving it.

They had run the Puma FTD as a 250 SHO the day before with a top end average of 79.6 with full fuel. That also has a top end burn of about the same 23 GPH as a 250 Pro XS. A little more, though not much over a Pro XS. There are plenty of propeller options not tried, as they tend to stay with Yamaha options for these shows. The boat had some potential unnoticed with either engine due to propping.

What we feel comfortable saying now is that it is a V6 block with a performance process for cylinder walls used by other top niche companies, so no sleeves. The injection looks to be more normally aspirated and has a 75mm intake they state. The block is 4.2 ltr. and has twin cam (DOHC) dual valve. Oil changing is fairly easy and anyone can do it, and they have a nice cute little drip tray there if your good, to keep the mess down. Same throttle and shift. The gearcase is new and runs a 1:75 ratio, with more features and tweaking.

Cowlings are light, and the engine has a mild rumble, not a silenced exhaust. At an idle it is definitely heard, whereas Verado is mouse silent. It is not noisy though and not noticed. We don't think it was significantly quieter than other outboards on top, though it was cool and raining hard when we drove them. So that is unfair on our part. We were bundled up pretty tightly.

Otherwise we defer till we see production engines on more opinion. From what we have seen now, there are now two distinct markets developing. One for four stroke that Yamaha and Suzuki will probably perform in, and the original market for two stroke that Mercury dominates with BRP in it continuing only with two stroke platforms. The Verado is still a nice engine as well, so don't forget that it is there. Yamaha also will have a limited supply of 2 stroke engines as 2 Star engines. 150 adn 175 HDPI in 20" and a couple of 25" 200 engines, so four (4) models.

We don't feel it will replace all two stroke engines overnight, though we do think there will be a fair market for it once it is in the retail chain. Also 200 through 250 are the same package.

BCB

We will release no images. That is up to Yamaha.