Like Chris said brand loyalty is regional and probably a result of good dealers. Yamaha “boats” are some of the best like MHP and Regulator, which is most likely the reason they not struggling like some of the lesser quality boats.
Whistling- You don’t really think people buy NEW boats just b/c they have a Yamaha? Used may be a different story.
Chris-You should become a Merc service center too. There are plenty of Mercs on the water around here, many more than just 4 or 5 years ago, just not many places to get them serviced
I would thinks Fountains have a niche market. There not just like all the other CC’s and I’d be suprised if they didn’t come back soon
Whistling- You don’t really think people buy NEW boats just b/c they have a Yamaha? Used may be a different story.
I would not buy a new boat with a mercury on it. If I am going to pay the new boat price it will have the power on it that I want. I know some people love them and that is all they will buy but like Ford and Chevrolet you have a lot of brand loyalty. I seem to have more bad luck with Mercurys than yamaha. I personally have never had a yamaha leave me but have been stranded by a couple of mercs. Now there may be and probably are many other factors at play here but that is the way the cards fell for me.
If you can’t fix it with a hammer, you’ve got an electrical problem.
One’s own personal experience with a product seems to mean the most to a person. I’ve had both, and I like both. They are both good products, IMO. That being said, I’ve also had problems with both. Just like any product, you’re going to have problems sometimes. So, personally, I’ll gladly by either. I generally try to avoid ANY used outboard whenever possible, though, regardless of brand, because you just don’t know how the previous owner treated the engine, and I think improper break-in, fluid choice, and maintenance may lead to a lot of problems that people have (not meaning you, S4G). Of course, you can’t always buy a new boat, so that’s obviously unavoidable sometimes.
Gotcha Covered,
Lee Strickland
Strickland Marine Insurance, Inc.
843-795-1000 / 800-446-1862
Like Chris said brand loyalty is regional and probably a result of good dealers. Yamaha “boats” are some of the best like MHP and Regulator, which is most likely the reason they not struggling like some of the lesser quality boats.
Whistling- You don’t really think people buy NEW boats just b/c they have a Yamaha? Used may be a different story.
Chris-You should become a Merc service center too. There are plenty of Mercs on the water around here, many more than just 4 or 5 years ago, just not many places to get them serviced
I would thinks Fountains have a niche market. There not just like all the other CC’s and I’d be suprised if they didn’t come back soon
Chris has been doing the work on my Merc. I think they work on a good bit of them.
I know many won’t buy a boat w/ XYZ engine. My point is people, at least rational people, don’t buy new Pathfinders or Regulators etc b/c they have Yamaha engines, they buy it b/c they like the boat. The Yamaha name may enhance it for some, detract for others. It’s not going to dictate the success or failure of a boat company.
I’m aware Chris works on Mercs. I should have been clearer and said warranty work, that is what I meant
That’s a cool video. Did anyone notice a difference in the way those boats were handling the water?
Gotcha Covered,
Lee Strickland
Strickland Marine Insurance, Inc.
843-795-1000 / 800-446-1862
The part that impresses me the most it the actual distance the boat remains completely out of the water. Wonder if the captain is backing off during those periods. I can not imagine what that must do to a power head and lower unit at that frequency I don’t care who makes it.
If you can’t fix it with a hammer, you’ve got an electrical problem.
Yes, they do ride the throttle when necessary. What I was talking about is if you look at all the boats in that video and compare how they handle the sea, you can see that some of them really see-saw or porpoise up and down (bow to aft) heavily as they hurdle the swells, like horses jumping fences, and that the Fountains stay a lot more level and display a lot less leaping and see-sawing (whatever the right word is); they do more cutting and gliding and stay more level, rather than arcing over the waves. At least that’s what it looks like to me and what I’ve experienced. I saw two Fountains–a white one near the beginning, which left the pack behind, and a dark one in the end of the video, also leaving the pack. I couldn’t really make out most of the others. The engines also looked to leave the water less, and they basically left the pack in the dust. Those were supposedly sold 4-foot seas with an 18 MPH wind. So, anyway, that’s why I hope Fountain survives (because I like fast ocean boats). Their product absolutely jams on a rough ocean, especially at high speed. There are plenty of great boats out there, but they know how to make a solid, fast ocean boat, and I’d hate to see that go away. Anyway, I was pointing this out because I think this is what attracts fast-boat buyers to Fountain. There are a lot of great boats out there, and some may even be better fishing boats out, but Fountain does it’s special job very well, and it’s kind of a unique animal that sets a standard in it’s class.
