Edition No.181

December 2023

The Abaco Islands lie in the northern Bahamas, located about 193 miles northeast of Miami, Florida. The Abaco’s island chain is a boating, fishing, and sailing paradise, but it’s not just the sea that attracts travelers from around the world. Those who prefer to explore by land will find charming colonial towns, championship golf courses, and countless hotels, restaurants, and bars. Many wealthy people, especially in the USA, come to Abaco during their holidays to spend time in their luxury second homes.

Abaco is a beautiful and lovely island, however in 2019, Category-5 Hurricane Dorian ravaged our beautiful Abaco Islands for more than 30 hours with tidal surges and powerful winds that reached a maximum wind speed gusts of 360 km/hour. Most of the northern parts of Great Abaco Island and its surrounding cays were destroyed, and Bay Breeze Marina & Storage, a Yamaha distributor in Abaco, was no exception. On that day, they had 45 boats stored, all were destroyed and declared a total loss, and some were never found. Their warehouse and boatyard were completely destroyed, and anything that was left and salvageable was looted after the hurricane.

Most parts of the island were destroyed, and many business owners went out of business. But President Mr. Stephen Albury, who has an unyielding fighting spirit, never gave up.
During the next few months, he began to put back the pieces and had Generators and basic supplies brought to the island. He then purchased a used RV motorhome from Florida, shipped it over, and established a basement to spend time in Abaco. All was going well and the island was beginning to rebound, however the COVID-19 pandemic hit and the islands were shut down in late March 2020. This was especially bad for Abaco as Bay Breeze still needed so much help from all sectors and it came to a screeching halt. He ran a generator by the temporary sales facility for more than 18 months as power would take a while to be restored as so much of the transmission lines were damaged.

His family was committed to the island, so he took it all in stride and just worked the best he could until June 2023 when the new Service Facility was completed and opened for business. The new building is outstanding, boat storage is large, it can store about 75 boats, and it can store over 45ft class boats up to 24,000 Lbs. The new showroom will open next year in the downtown to increase Bay Breeze Marina & Storage presence in Abaco. In addition to that, a very strong dealership newly joined to the network of Bay Breeze Marina & Storage, facility and network is stronger than ever before. Still supply of products is a problem, especially in golf cars, but once this is solved, the competition will have a very hard time. It has been a long 4 years since Dorian, but finally the future is bright.

The Abaco Islands are recovering fast and it is fortunate to have many large upscale communities with vacation homes owned by foreign residents who love to visit the Abaco’s and some have been coming for more than 40 Years. Investments in the area are very strong, evidenced by those multi-million-dollar vacation homes and luxury yachts of 40 feet or longer lining the piers in the remote islands after most of the boats were destroyed.

Now, the mission of Bay Breeze Marina & Storage is not only to take care of local customers, but also to take care of customers who bring their boats from the USA. To satisfy the demands of such high-end clients who want to fully enjoy their limited time during their stay, Bay Breeze Marina & Storage offers express repair services. Thanks to this expert service, outboards needing repair in the morning can be serviced quickly enough for the client to enjoy an afternoon outing on the same day. They have master technicians onsite who can service high-end outboard models and the integrated boat control system. Bay Breeze Marina & Storage supports Yamaha users by providing the best possible vacation experiences in the Abaco.

In August, Yamaha announced the 2024 WaveRunner lineup, which consists of 20 models.

The lineup includes a model with a 1.9L High Output Engine, the largest displacement in the industry to date, attracting much attention.
This new 1,898cc, 4-stroke, 4-cylinder, 16-valve High Output Engine replaced the 1.8L High Output Engine used in the models until 2023.
The newly designed intake system, cylinder head, muffler, and water cooling system have greatly improved, resulting in higher power output, stronger torque, and a quicker and smoother acceleration. Additionally, the cylinder diameter has been increased (from 86mm diameter to 88mm diameter) without changing the basic size to achieve the largest displacement in the industry.
For the first time, Yamaha adopted the use of plant-derived cellulose nanofiber (CNF) reinforced resin for the engine cover. The CNF is 25% lighter than conventional resin materials and is highly recyclable, which helps reduce plastic use and greenhouse gas emissions, mainly carbon dioxide.

For the 2024 models, the new High Output Engine is equipped on the FX Cruiser HO, FX HO, GP HO, VX Limited HO, and VX Cruiser HO.

