NEWS

Pro Wakeskater Danny Hampson Chooses Yamaha as Tow PWC for 2012

KENNESAW, Ga. -- Yamaha WaterCraft announced today that professional wakeskater Danny Hampson has chosen a Yamaha FX SHO WaveRunner® as his tow vehicle for 2012.

The 24-year-old Florida native is a perennial fan favorite on the pro wakeboard and wakeskate circuit, finishing at the top of many of the sport’s most notable events. Renowned as a true innovator from an early age, Alliance magazine calls Hampson “the first child prodigy of wakeskating who helped mold the burgeoning sport.”

Hampson chose the all new 2012 Yamaha FX SHO due to its powerful 1.8L supercharged engine, its new NanoXcel hull and its innovative Cruise Assist that allows the driver to set and hold a consistent speed.

“Wakeskating is a constantly evolving sport and to stay on top, riders have to relentlessly challenge themselves,” said Hampson. “The Yamaha WaveRunner is a perfect choice for me to ride behind to do this. It tows with power and consistency. It lets me to try new moves and to be picked quickly. It can get into waterways that other vehicles can’t. And it’s versatile, making it a lot of fun to have for playing around on the weekends.”

“We’ve been watching Danny elevate wakeskating to new levels with aggressive moves and a bold style,” said Andrew Cullen, digital marketing and communications manager for Yamaha’s WaterCraft Group. “His choice of the Yamaha FX SHO speaks volumes about the tow capabilities of this new WaveRunner series for professionals and consumers alike.”

To follow Danny Hampson on his pro tour this year, connect with Yamaha on the WaveRunner and Boat Facebook pages.

DUSTIN FARTHING TO RIDE FOR YAMAHA ON 2012 PERSONAL WATERCRAFT RACE CIRCUIT

KENNESAW, GA — Yamaha WaterCraft Group, a division of Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A., today announced that multi-time IJSBA World and National champion Dustin Farthing is returning to the Yamaha motorsports family to campaign the 2012 personal watercraft racing season aboard Yamaha WaveRunners.

Farthing is one of the most recognized names in PWC racing and is the current UWP-IJSBA National Pro Open Runabout champion. He began his professional career racing for Yamaha WaterCraft and is returning to the fold after a nine year absence. Farthing will race the Yamaha FX SHO® and Yamaha FZR® at offshore and closed course events respectively, including the UWP-IJSBA National Tour and the IJSBA World Finals.

“I’ve been impressed with what Yamaha’s accomplished on the race course over the last few years,” said Farthing. “Their 1.8L engine is bulletproof and has led to the FZR really dominating some key pro race classes. I look forward to having my team work with this engine and hull which have so much potential in the Open class and beyond. It feels great to be back with the same group I launched my racing career with so many years ago.”

Farthing has competed in top racing circuits all over the world and has won ten national and six world titles over the past two decades.

“Dustin is one of the preeminent racers in the history of personal watercraft racing and we are thrilled to have him back at Yamaha,” said Scott Watkins, Yamaha’s product manager, former freestyle world champion and IJSBA Hall of Fame inductee. “We look forward to working with him and the entire Farthing Racing team to win in 2012.”

Yamaha WaterCraft Sponsors 300 Mile PWC Endurance Race

FOUNTAIN VALLEY, Calif. – Fresh off its domination on the closed course at the IJSBA World Finals, Yamaha WaterCraft is returning to Lake Havasu City, AZ in February to sponsor the 2012 APBA Hot Products Mark Hahn Memorial Havasu 300 Endurance Race.

The Mark Hahn race, to be held Feb. 25 at Crazy Horse Campground, is recognized as the “longest continuous personal watercraft race” in the world. The race is designed to be a lifestyle event that allows first time racers as well as veteran racers to compete at their own level where everyone walks away a winner having just competed in and completed the grueling 300 mile journey. There are so many variables in the event - from fuel stops, rider changes, rough water conditions and attrition - that it is very possible that a stock boat with an inexperienced racer could walk away the overall winner.

“The Hahn memorial race is unique in that durability, reliability, and stamina are the key attributes for success,” said Andrew Cullen, Marketing Communications Manager at Yamaha WaterCraft Group.  “The Yamaha brand is celebrated worldwide for delivering industry-leading performance without compromising reliability and durability.  This event is a natural fit for us and we are excited to have the opportunity to participate.”

The annual race was created in the memory of endurance racer Mark Hahn who was instrumental in promoting endurance PWC racing across the country before his untimely death in 2004. The “Team” format features two riders for runabout (sit down) boat teams and up to three riders for a stand-up craft. Solo riders are also welcome to “Ironman” the race on either style of boat, a real test of endurance and stamina.

In October, athletes racing the Yamaha FZR and VXR WaveRunners won six pro and expert World titles at the IJSBA World Finals held annually on Lake Havasu.

Entry forms, race information, updates and results will be posted on the Mark Hahn web site: http://www.pwcfun.com/markhahn300.asp

Contact:
Mike Follmer, 714-241-9600, mfollmer@aol.com

Yamaha WaterCraft Wins Boating Industry Marketing Award for Best Mobile Application

KENNESAW, GA – Yamaha WaterCraft, a division of Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A., today received the 2011 Best Mobile Application award presented by the Marine Marketers of America (MMA). Yamaha was recognized for its pioneering mobile application designed for iPhone®, iPad®, and Android™ devices.

Yamaha developed its mobile application to be the go-to source for consumers and dealers to access all the latest product information, related videos, product comparison data, social applications and GPS based interactivity all on their mobile handset or tablet.

“We sought to educate consumers and dealers, and maintain strong brand awareness by utilizing a new media format,” said Yamaha Watercraft National Marketing Manager Bryan Seti. “The app allows consumers to quickly learn about Yamaha’s products, discover how they compare to the competition, view rich media of every model in every color on the water, view specs and interact via Facebook, Twitter and email to stay engaged with the brand.”

“This was our largest field ever,” said Wanda Kenton Smith, president of MMA. “The standard of work overall was very high, and in the four years of our Awards, this was the toughest competition yet.”

Formed in 2007, Marine Marketers of America is an organization of marketing professionals who specialize in publicizing and promoting marine products.

Yamaha Introduces 2012 Boats Including New 19-Foot Series and New 21-Foot Boat Design

KENNESAW, GA – Yamaha WaterCraft Group, a division of Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A., today introduced its new and expanded line of 2012 boats highlighted by the debut of the Yamaha 190 Series and an all-new 21-foot platform.

This is Yamaha’s most ambitious boat offering to date with 10 models ranging in length from 19 to 24-feet.

“We’ve reached important milestones, becoming the number one selling boat in both the 21 and 24 foot classes. Now we will strengthen our hold of the 21 foot market with the debut of a new 21-foot platform, and bring Yamaha’s boats to a whole new group of buyers with our new 19-foot boat,” said Bryan Seti, Yamaha’s national marketing manager.

Introducing Yamaha’s First 19 Foot Boat Series
All new for Yamaha are the 19-foot SX190 and AR190 boats. These boats set a new benchmark for the 19-foot category by offering a spacious design, remarkable performance, all the attributes of jet power and a full feature package that has not been seen in this size or price range before.

The new 190 Series features Yamaha’s unique internal drivetrain and a compact 1.8L engine package that allows Yamaha to design a more spacious cockpit layout than competing brands and provide Yamaha’s award-winning stern lounge area, the hallmark of all Yamaha boats.

“We’ve been researching the 19-foot segment for years to understand what this buyer is looking for and how Yamaha can exceed those desires,” said Scott Watkins, Yamaha’s product manager. “This boat hit everything right from its large bow seating, spacious cockpit area, tons of storage and a large, low to the water swim platform. It’s a 19-foot boat that feels like it’s 21-feet. There’s not one inch of wasted space on this boat.”

All New 21-Foot Platform
Joining the 190 Series is a new 21-foot platform with a new hull and deck design offering even more room in the bow, in the cockpit and on the stern swim platform. Yamaha’s 21-foot boats include the Yamaha 212SS, 212X, SX210 and AR210.

The high-performance Yamaha 212SS and 212X feature twin 1.8L Yamaha marine engines that are compact and lightweight with a high power to weight ratio that delivers 19% more horsepower and top of class acceleration and top speed.

“There’s a reason why Yamaha’s 21-foot boats have become the best sellers in their class, and it’s because they offer more of what this buyer wants than any other boat out there,” continued Watkins. “Now, we’ve taken it to an all new level, with more options, more space, more comfort and even better performance.”

For 2012 Yamaha’s top selling 24-foot line returns with new colors, graphics, and a black powder coated tower option on the 242 Limited S. Models include the 242 Limited S, 242 Limited, AR240 and SX240.

Yamaha’s All New Thrust Directional Enhancer
Also new for Yamaha in 2012 is a thrust directional enhancer that maximizes control and maneuverability. This new design directs the water flow at an optimum angle, creating more responsive handling as the boat is turned right and left at slow speeds.

In addition, Yamaha is introducing new fold-down towers on all tower-equipped models, allowing for easier boat storage at dry docks and garages.

Yamaha boats ended the 2011 selling season as the best-selling boats in their classes and Yamaha boats in total were the best-selling 20' to 25’ family runabout boats in the industry.

To see the entire 2012 line up of Yamaha Boats, visit www.yamahaboats.com.

Pro Wakeskater Danny Hampson Chooses Yamaha as Tow PWC for 2012

KENNESAW, Ga. -- Yamaha WaterCraft announced today that professional wakeskater Danny Hampson has chosen a Yamaha FX SHO WaveRunner® as his tow vehicle for 2012.

The 24-year-old Florida native is a perennial fan favorite on the pro wakeboard and wakeskate circuit, finishing at the top of many of the sport’s most notable events. Renowned as a true innovator from an early age, Alliance magazine calls Hampson “the first child prodigy of wakeskating who helped mold the burgeoning sport.”

Hampson chose the all new 2012 Yamaha FX SHO due to its powerful 1.8L supercharged engine, its new NanoXcel hull and its innovative Cruise Assist that allows the driver to set and hold a consistent speed.

“Wakeskating is a constantly evolving sport and to stay on top, riders have to relentlessly challenge themselves,” said Hampson. “The Yamaha WaveRunner is a perfect choice for me to ride behind to do this. It tows with power and consistency. It lets me to try new moves and to be picked quickly. It can get into waterways that other vehicles can’t. And it’s versatile, making it a lot of fun to have for playing around on the weekends.”

