Yamaha’s stand at the Hutchwilco Boat Show covers a lot of ground. Outboards across the full range, Torqeedo electrics, YAM inflatable RIBs new to the New Zealand market, and the latest evolution of Helm Master EX. Several of these are appearing locally for the first time.
The headline hardware is the Helm Master EX wireless controller. Yamaha was the first manufacturer to put joystick control on a single engine. Now they are the first to cut the cord. The wireless unit is a handheld device with a joystick at the top and controls below, delivering the same functionality as the fixed unit already on the boat. The wireless works alongside the fixed joystick, not instead of it, so the fixed controller is a prerequisite. Once you have it, you can manage the boat from anywhere onboard.
The system comes with man overboard fobs. If the skipper goes in the water, the engine stops. Multiple fobs can be assigned. For single-handed and short-handed boating, the combination of remote joystick control and automatic engine cutoff covers a lot of the risk that comes with working the bow or the stern alone.
Torqeedo is the other significant news. Yamaha acquired the electric motor brand in 2024 and is beginning to distribute it through the Yamaha dealer network in New Zealand from this year. The Torqeedo brand stays intact, now referenced as part of the Yamaha Motor Group.
The unit on the stand has a removable battery that charges via standard plug or direct solar panel connection, compatible with various solar controllers. For anyone at anchor for extended periods or living aboard, the battery can come off the boat entirely, go ashore, and charge at a café or wherever power is available. It also plugs into rooftop solar, so marina power is not a requirement.
YAM inflatable RIBs are new to New Zealand, available in Europe for some years already. Fully inflatable with floor inserts for rigidity, no hard hull bottom, four sizes from 2.7 metres up to around four metres. The 2.7 suits smaller vessels needing a compact tender, while the larger four-metre model is aimed at bigger boats with more crew to move around.
The show specials are aimed at the repower market. Special pricing runs on the F60 and F130 four-strokes, giving owners of older engines a reason to act. Finance is 5.99% fixed for up to eight years across the entire Yamaha range, and that rate applies to boat, motor and trailer packages together, not just the Yamaha component. One of the team described it as dangerous and impressive. Hard to argue.
The repower push is deliberate. Yamaha’s position is that their dealer network holds the expertise to assess and execute engine swaps, and that most modern boat manufacturers are flexible on engine choice. The Fin Chaser team next door confirmed as much. At 5.99% over eight years, the numbers are easier to make work than they have been for a while.