All FX Series models feature a 7-inch color touchscreen and the CONNEXT Information System, which includes audio controls, phone and text notifications, GPS navigation, and Drive Control for customizing the ride.

In addition to the existing Comfort and Performance modes, Tow and Economy modes have been added to Drive Control, allowing speed and trim settings for each driving mode. When each mode is set, an icon for the mode appears on the touch screen.

1. Using 24V accessories with batteries on a twin boat engine

With this wiring, there is a potential difference of 12V between the two outboard motors (OMs).
If the boat is placed into seawater, an excessive current will flow between the OMs through the seawater.
In other words, avoid this kind of electrical wiring to prevent electric corrosion from rapidly occurring.

2. Two engines share one battery

With this electrical wiring plan, the two OMs share a single negative terminal on a battery, resulting in no potential difference, unlike the first example.
In this setup, lowering the boat into seawater will not cause any problems, but let's take a look at the electrical flow when the No.2 OM is started.
The flow of electricity at startup usually goes from the battery's positive terminal to the No.2 OM starter motor's positive terminal and then to the No.2 OM starter motor's negative terminal, continuing to the No.2 OM and proceeding to the battery's negative terminal, and there seems to be no particular problem.
However, because the No.2 OM and the No.1 OM are electrically connected in seawater, a flow is also formed from the battery's positive terminal to the No.2 OM starter motor's positive terminal and then to the No.2 OM starter motor's negative terminal, which continues to the No.2 OM advancing to the No.1 OM and also the battery's negative terminal.

Is it electric corrosion? If you think so, inspect

The two examples above demonstrate incorrect wiring and should never be done.
1. Resolve the confusion between 12V and 24V wiring.
2. Use one battery for one outboard motor.
These are the basic rule of thumb.

Electric corrosion occurs in the market due to a variety of factors.
Is the problem with the outboard motor itself? Or is the boat accessory miswired? How about the environment where the boat is used? Let's start by narrowing it down. Remove all wires from the battery except the OM battery cable and check to see if the OM by itself is causing electric corrosion.
If electric corrosion persists after removing all wires, the problem may be due to the OM or the environment. Inspect the outboard motor and check how other boats in the same environment are used.
Problems relating to electric corrosion can be difficult to solve. Gaining a wide range of knowledge and experience is necessary, but at the same time, learning from experienced people is just as important. The previous four installments on this topic are just the fundamentals, so please read them carefully to understand experienced people.

During the campaign, we provide some specials for customers, such as 20% off spare parts, discounted oils and YAMALUBEs, free spark plugs with the purchase of oil, special offer on OBM model 200AETX, and free YAMALUBE T-shirts, keychains, and arm sleeves.
This campaign has been a success, and we believe such an initiative contributes to creating more customer confidence in Yamaha outboard motors as well as expanding the business.
We are committed to maintaining our dominance in Bahrain by continuing customer-orientated activities with the integrated force of 3S.

First of all, we defined some key principles for our service activities & market approaches listed below:
1. Customer-Centric Focus:
　 Understand our customers’ needs, preferences, and problems. Develop services that address these aspects, providing value to our customers.
2. Segmentation:
　 Segment our customer base to tailor our services better. Different customer groups may have unique requirements, and our strategy should reflect that.
3. Personalization:
　 Offer personalized experiences where possible. Use customer data to customize services, recommendations, and interactions.
4. Quality and Consistency:
　 Ensure that our services consistently meet or exceed customer expectations. Consistency builds trust and loyalty.
5. Feedback and Improvement:
　 Continuously gather feedback from customers and use it to refine and improve services. Customer feedback is invaluable for fine-tuning our strategy.
6. Multi-Channel Engagement:
　 Engage with customers through various channels, including in-person, online, social media, and more, depending on the target customers.
7. Technology Integration:
　 Leverage technology to streamline processes, enhance customer experiences, and stay competitive. Examples include chatbots, mobile apps, and data analytics.
8. Employee Training:
　 Train the staff to provide exceptional service, as they are often the face of our organization. Skilled & expert technicians can lead to happy customers.
9. Competitive Analysis:
　 Monitor the competitors and adapt our strategy as needed. Keep an eye on emerging trends and technological advancements that could impact the market.
10. Long-Term Relationships:
　 Aim to build long-term relationships with customers. Repeat business and customer loyalty are often more valuable than one-time service or approach.