“We’ve been watching Danny elevate wakeskating to new levels with aggressive moves and a bold style,” said Andrew Cullen, digital marketing and communications manager for Yamaha’s WaterCraft Group. “His choice of the Yamaha FX SHO speaks volumes about the tow capabilities of this new WaveRunner series for professionals and consumers alike.”

To follow Danny Hampson on his pro tour this year, connect with Yamaha on the WaveRunner and Boat Facebook pages.

DUSTIN FARTHING TO RIDE FOR YAMAHA ON 2012 PERSONAL WATERCRAFT RACE CIRCUIT

KENNESAW, GA — Yamaha WaterCraft Group, a division of Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A., today announced that multi-time IJSBA World and National champion Dustin Farthing is returning to the Yamaha motorsports family to campaign the 2012 personal watercraft racing season aboard Yamaha WaveRunners.

Farthing is one of the most recognized names in PWC racing and is the current UWP-IJSBA National Pro Open Runabout champion. He began his professional career racing for Yamaha WaterCraft and is returning to the fold after a nine year absence. Farthing will race the Yamaha FX SHO® and Yamaha FZR® at offshore and closed course events respectively, including the UWP-IJSBA National Tour and the IJSBA World Finals.

“I’ve been impressed with what Yamaha’s accomplished on the race course over the last few years,” said Farthing. “Their 1.8L engine is bulletproof and has led to the FZR really dominating some key pro race classes. I look forward to having my team work with this engine and hull which have so much potential in the Open class and beyond. It feels great to be back with the same group I launched my racing career with so many years ago.”

Farthing has competed in top racing circuits all over the world and has won ten national and six world titles over the past two decades.

“Dustin is one of the preeminent racers in the history of personal watercraft racing and we are thrilled to have him back at Yamaha,” said Scott Watkins, Yamaha’s product manager, former freestyle world champion and IJSBA Hall of Fame inductee. “We look forward to working with him and the entire Farthing Racing team to win in 2012.”

Yamaha WaterCraft Sponsors 300 Mile PWC Endurance Race

FOUNTAIN VALLEY, Calif. – Fresh off its domination on the closed course at the IJSBA World Finals, Yamaha WaterCraft is returning to Lake Havasu City, AZ in February to sponsor the 2012 APBA Hot Products Mark Hahn Memorial Havasu 300 Endurance Race.

The Mark Hahn race, to be held Feb. 25 at Crazy Horse Campground, is recognized as the “longest continuous personal watercraft race” in the world. The race is designed to be a lifestyle event that allows first time racers as well as veteran racers to compete at their own level where everyone walks away a winner having just competed in and completed the grueling 300 mile journey. There are so many variables in the event - from fuel stops, rider changes, rough water conditions and attrition - that it is very possible that a stock boat with an inexperienced racer could walk away the overall winner.

“The Hahn memorial race is unique in that durability, reliability, and stamina are the key attributes for success,” said Andrew Cullen, Marketing Communications Manager at Yamaha WaterCraft Group.  “The Yamaha brand is celebrated worldwide for delivering industry-leading performance without compromising reliability and durability.  This event is a natural fit for us and we are excited to have the opportunity to participate.”

The annual race was created in the memory of endurance racer Mark Hahn who was instrumental in promoting endurance PWC racing across the country before his untimely death in 2004. The “Team” format features two riders for runabout (sit down) boat teams and up to three riders for a stand-up craft. Solo riders are also welcome to “Ironman” the race on either style of boat, a real test of endurance and stamina.

In October, athletes racing the Yamaha FZR and VXR WaveRunners won six pro and expert World titles at the IJSBA World Finals held annually on Lake Havasu.

Entry forms, race information, updates and results will be posted on the Mark Hahn web site: http://www.pwcfun.com/markhahn300.asp

Contact:
Mike Follmer, 714-241-9600, mfollmer@aol.com

Yamaha WaterCraft Wins Boating Industry Marketing Award for Best Mobile Application

KENNESAW, GA – Yamaha WaterCraft, a division of Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A., today received the 2011 Best Mobile Application award presented by the Marine Marketers of America (MMA). Yamaha was recognized for its pioneering mobile application designed for iPhone®, iPad®, and Android™ devices.

Yamaha developed its mobile application to be the go-to source for consumers and dealers to access all the latest product information, related videos, product comparison data, social applications and GPS based interactivity all on their mobile handset or tablet.

“We sought to educate consumers and dealers, and maintain strong brand awareness by utilizing a new media format,” said Yamaha Watercraft National Marketing Manager Bryan Seti. “The app allows consumers to quickly learn about Yamaha’s products, discover how they compare to the competition, view rich media of every model in every color on the water, view specs and interact via Facebook, Twitter and email to stay engaged with the brand.”

“This was our largest field ever,” said Wanda Kenton Smith, president of MMA. “The standard of work overall was very high, and in the four years of our Awards, this was the toughest competition yet.”

Formed in 2007, Marine Marketers of America is an organization of marketing professionals who specialize in publicizing and promoting marine products.

Yamaha Introduces 2012 Boats Including New 19-Foot Series and New 21-Foot Boat Design

KENNESAW, GA – Yamaha WaterCraft Group, a division of Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A., today introduced its new and expanded line of 2012 boats highlighted by the debut of the Yamaha 190 Series and an all-new 21-foot platform.

This is Yamaha’s most ambitious boat offering to date with 10 models ranging in length from 19 to 24-feet.

“We’ve reached important milestones, becoming the number one selling boat in both the 21 and 24 foot classes. Now we will strengthen our hold of the 21 foot market with the debut of a new 21-foot platform, and bring Yamaha’s boats to a whole new group of buyers with our new 19-foot boat,” said Bryan Seti, Yamaha’s national marketing manager.

Introducing Yamaha’s First 19 Foot Boat Series
All new for Yamaha are the 19-foot SX190 and AR190 boats. These boats set a new benchmark for the 19-foot category by offering a spacious design, remarkable performance, all the attributes of jet power and a full feature package that has not been seen in this size or price range before.

The new 190 Series features Yamaha’s unique internal drivetrain and a compact 1.8L engine package that allows Yamaha to design a more spacious cockpit layout than competing brands and provide Yamaha’s award-winning stern lounge area, the hallmark of all Yamaha boats.

“We’ve been researching the 19-foot segment for years to understand what this buyer is looking for and how Yamaha can exceed those desires,” said Scott Watkins, Yamaha’s product manager. “This boat hit everything right from its large bow seating, spacious cockpit area, tons of storage and a large, low to the water swim platform. It’s a 19-foot boat that feels like it’s 21-feet. There’s not one inch of wasted space on this boat.”

All New 21-Foot Platform
Joining the 190 Series is a new 21-foot platform with a new hull and deck design offering even more room in the bow, in the cockpit and on the stern swim platform. Yamaha’s 21-foot boats include the Yamaha 212SS, 212X, SX210 and AR210.

The high-performance Yamaha 212SS and 212X feature twin 1.8L Yamaha marine engines that are compact and lightweight with a high power to weight ratio that delivers 19% more horsepower and top of class acceleration and top speed.

“There’s a reason why Yamaha’s 21-foot boats have become the best sellers in their class, and it’s because they offer more of what this buyer wants than any other boat out there,” continued Watkins. “Now, we’ve taken it to an all new level, with more options, more space, more comfort and even better performance.”

For 2012 Yamaha’s top selling 24-foot line returns with new colors, graphics, and a black powder coated tower option on the 242 Limited S. Models include the 242 Limited S, 242 Limited, AR240 and SX240.

Yamaha’s All New Thrust Directional Enhancer
Also new for Yamaha in 2012 is a thrust directional enhancer that maximizes control and maneuverability. This new design directs the water flow at an optimum angle, creating more responsive handling as the boat is turned right and left at slow speeds.

In addition, Yamaha is introducing new fold-down towers on all tower-equipped models, allowing for easier boat storage at dry docks and garages.

Yamaha boats ended the 2011 selling season as the best-selling boats in their classes and Yamaha boats in total were the best-selling 20' to 25’ family runabout boats in the industry.

To see the entire 2012 line up of Yamaha Boats, visit www.yamahaboats.com.

Yamaha Introduces 2012 WaveRunners® with New Feature-Rich FX® Line

KENNESAW, GA – Yamaha WaterCraft Group, a division of Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A., today introduced its 2012 line of WaveRunner® personal watercraft highlighted by the debut of an all new, feature-rich FX Series.

“Our FX line has always been equated with luxury, and our focus on innovation, technology and performance, has elevated this series to become the best sellers in the luxury performance market,” said Bryan Seti, Yamaha’s national marketing manager. “But we couldn’t stop there, and this year we have a brand new hull and deck design that takes everything that’s made these WaveRunners so successful to an even higher level.”

Led by the flagship FX Cruiser SHO®, the industry’s best-selling luxury- performance model ever, the new FX line has been reimagined from the hull up to deliver the utmost comfort, convenience, storage capacity, towing ability, and unadulterated fun.

The FX Series includes the FX Cruiser SHO, FX SHO®, FX Cruiser® HO, and FX® HO.

FX Series Highlights:
• New hull and deck design.
• Maximized comfort for driver and passengers.
• New “theater” seating for Cruiser® models; the first true three passenger seat on a personal watercraft with hip support for the driver and each passenger.
• New fast acting mechanical neutral for starting in place.
• New “command link” instrumentation buttons on dash.
• New fast access stern storage area for wet items and tow accessories.
• Extra large stern reboarding area.

“From the hull and deck to the reboarding area to being any one of the passengers, to the quality of ride in rough water, to the way it responds to driver input – on a whole, it’s unlike anything that’s ever been created before it,” said Scott Watkins, Yamaha’s product manager. “Every area was thought out, tried and retried, and the end product represents the culmination of years of consumer research and testing.”

Joining the new FX line are Yamaha’s signature VX® Series WaveRunners®, which are the most affordable, reliable and fuel-efficient watercraft on the market today. The VX Series remains the watercraft of choice for value minded buyers and rental operators alike.

VX Series Highlights:
• Topped the sales chart in 2011 for the seventh consecutive year.
• New metallic paint colors.
• New two-tone textured seat on the VX Deluxe, makes this line more
appealing than ever.
• Offers the best fuel economy of any 3-person personal watercraft in the industry.
• The #1 choice of rental operators due to its reputation for reliability and low maintenance.

The VX Performance Series returns with Yamaha’s VXR® and VXS® that feature all new colors and graphics as well as a new seat design on the VXS. These models offer the performance of the world’s fastest supercharged models without the added cost of a supercharger and intercooler.