Gotcha Covered,
Lee Strickland
Strickland Marine Insurance, Inc.
843-795-1000 / 800-446-1862
I think Yellowfin makes a beatiful boat (and always have). I can’t see the video from this computer that I’m working from right now. What does it show?
Gotcha Covered,
Lee Strickland
Strickland Marine Insurance, Inc.
843-795-1000 / 800-446-1862
I heard the boats with the Verado 350s in the grove slam race including the Fountian in the start had issues with the motors going into guardian mode when the props left the water, which they are desighned to do but they would have to back throttle all the way back on engine to reset. The Fountian that won had 300xs and I don’t think they had the same issues.
Whistling- You don’t really think people buy NEW boats just b/c they have a Yamaha? Used may be a different story.
I KNOW PEOPLE BUY BOATS B/C THEY HAVE A YAMAHA ON THEM. If I was to put a boat with a yamaha on it and had the exact boat with a mercury on it I guarantee if I traveled around the country the boat with the yamaha would outsell the one with a mercury by 3 to 1.
Also gotchacovered I sell bass boats and we go head to head with a lot of bass boast with mercs on that back. The one thing that allows us to sell over a mercury is reliabilty.
FYI Yamaha will be coming out with new four strokes that are suppose to out run any mercury. Thats what they tell us so we will see but that would hurt mercury a whole lot if that happens.
From reds to marlin you got it.
2001 210 Sea Fox
2009 Yamaha F150
In the Pacific Northwest (Puget Sound, Pacific ocean) I have seen more Mercury and Mariner motors than all other brands combined…ever since I was a kid it has been that way. My boat came with a mercury and it isnt worth repowering but I have had no issue with mine. Of course it is pre-optimax. I use it in salt and fresh quite frequently. Oh, speaking of that. Lee, I need to call and update my policy. I bought a new trailer
"I KNOW PEOPLE BUY BOATS B/C THEY HAVE A YAMAHA ON THEM. If I was to put a boat with a yamaha on it and had the exact boat with a mercury on it I guarantee if I traveled around the country the boat with the yamaha would outsell the one with a mercury by 3 to 1. "
Travel around the country and look at the motors on the back of boats then get back with us on that one.
You want to talk reliability? Go to Alaska and look what the commercial guys run on skiffs up there. You think you’re screwed around here when your engine fails 50 miles offshore?? Up there, 7 out of 10 times, you’re dead.
I agree that yamaha makes a good motor just like other outboard companies do as well. I’ve had and run mercs/mariners, hondas, yamahas, johnsons, tohatsu, suzukis, forces(Biggest POS}, and a seagull.
Of all the motors I’ve run the most trouble free one for years has been a Merc 115 that I bolted on the back of my Whaler in 1992 after blowing up a johnson on it. Same merc is still running as strong as the day I got it with well over 10k hours on it with one poppet valve and water pump changed 2 years ago and one stator.
Russ B.
God is great, Beer is good, People are crazy
"I KNOW PEOPLE BUY BOATS B/C THEY HAVE A YAMAHA ON THEM. If I was to put a boat with a yamaha on it and had the exact boat with a mercury on it I guarantee if I traveled around the country the boat with the yamaha would outsell the one with a mercury by 3 to 1. "
Travel around the country and look at the motors on the back of boats then get back with us on that one.
You want to talk reliability? Go to Alaska and look what the commercial guys run on skiffs up there. You think you’re screwed around here when your engine fails 50 miles offshore?? Up there, 7 out of 10 times, you’re dead.
I agree that yamaha makes a good motor just like other outboard companies do as well. I’ve had and run mercs/mariners, hondas, yamahas, johnsons, tohatsu, suzukis, forces(Biggest POS}, and a seagull.
