Yamaha Makes Key Innovations in its Sport Boat Lineup

Articulating keel, lower sound levels and touchscreen helm controls

Yamaha not only shook up its WaveRunner line’s handling with the introduction of RiDE dual throttle-lever controls for 2015, the company has also added a radical new handling enhancement to its class-leading 24’ jet-propelled sport boats – the Articulating Keel.

Essentially a cast-aluminum fin that extends the boat’s molded-in fiberglass keel (but does NOT drop below the hull), the hinged 6” keel is linked directly to an equipped craft’s starboard jet nozzle via a tie-bar, allowing it to track in perfect synchronization with driver input at the wheel. The rudder both continues and elongates the 24’ hull’s new dihedral keel shape, which results in a roughly 6” deep fin at the transom. The new fin-like keel shape extends forward about 13’ before blending into the hull.

New for 2015 is Yamaha’s Articulating Keel, which enhances steering response and sharpens handling.

Yamaha Introduces Dual-Lever “RIDE” Controls

Though Yamaha touts the articulating keel as quickening steering response, enhancing straight-line tracking and sharpening handling at virtually any speed, its effects are perhaps most noticeable at no-wake speeds, where jets tend to wander from side to side due to their lack of rudder or outdrive extending deep into the water. Yamaha had previously addressed this issue with the Thrust Directional Enhancer, a solution that pivoted the jet pump nozzle slightly downward to act as a hydro fin. The articulating keel further enhances this low-speed control and allows the boat to track relatively straight with minimal course corrections.

We found that articulating keel was a big benefit at no-wake speeds.

As promised, the new keel shape and articulating keel also help sharpen the boat’s handling. Crank the wheel hard over and you don’t feel the drift or skid often felt in a jet, but instead a much more precise, locked-in carving turn. In a similar vein, the hull also tracks straighter and truer in rough water.

Safe Tubing Behind Your PWC

Another notable improvement over Yamaha jets of the past is a dramatic reduction in noise level underway. In previous tests I’ve recorded sound levels as high as the upper 90 dBa region at top speed, a sound level roughly comparable to an electric drill or loud club. Combined with the noise’s higher pitch, it made it difficult to comfortably converse at speed. Yamaha has now addressed the issue with Quiet Cruise, a collection of solutions from the obvious thicker insulation below the engine hatch and better seal around the compartment opening to less obvious tweaks like changing the design of the pump inlets to reduce turbulence and introducing a new coupler material in the link between the engine and driveshaft. A longstanding trouble spot – hull resonance – was also addressed, with changes in the placement of the adhesive between liner and hull resulted in a marked improvement.

With Quiet Cruise, Yamaha has cut down on the noise emitted from its 24-foot Sport boats.

The results are both noticeable and measurable. At top speed, sound levels are down into the low 90 dBa region, a significant improvement given the logarithmic nature of the decibel scale. Low-speed noise, most notable during those slow-speed evening cruises, is also down dramatically, as much as 10 dBA at no-wake speeds. Take a test ride and you’ll notice the difference, especially if you have an older model to use as a point of comparison.

PWC-Propelled Jet Packs Taking Off…Literally

The final big-ticket enhancement is Yamaha’s Connext touchscreen helm display. A quick read on virtually all the major info you’d get from dash gauges (and more), I found the 7” Connext extremely intuitive to use, in part thanks to the clever joystick control Yamaha added in addition to the touchscreen. Connext also is used to control the radio, which now includes both satellite and Bluetooth connectivity.

Also new for 2015 is Yamaha’s Connext touchscreen.

Combined, the changes should only enhance Yamaha’s leadership role in the segment. “There’s been a sea change shift in customer thinking,” explained Watercraft division general manager Bryan Seti of Yamaha’s dominance over sterndrives in the 19’, 21’ and 24’ segments. “Gone are the days of heavy boats with 24” drafts, clunky gear shifting, half the cockpit filled with an engine cover, tons of annual maintenance and liquids, and lackluster performance.

“Welcome to the new generation of boating. It’s better on every accord, even the price.”