VX Performance Series Highlights:
• The most affordable high-performance model in the industry.
• New colors and graphics for 2012.
• New sport bolstered seat design on the VXS.
• Dominated new Normally Aspirated class on the 2011 IJSBA national tour.
• Class-leading acceleration and top speed out of the box supported by a wide selection of aftermarket products for racing enthusiasts.

Also returning is Yamaha’s FZ® Series, the epitome of high performance and Yamaha’s racing heritage. The FZ Series features Yamaha’s 1.8L Supercharged engine, the largest displacement engine in the industry, along with Yamaha’s exclusive NanoXcel hull and deck, which are engineered using nanotechnology to be light, strong and nimble.

FZ Series Highlights:
• Dominated the Pro Stock class on the 2011 IJSBA national tour.
• New carbon accents on the deck of the FZR®.
• New sport bolstered seat for the FZR.

“2012 is a big year for Yamaha. We have a best of class product at every level, and each one represents Yamaha’s commitment to innovation, technology, comfort and performance,” continued Seti.

Yamaha Sees 25 Podium Finishes at Bells River PWC Race

BELLS RIVER, Ontario -- Yamaha racers invaded Bells River, Ontario on July16-17, dominating the UWP-IJSBA Canadian National with 25 podium finishes led by Macc Racing/Riva Racing/Dean’s Team rider Chris MacClugage.

MacClugage continued his stranglehold on the Pro Runabout Stock class aboard his Yamaha FZR. Macc has won nearly every moto in this premier class this season with just three rounds left in the season.

MacClugage wasn’t the only Yamaha FZR rider on a tear in Ontario with Jordan McLean winning the Pro Runabout Limited class, finishing 2-1-2 for the day. McLean has won every round this season with no signs of letting up. Joining McLean on the podium was FZR rider Aero Aswer. Riva Racing/Dean’s Team rider Trey Frame continued his breakout season finishing 1-2-2 in the Pro Runabout Open class aboard his FZR for a second place finish overall.

Some of the best news from Bells River is that the Yamaha VXR looks like a lock for the Normally Aspirated class championship in its first season of racing. Yamaha VXR riders Cameron Frame and brother Trey Frame finished 1-2 overall. The two brothers have been swapping wins all season long and continue to put on the one of the best shows on the tour. The Yamaha VXR has won every round this season in dominating fashion.

Other notable performances include Nathan McLean who won Novice Runabout Limited also aboard a Yamaha FZR.

Round 6 of the UWP-IJSBA Watercross National Tour comes to Colonial Beach, VA on July 30-31.

Yamaha WaterCraft Launches Mobile App for Android Devices

KENNESAW, Ga. -- Yamaha WaterCraft Group, a division of Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A., today announced its popular mobile application is now available for devices running the Android operating system, including Android tablets and smartphones. There are currently 400,000 new Android devices activated every day with more than 100 million having been activated in total, according to a Google report published last month.

The app, which is available for free in the Android Market, gives consumers the inside track to virtually everything there is to know about Yamaha’s WaveRunners and Boats through a rich media and interactive experience that is optimized for their device.

Introduced earlier this year for the iPhone and iPad, the Yamaha WaterCraft App attracted enormous consumer and dealer interest, proving a desire among these audiences for more robust content on their mobile devices.

Users of the Yamaha WaterCraft App for Android will be able to:
• View images of all products in all color combinations
• Browse product features
• Compare Yamaha models to other brands
• Learn more about new innovations and technologies
• View a library of high-quality videos
• Sign up for mobile alerts
• Stay connected with Yamaha on Facebook and Twitter
• Share favorites with your friends and family via social media applications
• View all the latest sales promotional offers

“The response to our app has been overwhelmingly positive from both consumers, who love to browse the products and watch the rich media, to dealers who have every single piece of product info on every model right at their fingertips on the showroom floor,” said Bryan Seti, national marketing manager for Yamaha’s WaterCraft Group. “The Android platform stretches across a range of manufacturers and devices, creating a need for us to reach this growing user base and we look forward to making this experience available to them today.”

To download the free app, visit the Android Market and search for Yamaha WaterCraft.

YAMAHA WATERCRAFT TAPS INDIE VIDEO PRODUCERS TO REIMAGINE BRAND

Kennesaw, GA – Drum roll please… the finalists for the best
independently-produced Yamaha boating video are “Fish” and “Falling for a Yamaha.”

And the winner is … in the hands of Yamaha boat and WaveRunner® online followers.

Online now on the Yamaha Boats and Yamaha WaveRunners Facebook pages are the two finalists from the Yamaha Escape from the Ordinary Contest hosted on Poptent.net. Poptent.net is a community of filmmakers (and actors, comedians, grips, animators and more)who are connecting to each other and to companies that want them to explore and create branded messaging for the Internet age.

“We wanted to see videos that are entirely different than anything else we’ve done in the past and the Poptent community responded as hoped,” said Yamaha WaterCraft’s
National Marketing Manager Bryan Seti. “By not letting the creators use Yamaha products, boats, docks or anything else that has been featured in past Yamaha spots, we pushed hard for fresh and original thinking. Choosing two finalists proved to be tough decision, and we are anxious to hear which video our online followers like best.”

The videos can be viewed and voted on at Yamaha WaterCraft’s two Facebook pages:
Yamaha WaveRunners
Yamaha Boats

Test Your Boating Safety Knowledge with Free Online Course

KENNESAW, GA - A lot of boaters have years of practical experience spent on the water. But are you sure you know everything there is to know about staying safe while boating? In conjunction with National Safe Boating Week from May 21 to May 27, Yamaha Motor Corporation, USA and the BoatUS Foundation for Boating Safety and Clean Water challenge all boaters to test their boating knowledge with a free, online safety course at www.yamaha-motor.com.

The course covers a broad range of topics and is accepted by many states as a certified boating safety course. Completion can also bring possible insurance discounts.

“Boating safety is a vital component for all boaters to maximize the enjoyment of their time on the water,” said Bryan Seti, Yamaha's National Marketing Manager. “This online course is free and can be done any time of the day or night.”

The course is recognized by the U.S. Coast Guard and the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators and is based on 60 multiple choice questions.

Designed as a teaching tool, background material on question topics are available throughout the exam and corrections and explanations are given when a question is answered incorrectly. Any unfamiliar topics can be reviewed with a “study topics” button.

Those with 80% or more correct answers are given a certificate of completion. The course can also be started and stopped at anytime – you don't need to complete it all at once.

This summer marks the 13th year that Yamaha Motor Corporation, USA has offered the free BoatUS online safety course on its corporate website.

Yamaha, RIVA Racing, Dean's Team Join Forces for 2011 PWC Racing Tour

Kennesaw, GA and Pompano Beach, FL – Yamaha WaterCraft Group, a division of Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A., and RIVA Racing today announced they will join forces with Orlando based Dean’s Team for the 2011 UWP-IJSBA Watercross National Tour of personal watercraft racing.

Dean’s Team’s 2011 riders are a who’s who of professional personal watercraft racing, including several world and national champions including Dustin Charrier and Chris MacClugage as well as support riders Tim Neff, Trey and Cameron Frame, Jordan McLean and John Hecox. Leading the team is owner and master tuner Dean Charrier.

“Dean has proven to be one of the top mechanics in the industry, and he has successfully helped his riders bring Yamaha to the winner’s circle every year since he’s been working on them,” said Scott Watkins, product manager for Yamaha’s WaterCraft Group. “We are thrilled to see more riders switch to Yamaha and work with Dean to maximize their potential on the closed course.”

In addition to the Yamaha FZR, which took home multiple national titles last year, Dean’s Team riders will be racing the all new Yamaha VXR in a new normally aspirated stock class that was created this year. The addition of this class ushers in a new era of low cost high performance racing where the $10,899 Yamaha VXR is expected to dominate.

Dean’s Team racecraft will be using RIVA Performance Products to power the 2011 racing effort. RIVA racing products were also used in Dean’s Team’s 2010 championship wins.

“We are proud to support Dean’s Team with our racing products for the Yamaha FZR & VXR,” said Dave Bamdas, head of RIVA Racing. “Dean is a great tuner and runs a professional racing effort. RIVA works closely with Dean to provide cutting edge parts that keep his riders in the winner’s circle. We look forward to another successful race season with Deans Team!”

Notable RIVA Racing components that are being used by Dean’s Team include the RIVA/ViPEC Engine Control Systems, RIVA handling components, RIVA Air Intake Systems and RIVA Steering Systems.

In addition, Yamaha is supporting Dean’s Team with high performance Yamalube oils, which are formulated with anti-wear and anti-corrosion additives to protect watercraft under the demanding conditions and high RPMs of racing.

The 2011 UWP-IJSBA Watercross National Tour begins May 14 in Panama City, FL and concludes with the National Championship August 20 in Charleston, WV.

Yamaha Introduces Boat and WaveRunner® App for Apple iPhone® and iPad™

KENNESAW, Ga. – Yamaha WaterCraft Group, a division of Yamaha
Motor Corporation, U.S.A., today announced the release of the Yamaha WaterCraft App for the iPhone® and iPad™ in the Apple App Store. This free app gives consumers the inside track to virtually everything there is to know about Yamaha’s WaveRunners and Boats through a rich media and interactive experience that is optimized for their device.

Users of the Yamaha WaterCraft App will be able to:
• View images of all products in all color combinations
• Browse product features
• Compare Yamaha models to other brands
• Learn more about new innovations and technologies
• View a library of high-quality videos
• Sign up for mobile alerts
• Stay connected with Yamaha on Facebook and Twitter
• Share favorites with your friends and family via social media applications
• View all the latest sales promotional offers

“Mobile and tablet devices present the ideal platform to showcase our products in a fun and engaging way that connects with today’s consumer,” said Bryan Seti, national marketing manager for Yamaha’s WaterCraft Group. “We look forward to keeping this app updated with the latest information, videos and new features to enrich the experience even further.”

The Yamaha WaterCraft App is available today in the Apple App Store.

View screen shots of the app on Flickr.

Yamaha Presents “The Jet Boat Experience” at the Miami International Boat Show

MIAMI, Fla. – The largest boat show in the world – the Miami International Boat Show – is right around the corner. For those lucky enough to be attending this industry spectacle, Yamaha will be presenting "The Jet Boat Experience", an on and off the water special seminar designed to help participants understand and experience the difference between jet drive propulsion and traditional stern drive boats.

The seminar will take place Thursday, February 17 through Monday, February 21 at the Sea Isle Marina & Yachting Center (free shuttle service is provided to and from the Miami Convention). Space is limited so be sure to book your registration in advance. The seminar is free to boat show attendees. We look forward to seeing you there.