Of all the motors I’ve run the most trouble free one for years has been a Merc 115 that I bolted on the back of my Whaler in 1992 after blowing up a johnson on it. Same merc is still running as strong as the day I got it with well over 10k hours on it with one poppet valve and water pump changed 2 years ago and one stator.
Russ B.
God is great, Beer is good, People are crazy
The number one selling saltwater boat in the nation is a Sea Hunt. Sea Hunt is sold with Yamaha only now. I have been to a lot of places especially now that I am in the marine business and you see a lot more yamahas everywhere. The only other motor you may see up north more then a yamaha is a Honda. Im not talking about how motors use to be built I am talking new motors and new motor sales. Sure you see a lot of old mercs and mariners in freshwater because that is what was sold for a long time in the freshwater market but they do not even build mariners anymore and mercurys have changed a whole lot.
“The number one selling saltwater boat in the nation is a Sea Hunt. Sea Hunt is sold with Yamaha only now. I have been to a lot of places especially now that I am in the marine business and you see a lot more yamahas everywhere. The only other motor you may see up north more then a yamaha is a Honda. Im not talking about how motors use to be built I am talking new motors and new motor sales. Sure you see a lot of old mercs and mariners in freshwater because that is what was sold for a long time in the freshwater market but they do not even build mariners anymore and mercurys have changed a whole lot.”
Um, visit the NW and walk docks and look at NEW motors on boats, Merc hands down.
I spend a fair bit of time in marinas all over the world and the country and espicially the Pacific NW. I think it has more to do with waters one will be using, ie: tougher the water, tougher the motor better be.
“The number one selling saltwater boat in the nation is a Sea Hunt”
According to Sea Hunt? Where did you get this info if I may ask? Did a google search and it seems like every boat manufacturer says thier boats are the number one seller in the nation. Again tho, yamaha does make a great motor as do others.
Russ B.
God is great, Beer is good, People are crazy
I think everyone’s personal experiences are going to play in to this one. My granddad had one POS merc back in the 60s or 70s and he was an OMC guy after that, which means that my dad is now an OMC guy. I don’t think I would buy an OMC now. Don’t get me wrong, I’m still running my 1986 70 Hp Evinrude and it has been a great engine but from what I’ve read about Yamahas and Evinrudes on this forum, one day when I am rich I’m going to buy me a boat with twin yamahas.
“The number one selling saltwater boat in the nation is a Sea Hunt. Sea Hunt is sold with Yamaha only now. I have been to a lot of places especially now that I am in the marine business and you see a lot more yamahas everywhere. The only other motor you may see up north more then a yamaha is a Honda. Im not talking about how motors use to be built I am talking new motors and new motor sales. Sure you see a lot of old mercs and mariners in freshwater because that is what was sold for a long time in the freshwater market but they do not even build mariners anymore and mercurys have changed a whole lot.”
Um, visit the NW and walk docks and look at NEW motors on boats, Merc hands down.
I spend a fair bit of time in marinas all over the world and the country and espicially the Pacific NW. I think it has more to do with waters one will be using, ie: tougher the water, tougher the motor better be.
“The number one selling saltwater boat in the nation is a Sea Hunt”
According to Sea Hunt? Where did you get this info if I may ask? Did a google search and it seems like every boat manufacturer says thier boats are the number one seller in the nation. Again tho, yamaha does make a great motor as do others.
Russ B.
God is great, Beer is good, People are crazy
i’ll agree to disagree. Tracker is the number one selling boat in the nation while Sea Hunt for the last 2 years has had the title of number one selling saltwater boat. It is real easy to find this information out by the amount of registrations on new boats.
From reds to marlin you got it.
2001 210 Sea Fox
2009 Yamaha F150
“The versatile Carolina Skiff line has been a mainstay for the dealership for seven years and is the number one selling outboard powered saltwater fishing boat in the nation”
“More Bayliner boats are sold then any other manufacturer, that in itself says something about how we stand behind our product.”
“Grady White continues to sell more outboard driven boats in the US then anyone else.”
Is there a central web site that is not affliated with any builder or dealer that compiles numbers of sold salt water boats? Or is it taken from all the 50 states registrations and if so, who compiled it?
Russ B.
God is great, Beer is good, People are crazy
Bought my merc in Bellingham.