The new Yamaha F350 is packed with the latest technology and offers the best power-to-weight ratio in its class.
As we see more midsize boats opting for big-horsepower or twin-engine installations, an outboard’s power-to-weight ratio ranks as a major factor in how a boat performs. With its new F350 V-6, Yamaha boasts the best power-to-weight ratio in its class, making it a great choice for boats in the 20- to 35-foot length-overall range. It fills a gap in Yamaha’s stable of outboards previously occupied by its now-defunct V-8.
I recently got the chance to test twin-engine installations on two very different types of boats: first on a Bennington QX 27 pontoon boat and then on a Tidewater 3100 Carolina Bay hybrid center-console. On the Bennington, we hit the 60 mph mark while experiencing an instantaneous hole shot and super-quick midrange acceleration. On the Tidewater, which is about 3,000 pounds heavier than the Bennington, we still exceeded the 60 mph mark and enjoyed great midrange cruising performance.
The new V-6 4.3L F350 is based on the engine block that Yamaha uses in its existing V-6 lineup that ranges from 225 to 300 hp. It comes from the same family but with a lot of new attributes.
“It’s based on the 4.2L block but with a lot of new technology,” says David Meeler, Yamaha’s technical marketing manager. “It features a redesigned intake to allow more air in for greater combustion. It also has a new camshaft, and we created more displacement in order to create more power.”
In beefing up the engine to account for the increased power and torque, Yamaha added only 18 pounds to the F350 compared with the existing F300. Which is how, at 629 pounds, the F350 can boast the best power-to-weight ratio in its class—beating out competitors by between 40 and 100 pounds.
read more at boatingmag.com.