REGISTER HERE

Yamaha 242 Limited S Begins Boat Show Season with Zenith Award

KENNESAW, Ga. -- The 24-foot Yamaha 242 Limited S begins its second year of production with two important distinctions. Yamaha’s flagship model finished 2010 as the best-selling boat in its category and begins 2011 as Trailer Boats Magazine’s Zenith Award honoree, awarded to the best overall boat design today.

“We thank Yamaha for pushing the bounds of boat design with the 242 Limited S,” said Trailer Boats® Publisher/Editorial Director, Jim Hendricks. “It is this kind of vision that the Trailer Boats Excellence in Design Awards program is intended to recognize, and the Zenith Award represents the height of this recognition.”

The Yamaha 242 Limited S takes Yamaha Boats to the next level of sophistication and refinement by offering customers:

• Innovative, forward facing “rumble seats” in the ultra wide bow
• Twin high output Yamaha marine that out accelerate anything else in their class
• A stern swim platform just inches above the water
• A sound system with built in iPod dock
• The most spacious cockpit design in its class.

“We are excited to begin the boat show season with this prestigious award for the Yamaha 242 Limited S,” said Bryan Seti, Yamaha’s national marketing manager. “Boat shows are not only an excellent opportunity for consumers to see the Yamaha entire lineup of 2011 Yamaha Boats, but they are also a venue where consumers can find some of the best deals they will see all year long.”

For a list of 2011 boat shows, visit Officialboatshows.com.

Yamaha VXR WaveRunner Rolling Off Production Line to Loud Acclaim

KENNESAW, Ga. - The all new 2011 Yamaha VXR WaveRunner is the industry’s first affordably priced, ultra high performance personal watercraft. Yamaha announced today that initial production of the VXR has begun with full production beginning next month in time for the 2011 boat show season.

For a full schedule of 2011 boat shows, visit www.officialboatshows.com.

Among the first to ride Yamaha's newest WaveRunner were the industry’s top media and professional racers, who were invited to the company's Georgia headquarters to evaluate the VXR. Here’s what they had to say:

“One of the things the VXR likes to do is get up and go, 1.8 seconds to get from 0-30 mph - she earns the ‘performance watercraft’ moniker with ease.” – Chris Hughes, BoatTEST.com

“The big grin spread across my face just after I cleared the no-wake zone. That’s when I nailed the throttle on the new Yamaha VXR. Woo-hoo! This is one fun ride.” – Charles Plueddeman, Boats.com

“The VXR is the best boat that I’ve ever ridden. Period.” – Amy Green, 2010 Women’s Runabout National Champion

“The boat feels incredibly light and playful, far more so than any craft in recent memory. You literally feel like you can punch the throttle and hop it off a wave, or throw it around like a much smaller craft…The bottom line is the VXR is just plain fun to ride.” – Jeff Hemmel, PersonalWaterCraft.com

“By far the fastest naturally aspirated 4 stroke ski I've ever been on. Handling was incredible. The ski is quick and nimble and snaps right out of a turn. I was testing this ski on a flat water lake, but would blast over boat wakes as fast as I could and the hookup of the ski was VERY good.” – Jerry Gaddis, Owner and Founder of GreenHulk.net Performance Forum

Priced thousands less than the competition's best performing watercraft, third-party media tests are producing acceleration and top speed numbers outperforming the Sea-Doo RXT-X and Kawasaki 260.

Yamaha FZR WaveRunner Dominates Riva Racing HydroDrag Event

LAKE GREW, FL -- Three Yamaha FZR WaveRunner riders from Tennessee dominated the race action at the Riva Yamaha HydroDrags in Florida on Nov. 7, reaching tops speeds exceeding 90 mph.

In the premier SuperStock class, it was a battle of Tennesseans as Kerry Hibdon (McMinnville) aboard his Yamaha FZR took the SuperStock drag win in the weekend’s largest class ahead of runner-up Scott Rice (Greenbrier) also riding a Yamaha FZR.

Rice would also take the second spot in the SuperStock Speed Alley with a peak speed of 87.7 mph, falling to the 91.0 mph run posted by Ron Allison (Sparta).

Other Yamaha WaveRunner wins include Eric Diaz in the Vintage class, and Ron Allison in the Pro Stock class.

The 2010 HydroDrag was sponsored by RIVA Motorsports, the world leader in PWC performance parts and the largest Yamaha WaveRunner dealer in the United States.

Race Results
Sunday, November 7, 2010
SuperStock Speed Alley

1.Ron Allison – 91 mph – YAM
2.Scott Rice – 87.7 mph – YAM
3.Kerry Hidbon – 86.6 mph – YAM

Yamaha FZR WaveRunner Racers Win APBA National Championships

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Yamaha FZR WaveRunner racers and teammates Dustin Charrier and Amy Green clinched APBA national championships today at the final round of the national tour held at Percy Priest Lake in Tennessee.

In men's action, Charrier and his Dean's Team Yamaha FZRs won national championship titles in Pro Runabout Stock and Pro Runabout Open in some of the most exciting racing action of the season.

"The combination of raw power of the 1812cc motor matched with the lightweight hull, make the FZR the boat of choice for closed course racing. Dean's Team has worked hard to release the full potential of this platform, and it's clear through these results that it is the highest performing PWC out there," said Charrier.

In women's action, Amy Green clinched the Runabout Stock class abroad her Dean's Team Yamaha FZR. "My Dean's Team Yamaha FZR held together great this season after 10 grueling rounds of racing. We were very successful getting the most performance possible out of my FZR with any major mechanical problems and that is how you win national titles," said Green.

The next stop for Charrier and Green is the IJSBA World Finals in Lake Havasu City, AZ in October.

Yamaha Introduces 2011 Boats, Expands Options on its Best Selling Models

KENNESAW, GA – Yamaha WaterCraft Group, a division of Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A., today introduced its new and expanded line of 2011 boats, adding on to what is already the top selling brand of family runabout boats between 20-25 feet.

Yamaha’s 24-foot line for 2011 includes the 242 Limited S, 242 Limited, AR240 and SX240. Yamaha’s 21-foot boats for 2011 include the SX210 and the AR210.

In 2010, Yamaha’s 21-foot and 24-foot boats were the best selling boats in their class. In 2011, Yamaha is building off these leadership positions by offering more variations on these best selling models than ever before.

“We innovated through the downturn, at a time when many boat companies retreated, and that’s helped us remain at the forefront of this industry as it begins to recover,” said Scott Watkins, Yamaha’s product development manager. “Our 2011 models take into consideration everything customers told us they want in their boat, and we started innovating from there. True to Yamaha form, we’ve been able to do this, and deliver award winning, feature rich boats for tens of thousands of dollars less than the competition.”

Yamaha boats stand out from anything else on the water in a number of key areas:
• Internal drive propulsion: simplicity of design, low maintenance, shallow water use, and no exposed propeller.
• Compact lightweight twin engine and drive package: rapid acceleration and remarkable handling
• “Engineless” design: provides more usable space than any other boat in its class. Also, allows for Yamaha’s innovative stern lounge area that sits just inches from the water’s surface
• Yamaha “Total Package:” Every feature is considered standard on every Yamaha boat
• Yamaha’s No Wake Mode™ allows drivers to set the engines at optimum no wake speed with the simple push of a button.
• Cruise Assist™, Yamaha’s exclusive feature that allows the driver to hold engine speed constant, ideal for long range rides and for maintaining a consistent speed while towing.

To see the entire 2010 line up of Yamaha Boats, visit www.yamaha-motor.com.

Yamaha Introduces 2011 WaveRunners With New High Performance VXR Model

KENNESAW, GA – Yamaha WaterCraft Group, a division of Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A., today introduced its 2011 line of WaveRunner® personal watercraft that includes the Yamaha VXR™ and VXS™, the industry’s first low priced, ultra high performance personal watercraft.

The all new Yamaha VXR and VXS WaveRunners feature Yamaha’s 1812cc 4 cylinder, 4 stroke marine engine, combined with an ultra lightweight hull and deck made from NanoXcel®, Yamaha’s exclusive material that is engineered using nanotechnology to be stronger and lighter than anything else in the industry.

These WaveRunners set a new benchmark for performance, agility and fun on the water and they are the only high performance watercraft starting under $11,000 MSRP.

“We challenged ourselves to create a WaveRunner that could run out in front of the most high performance watercraft on the market, and to do it at a price thousands less than anything else,” said Scott Watkins, Yamaha’s product development manager. “We achieved it by matching our 1812cc engine, the largest displacement in the industry, with a lightweight compact platform. By doing this, we didn’t need to rely on a supercharger or intercooler to meet the top end of our performance benchmarks, which helped keep the price low. And the performance continues to run laps around the competition.”

Joining the VXR and VXS in Yamaha’s lineup for 2011 are Yamaha’s signature VX® Series WaveRunners, which are the most affordable, reliable and fuel efficient watercraft on the market today. The VX Series topped the sales chart in 2010 for the sixth consecutive year in a row, and remains the watercraft of choice for value minded buyers and rental operators alike.

Yamaha’s FX Series, including the FX® HO, FX Cruiser® HO, FX SHO® and FX Cruiser SHO®, return to deliver the most innovative features along with high performance and fuel efficiency. These models again topped the sales charts and have redefined what customers expect in the sport performance and luxury performance segments.

And Yamaha’s race inspired FZ Series, including the FZR® and FZS®, returns with all new colors and graphics. The FZR continues to dominate the APBA® National Racing circuit, currently leading both the stock and open runabout classes, and is the watercraft more racers are gravitating to than anything else on the race scene today.

Yamaha FZR Racers Dominate Top APBA® National Tour Classes

KENNESAW, Ga. - In only its second year of racing and with the 2010 National Finals approaching, Yamaha FZR® racers dominate the top Pro-am classes on the APBA National Tour.

Leading the Pro-Am Runabout Stock and Pro-Am Runabout Open classes is Yamaha racer Dustin Charrier riding his Dean’s Team Yamaha FZR.

“The power of the 1812cc SHO engine is remarkable right out of the box. And we’ve been able to build on top of this platform to really unleash its potential. The results speak for themselves,” said Dustin Charrier,

Yamaha’s Amy Green, and fellow Dean’s Team rider, is leading the Women’s Runabout Limited and Expert Runabout Limited classes.

“The durability and performance of the NanoXcel hull really gives us a confidence level in every riding condition that no one else has,” said Amy Green, current Women’s Runabout National Champion.

The 2010 APBA Nationals are September 4 and 5 in Nashville, TN.