Overall, the approaches and strategies of our service activities to customers are about creating a customer-centric culture within the organization and consistently delivering high-quality services that cater to our target customers’ needs and preferences.

Marketing Strategy and Activity Plan

Yamaha Marine business has a vast dealer network, and sales promotions are regularly conducted. Along with the existing team, we have dedicated personnel working to achieve the desired results.

As Oman has a vast coastal area, we need to reach out to fishermen who are based at vital locations and where we do not have our 3S facility.
Thus, currently we have two trucks to reach out and service the customers. It is important to provide service & build “Brand Confidence.”
Additionally, to respond to customers’ requests living far from our workshops, we will be introducing “ Service on Wheels” -Service Vans to maximize the coverage of service.
By using the “Service on Wheels,” which has a crane on it, we can repair engines immediately at their port or bring them back to our workshops easily.

To meet the growing market, we are planning to expand the service operations, such as a new service workshop. We are committed to maintaining our dominance in Oman by continuing customer-oriented activities with our service principles and strategy.

This time Hooked! Fishing Report will present salmon fishing, which is popular in Canada. In June, I experienced the unique use of outboard motors when salmon fishing while visiting Vancouver Island in British Columbia. Many customers use their outboard motors for salmon fishing.

Single or twin large outboard motors with a smaller outboard motor setup are used on salmon fishing boats. The small outboard motor is called the "kicker," and the large outboard motor is called the "main motor." Each outboard motor has a different purpose. First, use the main motor to get to the fishing spot. It takes about 40 minutes from the pier.

During the transit, the kicker is tilted up to prevent failure due to external factors turning the propeller. Upon arrival at the fishing spot, the main motor is switched off while the kicker is turned on. The trolling speed is adjusted to 3-5 km/h to match the swimming speed of the salmon. At this time, the main motor should be tilted down to make it work like a rudder to assist in turning.

When a salmon is hooked, the fight is on. Stabilize the rod tip at a high angle. Keep a constant reeling speed and maintain proper line tension when reeling in and out. The British Columbia regulations require trolling lures to be barbless hooks, which increase the chance for the fish to get away, creating a more thrilling fishing experience. This was my first experience of salmon fishing. The photo shows how big the fish is and the excitement I enjoyed during the fight.

Even with only the kicker running while trolling, a lot of power is required for the downriggers, deck wash, air conditioning, and GPS fish finder. For this reason, many of our customers have asked us to increase the power generated by the kicker. In other words, the amount of power output is important, along with the horsepower and quietness of the outboard motors. In addition, the SBW (steer-by-wire) feature is increasingly installed on the large outboard motors used for the main motor, and it is also important to connect the kicker to it.

Finally, YMCA, which distributes Yamaha products in Canada, is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year and has produced a special video in the Canadian market to commemorate this occasion. There is also a video of salmon fishing in Vancouver, so please click on the link below to watch it.

YMC is located in Shizuoka Prefecture, where endangered loggerhead sea turtles come ashore to nest on the sandy beaches. Since 1991, YMC has organized sea turtle hatchlings observation events to protect the loggerhead sea turtles. In this conservation effort, employees with their families and friends volunteer to clean and restore the beaches*.

*Beach restoration is the process of revitalizing beaches where vegetation has been lost due to typhoons, storm surges, and other disasters by bringing ecological hemp bags filled with sand and seeds of kobomugi (Japanese sedge) into the damaged area.

On September 2 this year, the event was held at a beach in Hamamatsu. Despite the severe heat on the event day, 436 people participated. Participants were asked to take sufficient measures to prevent heat stroke, and the event was successfully completed without accidents or injuries.
At the Sea Turtle Hatchlings Observation Event, participants learned about hatchlings through a collaboration with an NPO. Then, the participants, mainly small children, were able to directly touch and release about 100 hatchlings into the sea. Many participants from this event voiced how much this experience moved them.
In the Sustainable Beach Project, participants enthusiastically cleaned up and collected a large amount of debris, bottles, cans, and other trash. 40 people participated in the beach restoration activities.
The event will be continuously held every year to conserve the coast where loggerhead sea turtles come ashore to lay eggs.