Improve Your Boating Safety Knowledge with Free Online Course Provided by Yamaha Motor Corporation

KENNESAW, Ga. – Whether you have years of experience spent on the water or are anticipating your first time out, take advantage of this great, free resource. In conjunction with National Safe Boating Week from May 22 to May 28, Yamaha Motor Corporation,USA and the Boat U.S. Foundation challenges all boaters to test their boating knowledge with a free, online safety course at http://www.yamaha-motor.com/boat/H20info/boatus.aspx.

The course covers a broad range of topics and is accepted by many states as a certified boating safety course. Completion can also bring possible insurance discounts.

“Boating safety is a vital component for all boaters to maximize the enjoyment of their time on the water,” said Bryan Seti, Yamaha’s National Marketing Manager. “This online course is free and can be done any time of the day or night.”

The course is recognized by the U.S. Coast Guard and the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators and is based on 60 multiple choice questions. Designed as a teaching tool, background material on question topics are available throughout the exam and corrections and explanations are given when a question is answered incorrectly. Any unfamiliar topics can be reviewed with a “study topics” button.

Those with 80% or more correct answers are given a certificate of completion. The course can also be started and stopped at anytime – you don’t need to complete it all at once.

Yamaha WaterCraft Launches Mobile Trivia Summer Promotion

Kennesaw, GA – Yamaha Watercraft Group, a division of Yamaha Motor Corporation, USA, today launched a mobile trivia campaign where users can answer questions on their phone about Yamaha’s products for a chance to win weekly prizes and the grand prize trip for two to Yamaha’s 2011 WaterCraft Product Premiere in August. The grand prize winner will be one of the first to test ride and experience the new 2011 Yamaha WaveRunners® and Boats for the coming year.

How to Play
Text the word TRIVIA to 30907 and you will be sent back a text message with a multiple choice question about Yamaha’s WaveRunners or Boats. The answers can be found by researching Boat and WaveRunner product information available on Yamaha’s website (www.yamaha-motor.com). Then, simply text back the correct answer and you will be entered to win one of the weekly prizes. Participants can play once a week throughout the campaign to win the weekly prizes, and they will be entered to win the grand prize trip for two to the Yamaha WaterCraft 2011 Product Premiere. The mobile trivia campaign begins on May 17, 2010 and ends on July 25, 2010.

Yamaha FZR WaveRunner Dominates APBA National Racing Tour

PARKER, Ariz. - In only its second year of racing, the Yamaha FZR owned the leaderboard in the first two rounds of the APBA National Tour that took place May 1-2 in Parker, AZ.

“After seeing the potential of the FZR last year, the start lines were dominantly Yamahas in Parker this year,” said Amy Green, a Dean’s Team Yamaha rider and the 2009 Women’s National Champion.

May 1, 2010 Race Results
On the first day of racing, Amy Green came in first in the Expert Runabout Limited and first in the Women’s Runabout Limited, winning every event she entered.

That same day, Yamaha won both the Pro-Am Runabout Stock and Pro-Am Runabout Open Classes. 2009 APBA® National Champion Chris MacClugage pulls down a first place win in the Pro-Am Runabout Stock Class, while Dustin Charrier of Dean’s Team takes second in the Pro-Am Runabout Stock and first in the Pro-Am Runabout Open.

"The Macc Racing tuned 2010 Yamaha FZR worked great and we are very happy with the results,” said Chris MacClugage.

“Racers know what it takes to win, and it’s only taken one season for it to become apparent that the Yamaha FZ platform is what will take them there,” said Scott Watkins, Yamaha’s product manager and former World Champion Racer. “In the world of PWC racing, it’s not easy for racers to shift their brand effort in one year. It’s expensive and takes a lot of work. But we’ve seen many of the world’s top racers take that step to move to Yamaha, and the results speak for themselves.”

May 2, 2010 Race Results

The second round of racing again saw Amy Green winning both motos in the Expert Runabout Limited, and she took the top spot in the Women’s Runabout Limited, rounding out an amazing weekend of racing.

“The additional power that Dean unleashed on my new boat is literally awesome. And, it's so easy to handle that I was able to race and win on it without any practice time on it at all,” said Amy Green.

Yamaha dominated the Pro-Am Runabout Stock Class with MacClugage taking the top spot, Dustin Charrier finishing second, and last year’s Pro-Am Runabout Stock World Champion Tim Neff riding his Yamaha FZR to a third place finish.

Rounds 3 and 4 of the tour are scheduled for Myrtle Beach on June 5-6.

Yamaha WaveRunners Save Hundreds of Dollars in Maintenance Costs

Kennesaw, Ga. – Yamaha Watercraft Group, a division of Yamaha Motor Corporation, USA, today announced that Yamaha WaveRunners® have the lowest required 2 year maintenance among the major personal watercraft brands, making Yamaha the easiest and least expensive personal watercraft to own. In some cases, competitive personal watercraft require maintenance that is three to four times that of Yamaha, adding several hundreds of dollars of additional ownership costs to customers, year after year.

“The experience customers have with their personal watercraft extends beyond their time on the water and into their total ownership experience of that watercraft,” said Scott Watkins, Product Manager for Yamaha’s WaterCraft Group. “We’ve taken steps to make that ownership experience as easy and inexpensive as possible. Requiring minimal maintenance, while being the most fuel efficient and most reliable PWC on the market, saves our customers thousands of dollars over the long haul and helps them spend less time driving to service appointments and more time on the water enjoying their watercraft.”

In a comparison of two year required maintenance among the major personal watercraft manufacturers and a survey of dealerships’ service departments, several areas of differentiation emerge:

Yamaha 2 Year Required Maintenance:
• Engine oil change, clean adjust spark plugs

Sea-Doo® 2 Year Required Maintenance:
• Engine oil change, clean adjust spark plugs
• Sea-Doo® requires a supercharger clutch replacement every 100 hours with an average dealer cost exceeding $600.
• The closed loop cooling system used by all Sea-Doo® models requires coolant replacement at 2 years, while the other brands did not require any cooling maintenance.
• Sea-Doo® is the only manufacturer to require the intercooler to be flushed in addition to the exhaust after salt water use
• Sea-Doo®’s electronic controls require additional maintenance with the friction sleeves and locking sleeves requiring replacement after 1 year

Kawasaki® 2 Year Required Maintenance:
• Engine oil change, clean adjust spark plugs
• Kawasaki® requires the inspection and refilling of the supercharger gear oil at 50 hours, as well as an inspection of the supercharger drive belt and tension every 25 hours.

Yamaha HO Series WaveRunners Named Consumers Digest® Best Buys

Kennesaw, GA – Yamaha Watercraft Group, a division of Yamaha Motor Corporation, USA, announced today that the Yamaha FX HO and FX Cruiser HO WaveRunner® personal watercraft were named Consumers Digest Best Buys in the June 2010 issue.

The Best Buy designation is awarded to products that the editors determine offer exceptional value in today’s highly competitive marketplace.

Consumers Digest highlighted Yamaha’s “innovative hull construction technique, to produce lightweight, yet strong, hulls.” The magazine editors further noted that “these models accelerate like nothing else that is out there,” and continued to say that “this model’s quick-shift trim system, allows you to change on the fly the angle of the bow for quicker acceleration or faster top speed.”

“It’s the combination of innovative features, exciting performance, appealing design, good fuel economy and affordable price that make the HO series such an exceptional value,” said Scott Watkins, product manager for Yamaha’s WaterCraft Group. “The hull and deck on these models is built using the industry’s only nanotechnology materials, and a state of the art high compression closed molding process making each part ultra lightweight with precision fit and finish. In addition, the HO series offers the largest displacement engine in the industry which delivers top performance while also providing class leading fuel efficiency. Other industry first features like, No Wake mode and Cruise Assist, make the HO series ideal for long distance touring and better for holding a constant speed while towing.”

Yamaha WaveRunners Named #1 Choice for Reliability

Kennesaw, GA – Yamaha Watercraft Group, a division of Yamaha Motor Corporation, USA, today announced that Yamaha WaveRunners® were the top choice for reliability according to a survey of personal watercraft owners conducted by research firm MacKenzie Corporation.

“We are committed to making products that are the easiest to own with the lowest required maintenance and highest standards of quality so that our customers can spend more time on the water enjoying these products,” said Scott Watkins, Product Manager for Yamaha’s WaterCraft Group. “To achieve this, we never stop innovating. We aim for making everything work faster, cleaner, quieter and more efficiently, to create a stronger product and a better experience for our customers. This is the essence of what reliability means for Yamaha, and why it is so important to our brand and our customers.”

The 2009 Personal Watercraft owner survey conducted by MacKenzie Corporation’s Consumer Research Division looked at purchase drivers and owner experiences with the top personal watercraft brands. In addition, Yamaha WaveRunners have been the number one choice for rental operators for the past 12 years due to their unique combination of fun, low maintenance, durability, class leading fuel efficiency and reliability.

Yamaha 242 Limited S Named “Best Boat” By Boating Magazine

KENNESAW, GA – Yamaha Watercraft announced that Boating magazine presented the all-new 2010 Yamaha 242 Limited S with its highly coveted 2010 Best Boat honor featured in the March 2010 issue on newsstands now. This distinction was bestowed to 10 boats that the magazine’s editors considered new benchmarks in design, quality, and performance.

According to Boating magazine’s editors, “The integration of multifunctional bow seats gave the option of thrilling roller-coaster views, luxurious reclining seats or a full sun pit. Adaptability didn’t stop there — the passenger cockpit seat flips forward for a comfortable aft-facing lounge or flips back leaving both ample seating aft and a companion seat facing forward. Then there are electronic controls — cruise assist, Yamaha calls them — that let the captain choose any planing speed by toggling up or down eight 100 rpm increments to fine-tune the automatic throttle setting for skiing, wake or economy. Plus, no-wake mode engages at slow speeds, giving hands-free control. Coupled with Yamaha’s exclusive and proven topside access for cleaning out jet pumps, these enhancements become hard to ignore.”

“The features, amenities and technologies in the 242 Limited S were created directly from boat owner feedback on how they use their boat and what they would like to see that would enhance their on-the-water experience,” said Scott Watkins, Product Manager for Yamaha’s WaterCraft Group. “This honor from Boating indicates that this approach is working and is indicative of the quality, technology and innovation customers can expect from a Yamaha boat.”

New for 2010, the 242 Limited S is Yamaha’s premier 24-foot boat. This luxury bowrider expands on Yamaha’s already stellar list of amenities and utilizes Yamaha’s renowned internal drive technology that provides remarkable acceleration, responsive handling, and shallow draft capabilities. The compact design of this power package allows for an entirely unique boat design that provides more usable space than comparable sterndrive boats – including Yamaha’s most expansive stern swim platform ever, with an aft-facing lounging area that is closer to the water than ever before.

Yamaha Boat Receives Trailer Boats Magazine’s 2010 Zenith Award

MIAMI, FL – Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A. announced today that the Yamaha 242 Limited S boat received Trailer Boats magazine’s 2010 Zenith Award – the top honor in Trailer Boats Excellence in Design annual awards at the Miami International Boat Show.

“We heartily congratulate and thank Yamaha for pushing the bounds of boat design with the 242 Limited S,” said Trailer Boats® Publisher/Editorial Director, Jim Hendricks. “It is this kind of vision that the Trailer Boats Excellence in Design Awards program is intended to recognize, and the Zenith Award represents the height of this recognition.”

The 2010 Yamaha 242 Limited S was among a field of 13 outstanding designs – all of them Trailer Boats Excellence in Design Award recipients. From this field, Trailer Boats editors ultimately selected the Yamaha 242 Limited S as the boat model that they believe reflects the epitome of outstanding design for 2010.

“We took everything that we know about families having fun on the water and incorporated that into the design of this boat. We simply set out to create something that would give our customers the best platform for building fun times and great memories on the water,” said Mark Speaks, President of Yamaha’s WaterCraft Group. “A lot of very talented people labored over the design and production of this beautiful boat and I am proud to see their efforts recognized by this very prestigious award from Trailer Boats magazine.”

All new for 2010, the 24-foot Yamaha 242 Limited S takes Yamaha Boats to the next level of sophistication and refinement with innovative, forward facing “rumble seats” in the ultra wide bow, twin engines generating 360 horsepower, a new stern swim platform just inches above the water, a new sound system with built in iPod dock and the most spacious cockpit design in its class.

The full story on the 2010 Zenith Award can be found in the March 2010 issue of Trailer Boats magazine, which goes on sale March 2, 2010. The Yamaha 242 Limited S is featured on the cover. Online coverage will begin March 1, 2010 at TrailerBoats.com.

YAMAHA VX WAVERUNNER IS THE BEST-SELLING PWC IN 2009

KENNESAW, GA – Yamaha WaterCraft Group, a division of Yamaha Motor Corporation, USA, today announced that the Yamaha VX WaveRunner was the #1 selling personal watercraft in 2009, according to state registration data for the period of Oct. 1, 2008 through Sept. 30, 2009.

During a year when Yamaha found itself competing against heavy discounting by other manufacturers, Yamaha was the only company to gain significant market share and the only company to dominate the list of top 10 best selling personal watercraft.

“By delivering the right product at the right time, we were the only manufacturer who had 2009 model year products in the top 10 sellers for the season, and we had four out of the top five best sellers,” said Bryan Seti, National Marketing Manager for Yamaha’s WaterCraft Group. “Our focus on delivering superb value enabled our 2009 products to compete with, and outsell by quite a wide margin, the heavily discounted older units from the competition because we offered more of what customers want for less cost.”

In addition to the Yamaha VX WaveRunner claiming the top spot for fifth year in a row, the Yamaha FX Cruiser SHO® finished 2009 as the best-selling Luxury Performance model. The FX Cruiser SHO was also the best selling Luxury Performance model in 2008.

Yamaha WaterCraft Celebrates Boat Show Season with Mobile Sweepstakes

KENNESAW, GA – Yamaha WaterCraft is celebrating the beginning of the boat show season with an exciting mobile sweepstakes that begins today with a chance to win a 2010 Yamaha VX Cruiser® WaveRunner. Yamaha is the first company in the boating industry to utilize Smartphone technology to interact with boat show visitors.

Yamaha’s mobile services enable consumers to receive Yamaha boat or WaveRunner® mobile alerts with the latest news, product info, promotions and incentives, new accessories and more right on their mobile phones. The Yamaha Mobile Sweepstakes ends April 30, 2010, when Yamaha draws the mobile number of the lucky winner who will win the 2010 Yamaha VX Cruiser grand prize.

To enter, simply opt in to Yamaha’s mobile services, either through the link on the Yamaha Website (www.yamaha-motor.com), or by texting the word WAVE to 70734 to subscribe to Yamaha’s WaveRunner mobile services, or text the word BOAT to 70734 to subscribe to Yamaha’s Boat mobile services (standard messaging and data rates apply)*.

Yamaha’s VX Cruiser is the best selling personal watercraft in the industry, and it is all-new in 2010 with a more spacious design, a striking new profile, and ride enhancements. Yamaha’s VX Series leads its class in all around performance, fuel efficiency, reliability and value.

Yamaha 242 Limited S Boat Wins 2010 Excellence in Design Award

KENNESAW, GA – Yamaha Watercraft today announced that Trailer Boats magazine presented the all-new 2010 Yamaha 242 Limited S with its highly coveted 2010 Excellence in Design Award in the Sport Boats category. This accolade is granted to boats that the magazine’s editors determine help innovate and invigorate the industry, as well as set trends that are reflected in future years. This is the second year in a row that Yamaha has won this prestigious honor.

"To win the Trailer Boats 2010 Excellence in Design Award, Yamaha took some of the best features from the sport and tow-boat markets, and improved on them,” said Trailer Boats® Publisher and Editorial Director Jim Hendricks. "Technology is the cornerstone of the design that features a GPS-based information control center. A few of the features include compass headings, water depth, top speed and real-time fuel-flow data. The Cruise Assist can be engaged at 16 positions to hold the engines at a specific cruising or towing speed. Another nifty feature is the No Wake Mode that offers three different RPM settings for optimum speed.”

“The features, amenities and technologies in the 242 Limited S were created directly from boat owner feedback on how they use their boat and what they would like to see that would enhance their on-the-water experience,” said Scott Watkins, Product Manager for Yamaha’s WaterCraft Group. “Stopping there would produce a good boat, but we constantly innovate with these owner requirements in mind to exceed their expectations and create a great boat. This award from Trailer Boats® indicates that this approach is working and is indicative of the quality, technology and innovation customers can expect from a Yamaha boat.”

New for 2010, the 242 Limited S is Yamaha’s premier 24-foot boat. This luxury bowrider expands on Yamaha’s already stellar list of amenities and utilizes Yamaha’s renowned internal drive technology that provides remarkable acceleration, responsive handling, and shallow draft capabilities. The compact design of this power package allows for an entirely unique boat design that provides more usable space than comparable sterndrive boats – including Yamaha’s most expansive stern swim platform ever, with an aft-facing lounging area that is closer to the water than ever before.

Yamaha WaterCraft Announces Free BlackBerry Smartphone Offer

KENNESAW, GA – Yamaha WaterCraft Group, which oversees the sales, marketing and distribution of WaveRunner personal watercraft and 21- and 24-foot sportboats in the U.S., announced today a free BlackBerry Smartphone promotion designed to help consumers access a wide range of Yamaha content via the mobile channel. The offer, which begins today, provides a free BlackBerry Smartphone to the first 25,000 people to access the program. The offer does not require the purchase of a Yamaha WaveRunner or Boat.

Yamaha WaterCraft has launched several initiatives to take advantage of the advanced capabilities of Smartphones to help consumers stay connected via mobile alerts with the latest news, product info, promotions and incentives, new accessories and more right on their mobile phones.

“The mobile channel is rapidly becoming an integral part of consumers’ lives for communications, information sharing, interaction, rich media and brand relationships,” said Bryan Seti, National Marketing Manager of Yamaha’s WaterCraft Group. “This free BlackBerry promotion provides an easy and simple solution for consumers to acquire a new Smartphone, and further engage with mobile services as well as the Yamaha brand.”

Yamaha’s Mobile Marketing Services
Yamaha’s mobile services enable consumers to receive Yamaha boat or WaveRunner mobile alerts with the latest news, product info, promotions and incentives, new accessories and more right on their mobile phones.

To opt in to Yamaha’s mobile services, consumers can visit the Yamaha Website (www.yamaha-motor.com), or simply text the word WAVE to 70734 to subscribe to Yamaha’s WaveRunner mobile services, or text the word BOAT to 70734 to subscribe to Yamaha’s Boat mobile services (standard messaging and data rates apply).

Yamaha’s mobile services will be pre-packaged with Smartphones ordered through this offer.

How to receive a free BlackBerry Smartphone
Those interested in receiving the free BlackBerry Smartphone can simply visit Yamaha’s website at www.yamaha-motor.com and click on either the WaveRunner or Boat product sections where links to the promotion and order page can be found.

Yamaha Holiday Gift Ideas for WaveRunner Owners

KENNESAW, GA – The holiday season is in full swing and Yamaha Genuine Parts and Accessories has the perfect gift for your favorite WaveRunner® owner. Bypass the mall and go directly to your local Yamaha dealers to find great gift ideas and stocking stuffers that the entire family can use and enjoy.

Yamaha holiday gift ideas:

WaveRunner Anchor: This anchor attaches easily and is designed to be hand set; included 15’ heavy duty rope and stores in its own handy bag.

WaveRunner Sand Stake Kit: An easy and safe way to anchor your personal watercraft this sand stake kit is the perfect choice.

Yamaha WaveRunner Cover: Protect your personal watercraft by purchasing a cover to fit snugly to your specific model.

Marine Detailing Bucket: Yamalube products in this new reusable detailing bucket to make easily clean your personal watercraft! Detail bucket contains: one each of 32-oz. Yamaclean All Purpose Cleaner, 32-oz. Yamaclean Vinyl Dressing, 32-oz. Yamaclean Glass cleaner, 16-oz. Yamaclean Wash&Wax, 32-oz. Yamaclean Hull Cleaner, 32-oz. Yamaclean Deodorizer, microfiber towel and wash sponge.

Yamaha Shorty Wetsuit: 2mm neoprene wetsuit for comfort and flat-lock stitching provides a smooth fit. A must have when riding watercraft.

Billet Aluminum Fuel Cap: For a distinctive and sporty look available now in silver and black.

Yamaha Side Entry Nylon PFD: Front, side and back foam for a sleek look. Available in red, black and blue.

WaveRunner Handlebar Pack: For extra storage this heavy-duty waterproof pack is ideal for sunglasses, lanyards and more.

WaveRunner Floating Wrist Lanyards: Available in several colors - these floating wrist lanyards are a must have and make a great stocking stuffer.

Yamaha WaveRunner Kit: A quick way to get started with the supplies you need for your new WaveRunner. Kit contains Two U.S. Coast Guard approved PFDs (adjustable small-large) with a nylon case to store them in. Kit also includes clip-on whistle, first aid kit, 2 12’ dock lines and 2 WaveRunner fenders.

Yamaha WaterCraft Launches Official Yamaha Boats Facebook Fan Page

KENNESAW, GA – Yamaha WaterCraft announced today the official launch of the Yamaha Boats Facebook fan page.

The introduction of the Official Page is an effort to further develop ties to the boating community and stay connected with current and future Yamaha boat customers.

The Yamaha Boats Facebook page includes product videos, events, current promotional offers, and other news and information of interest to boating enthusiasts and Yamaha boat owners in particular.

Yamaha Is Top Selling Brand Among 20-25 Foot Open-Bow Runabout Boats

KENNESAW, GA – Yamaha WaterCraft Group, a division of Yamaha Motor Corporation, USA, today announced that Yamaha is the #1 selling brand in the category of 20’ - 25’ open-bow runabout boats. According to the most recent registration data from InfoLink® for the top 6 states (CA, FL, MI, NY, TX, WA), for the period of August 2008 through July 2009, sales of Yamaha’s 21 and 23 foot boat lines combined outsold the sales of every other brand in the segment.

“There’s a great deal of competition in the 20 to 25 foot open-bow runabout segment as it remains a highly desirable target market with a lot of volume potential for boat manufacturers,” said Mark Speaks, President of Yamaha WaterCraft Group. “We have spent years researching what customers in this segment want in a boat, and we have tirelessly pursued bringing these features and attributes to market in innovative ways.”

Yamaha’s top selling line of 21 and 23 foot twin engine boats offer the latest in internal propulsion technology that deliver class leading performance, handling and fuel efficiency. Yamaha introduced the industry’s first No Wake Mode™, an award winning swim platform design, innovative cockpit layout and every feature considered standard – all at a price point that is thousands less than competitive boats. For 2010, Yamaha has introduced a new line of 24 foot models that bring Yamaha’ signature attributes – value, performance, fuel efficiency and spacious design – to a new segment of buyers.

Yamaha WaterCraft Launches Official WaveRunners® Facebook Fan Page

KENNESAW, GA – Yamaha WaterCraft announced today the official launch of the Yamaha WaveRunners® Facebook fan page.

The introduction of the Official Page is an effort to further develop ties to the personal watercraft community and stay connected with current and future Yamaha WaveRunner customers.

The Yamaha WaveRunners Facebook page includes product videos, events, current promotional offers, and other news and information of interest to PWC enthusiasts and Yamaha WaveRunner owners in particular.

Stay Connected to Yamaha WaterCraft via Your Mobile Handset for a Chance to Win a 2010 Yamaha WaveRunner

KENNESAW, GA – Yamaha WaterCraft is celebrating the recent launch of its mobile phone services with an exciting mobile sweepstakes that begins today with a chance to win weekly prizes and a chance to win a 2010 Yamaha VX Cruiser.

Yamaha’s mobile services enable consumers to receive Yamaha boat or WaveRunner mobile alerts with the latest news, product info, promotions and incentives, new accessories and more right on their mobile phones.

The Yamaha Mobile Sweepstakes ends December 16, 2009, when Yamaha draws the mobile number of the lucky winner who will win the 2010 Yamaha VX Cruiser grand prize. The weekly prize winners will be randomly selected each week.

To enter, simply opt in to Yamaha’s mobile services, either through the link on the Yamaha Website (www.yamaha-motor.com), or by texting the word WAVE to 70734 to subscribe to Yamaha’s WaveRunner mobile services, or text the word BOAT to 70734 to subscribe to Yamaha’s Boat mobile services (standard messaging and data rates apply)*.

YAMAHA’S 2010 VX® SERIES RAISES BAR FOR FUEL EFFICIENT WATERCRAFT

KENNESAW, GA – Yamaha Motor Corporation, USA announced today that its new 2010 Yamaha VX Series WaveRunners® will save consumers up to an additional 10 percent in fuel cost compared to previous VX models. Yamaha’s VX WaveRunners were already the most fuel efficient watercraft on the water and have been the best-selling personal watercraft in the boating industry since 2005.

A remapping of the watercraft’s sophisticated ECU allowed Yamaha engineers to reduce fuel consumption by 10 percent at both cruising speed and wide open throttle while maintaining the class-leading performance that makes the VX Series so fun to ride.

“The VX series has been the top seller in the industry because in addition to its features, comfort and performance, it delivers the best overall value in the industry,” said Scott Watkins, product manager of Yamaha’s WaterCraft Group. “Buyers in this segment want the lowest total cost of ownership while still having a fun and exciting time on the water. By remapping the engine, we’ve been able to reduce fuel consumption by 10 percent while also helping it burn cleaner with no reduction in horsepower.”

In addition to this update, the Yamaha VX Series features Yamaha’s exclusive Low RPM Mode™ that can reduce fuel consumption by up to 26 percent based on average annual use.

For 2010, the Yamaha VX line includes the Yamaha VX Cruiser®, the series flagship that features Cruiser® comfort; the VX Deluxe, the best-selling all-around model in the personal watercraft industry; and the VX Sport, the most affordable WaveRunner in the Yamaha line.

AMY GREEN WINS WOMEN’S APBA NATIONAL TITLE ON YAMAHA FZR

NASHVILLE, TN – PWC racer Amy Green took home the Women’s National Runabout Title aboard her Yamaha FZR WaveRunner at the APBA National Championship PWC races held last weekend on Percy Priest Lake in Tennessee.

Amy Green, a member of the legendary Dean’s Team race squad, switched to the Yamaha FZR mid-season, and went on to win every women’s moto she competed in on her way to the national title.

“There are a lot of people in the race community talking about the FZR and its capabilities on the closed course,” said Amy Green. “The combination of power, reliability and an awesome hull design, make the FZR the machine of choice for serious racers. This National Title should help amplify the noise about this watercraft.”

“Amy’s National Title proves once and again that the FZR is the ultimate closed course race boat and 2009 was only its first year of production,” said Scott Watkins, Yamaha’s product development manager. “The potential is endless for the FZR. With its 1812cc supercharged powerplant, racers can get incredibly high horsepower and maintain a level of reliability that gives the racer the confidence to finish the race. We’re starting to see the aftermarket finalize new performance parts, and as those hit the scene, we’ll truly see how revolutionary this watercraft will be.”

CHRIS MACCLUGAGE RIDES YAMAHA FZR TO APBA NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP

NASHVILLE, TN – PWC racer Chris MacClugage and his Macc Racing Monster Yamaha FZR WaveRunner won the APBA Pro-Am Stock National Championship today at Percy Priest Lake, TN, completing one of the most dominate performances in professional watercraft racing history.

MacClugage, a multi-time World and National PWC Racing champion, won all but one round on the APBA Watercross Tour this season, racking up an overwhelming points lead going into the final weekend of the 2009 national tour. However, MacClugage, not one to coast his Yamaha FZR to a national title, took the fight to his competitors today just as he had all season long.

In true MacClugage fashion, he not only won Moto 1 in the Pro-Am Stock class today to put him over the top for the national title, MacClugage also won Moto 1 of the Pro-Am Open Class aboard a new Bill-Chapin prepared Yamaha FZR.

“This season we set out to prove that the Yamaha FZR can completely dominate the APBA Pro-stock class and we did,” said MacClugage. ““With the FZR being in its first year of production, it is truly amazing to see it outperform all of the competitive boats that have so many more races under their belt.”

“From conception, the FZR was designed to be the ultimate high performance race watercraft out of the box,” said Bryan Seti, Yamaha’s national marketing manager. “The results of the FZR on the National Tour demonstrate the game changing nature of this hull and engine platform for the closed course. Chris MacClugage’s dominance of every race this year and his national championship win reinforces the FZR’s leadership position on the racing scene.”

2010 YAMAHA BOATS INCLUDE NEW 24-FOOT SERIES, NEW FEATURES

FREEPORT, Bahamas - Yamaha Motor Corporation, USA today unveiled its 2010 line of boats at the company’s annual dealer meeting highlighted by the introduction of the new 242 and 240 Series boats that are the largest, most feature rich boats Yamaha has ever produced.

Yamaha’s 242 and 240 Series boats, which replace Yamaha’s 232 and 230 Series models, are designed to compete with boats priced $20,000 more by offering the largest displacement power package ever put in a Yamaha boat; an all-new, expansive bow design with revolutionary new seating options, new GPS controlled instrumentation, and a new stern lounge and swim platform design.

All New 242 Series Redefines Luxury Performance
The new flagships of the Yamaha boat line, the Yamaha 242 Series includes the 242 Limited and the 242 Limited S. The 242 Limited S is the watersports edition of the series that includes a premium aluminum tower with integrated LED cockpit lighting and two sound system speakers. Standard features include:

- All new innovative bow design. Wider, longer seating area with rumble seats and multi-position bow seating configurations.
- Twin Yamaha High Output 1.8-liter engines that are the largest engines ever in a Yamaha boat, delivering incredible acceleration.
- Yamaha’s exclusive No Wake Mode™ - now with three positions - that allows the driver to set the engines at optimum no wake speed with the simple push of a
button.
- Innovative stern lounge area that sits just inches from the water’s surface with table mount, padded seating, shower and stereo remote.
- Full-featured helm with fly by wire, fuel flow meter and GPS controlled instrumentation.
- Premium stereo with direct iPod® plug-in connectivity equipped with 6 waterproof
speakers, a handheld remote and an MP3 input.
- Cruise Assist™, Yamaha’s exclusive feature that allows the driver to hold engine speed constant, ideal for long range rides and for maintaining a consistent speed while towing.

“We spoke with owners of our boats at length to determine what we could do with a future platform to provide a better boating experience for them,” said Scott Watkins, product manager for Yamaha’s WaterCraft Group. “From this feedback, we created a new, larger platform, with more bow seating configurations than ever before, and a stern area that sits just inches from the water. These are among the most important areas for our boat owners, but we went a step further and introduced a host of new technologies and features, such as real time fuel flow, GPS controlled instrumentation, and Cruise Assist, to make this boat stand out even further from anything else on the water today.”

The 240 Series includes the SX240 and the AR240, the watersports edition with an integrated aluminum tower. Returning to the Yamaha boat line is the high performance 212 Series and the value-minded 210 Series.

YAMAHA UNVEILS 2010 WAVERUNNER LINE

FREEPORT, Bahamas - Yamaha Motor Corporation, USA today introduced its 2010 line of WaveRunner personal watercraft at the company's annual dealer meeting highlighted by the debut of Yamaha's next generation VX Series, which as been the best selling PWC in the industry since its inception.

The all new 2010 VX models feature more spacious seating for driver and passengers and an expanded swim platform area. In addition, the VX Series receives improvements below the waterline that deliver a more fun, drier ride than competitive models that cost thousands more. For 2010, the award-winning VX Series includes the VX Cruiser, VX Deluxe, and the VX Sport.

All-New Design: More Comfort, Striking New Styling
The VX Series integrates the look and feel of Yamaha luxury watercraft by creating a roomier cockpit for the operator. To do that, the seat length of the VX has been increased to provide more legroom for taller riders with the driver's compartment being expanded by 4 inches. The overall effect is not only more comfortable for the operator, but it also gives the VX Series a striking new profile that mirrors Yamaha's more expensive FX line. Completing the cockpit are new mirrors that have been repositioned for improved visibility, a larger glove box; and a larger, more convenient reverse lever.

For passengers, the seat of the three-person VX Series has been redesigned with a larger bolster for more comfort when riding with two or three people. In addition, the padded surface of the VX reboarding platform has been increased for added comfort and versatility.

New Refinements: More Fun, Drier Ride
One of the key reasons for the VX Series' success is its exhilarating ride. Now, the best ride in the Value category is even better with refinements that include a new ride plate, repositioned new sponsons and a revised weight distribution that combine to provide a much sportier feel. These changes strengthen the handling character of the new VX Series, making it more nimble on the water and more fun to drive than ever before.

"We created the VX Series to offer the entry level buyer a fun, fuel efficient and feature rich WaveRunner at an affordable price," said Scott Watkins, product manager for Yamaha's WaterCraft Group. "Since then, it has completely changed the personal watercraft industry, bringing new buyers into the lifestyle and raising the bar for entry level watercraft. With the launch of the new VX Series today, we are further raising that bar offering new levels of comfort, space, ergonomics and a fun ride that is unlike any other personal watercraft."

The 2010 WaveRunner line also includes the high-performance FZ Series and the luxury-performance FX Series. New for 2010, the two-person FZR receives a retractable reboarding ladder. Yamaha's legendary SuperJet, the best selling stand up ever, returns as well.

Yamaha WaterCraft Launches Mobile Services to Interact With Consumers on Their Mobile Handset

Kennesaw, GA - Yamaha WaterCraft Group today announced the launch of two mobile services, one for WaveRunners and one for Yamaha Boats, that enable consumers to receive mobile alerts from Yamaha with the latest news, product info, new accessories and more right on their handset.

In addition, the company is launching mobile Websites for each product line that will go live in conjunction with the introduction of the company’s 2010 WaveRunners® and Boats later this month. The mobile Websites will provide detailed product information, photos, RSS news feeds and much more.

Opting-in to the services is simple:
Consumers can visit www.yamaha-motor.com and enter their mobile number for each product line.

Or they can simply text WAVE to 70734 from their mobile phone to opt-in to the WaveRunner service or text BOAT to 70734 to opt-in to the Yamaha Boat mobile service.

According to Yamaha WaterCraft National Marketing Manager Bryan Seti, the sites are a valuable tool for connecting consumers with the Yamaha brand and keeping them abreast of compelling news.

“Consumers who are interested in our brand and our products are an incredibly passionate group of people and we wanted to explore new and exciting ways of interacting with them,” said Seti. “The mobile handset is quickly developing into the ‘third screen’ for reaching consumers and smart phone adoption continues to grow. In the months and years to come, we will see the mobile channel become an even more important resource with greater capabilities for rich media and a dynamic user experience.”

Yamaha Introduces "After Christmas Summer Blowout" on WaveRunners and Boats

Kennesaw, GA - Fuel prices are half of what they were last summer. Interest rates are at historic lows. The weather’s starting to heat up. And today, on top of all these other great conditions for summertime fun, Yamaha WaterCraft is announcing an unprecedented sales promotion - the first ever After Christmas Summer Blowout.

Yes, it’s way after Christmas, but all work and no play makes Santa a dull boy. So for all you people who play Santa all year round for everyone else, Tis the Season to visit your local Yamaha Boat or WaveRunner dealership.

Qualified Yamaha WaveRunner customers can get:
- $0 down, payments as low as $69/month, at 7.99% APR for 24 months on all 2009 and prior year new and unused Yamaha WaveRunners
PLUS
- Free 5 years of Yamaha Genuine Coverage with the purchase of select new WaveRunner personal watercraft (approximate value of $1,000)
OR
- Up to $1,000 or more in extraordinary savings

Qualified Yamaha Boat customers can get**:
- $0 down and as low as 8.99% APR for the life of the loan on all new and unused 2009 and prior year Yamaha Boats
PLUS
- Free 5 years of Yamaha Genuine Coverage on all new and unused Boats (approximate value of $2,000)
OR
- Up to $5,000 or more in extraordinary savings

PLUS: Yamaha is offering the optional YP3 program for WaveRunner customers who make purchases with HSBC on their Yamaha card. The program helps customers protect their purchase by cancelling 3% of their monthly account balance, up to $300 per month for as long as 6 months, if they should involuntarily lose their job due to the economic downturn.

“This is clearly one of the most aggressive promotions we’ve ever offered,” said Bryan Seti, national marketing manager, Yamaha WaterCraft Group. “With the ability to mix and match between discounts, extended warranties and finance offers, there really is a fit for everyone. And on top of these great deals we are offering the YP3 program to help customers protect their account against future uncertainty with involuntary unemployment protection.”

Additional details on the promotion can be found at www.yamaha-motor.com or at your local Yamaha WaterCraft dealer.

About Yamaha WaterCraft
Yamaha Boats and WaveRunner personal watercraft are products of the Yamaha WaterCraft Group, a division of Yamaha Motor Corporation, USA. Headquartered in Kennesaw, GA, the Yamaha WaterCraft Group is responsible for the sales, marketing and distribution of Yamaha watercraft in the United States. For more information, please visit www.yamaha-motor.com.

Yamaha Boats Become Industry's Top Selling Brand

KENNESAW, GA - JUNE 4, 2009 - Yamaha WaterCraft Group, a division of Yamaha Motor Corporation, USA, today announced that Yamaha is the #1 selling brand in the category of 20’ - 25’ open-bow runabout boats.

According to the most recent registration data from InfoLink® for the top 6 states (CA, FL, MI, NY, TX, WA), for the period of April 2008 through March 2009, sales of Yamaha’s 21 and 23-foot boat lines combined outsold the combined sales of every other brand in the segment for the first time.

“There’s a great deal of competition in the 20 to 25-foot open-bow runabout segment as it remains a highly desirable target market with a lot of volume potential for boat manufacturers,” said Mark Speaks, President of Yamaha
WaterCraft Group. “We have spent years researching what customers in this segment want in a boat, and we have tirelessly pursued bringing these features and attributes to market in innovative ways.”

Yamaha’s top selling line of 21 and 23-foot twin engine boats offer the latest in internal propulsion technology that deliver class leading performance, handling and fuel efficiency. Yamaha introduced the industry’s first No Wake Mode™, an award winning swim platform design, innovative cockpit layout and every feature considered standard - all at a price point that is thousands less than competitive
boats.

About Yamaha WaterCraft Yamaha Boats and WaveRunner personal watercraft are products of the Yamaha WaterCraft Group, a division of Yamaha Motor Corporation, USA. Headquartered in Kennesaw, GA, the Yamaha WaterCraft Group is responsible
for the sales, marketing and distribution of Yamaha watercraft in the United States. For more information, please visit www.yamaha-motor.com.

MacClugage and Yamaha FZR™ Sweeping APBA Watercraft Tour

LAKE ELSINORE, CA - Aboard his Yamaha FZR™, Chris MacClugage is dominating the Pro-Am Runabout Stock class on the APBA® Hydro-Turf National Tour, sweeping the first four rounds this season held in Parker, AZ May 2-3 and Lake Elsinore, CA, May 9-10.

MacClugage has won every Pro-Am Runabout Stock Class moto this season, leading every race from the starting gun to the finish line.

Winning the first races of the year is particularly important as they point to the future potential for the new Yamaha FZR on the closed course, especially as it outperformed competitive boats that have been wrenched on and raced for years.

“We’ve dreamed about the potential for this boat since we first heard rumblings about its creation,” MacClugage said after the wins. “To come out here these past two weeks, and hold the lead against these legacy PWC shows we’re on to something. Macc Racing has just started to crack the potential for this engine and hull.”

“Stock class boats are the closest to production specs that are raced and the inherent platform capabilities of the FZR made it our clear choice for the stock class,” said Bill Chapin of R&D Performance Products. “The results of this race confirm what we knew all along - that the FZR is the most competitive stock class model to date.”

YAMAHA PRODUCES 100,000TH FX® WAVERUNNER®

KENNESAW, GA - Yamaha Watercraft Group, a division of Yamaha Motor Corporation, USA, today announced the production of the 100,000th Yamaha FX® WaveRunner® personal watercraft, making the Yamaha FX one of the most popular watercraft in the history of the PWC industry.

The Yamaha FX WaveRunner is renowned worldwide as the first personal watercraft to feature a four-stroke engine. It has won more design and innovation awards than any other model in the industry including multiple “Watercraft of the Year “honors.

The Yamaha FX Cruiser® SHO is currently the best-selling luxury model in 2009 and was the best-selling luxury performance model in 2008, according to state registration data. The FX Cruiser SHO features the largest displacement engine in a PWC today and is the only luxury model whose performance is compared to other brand’s “musclecraft” models.

In 2008, the FX Cruiser SHO became the first product in the industry to feature hulls and decks engineered using nanotechnology, making them ultra-lightweight and stronger than ever before. For 2009, the Yamaha FX line includes four distinct configurations the FX® SHO, FX Cruiser® SHO, FX® HO and FX Cruiser® HO. All four models feature Yamaha’s proprietary NanoXcel™ hulls and decks.

“Since its inception in 2003, the FX line has focused on exceeding customers’ expectations,” said Bryan Seti, national marketing manager for Yamaha’s Watercraft Group. “We do this by identifying the key attributes that customers tell us they want in their personal watercraft, and then we innovate relentlessly to give them even more. This has always been the spirit behind all of our watercraft, including the FX series, and it continues to be reflected in the popularity of the line year after year.”

Pioneering innovations for Yamaha’s FX Series:
- First PWC to feature a four-stroke engine.
- First PWC to feature Cruiser® seating
- First PWC to feature Electronic Throttle
- First PWC to feature hulls and decks engineered using Nanotechnology
- First PWC to feature Cruise Assist™
- First PWC to feature No Wake Mode™

Two years ago, Yamaha celebrated the production of its one millionth WaveRunner.

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