Yamaha Outboard Motors
The National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA®) and Boating Writers International (BWI) honored Yamaha Marine Group with its Innovation Award in the outboard motor category for the Yamaha VMAX SHO® during the 20th annual International Boatbuilders’ Exhibition and Conference (IBEX®) at the Kentucky Exposition Center.
The Innovation Awards program is one of the marine industry’s most prestigious honors. It recognizes products that demonstrate innovative distinction from other products, with tangible benefits for both consumers and the marine industry.
The Innovation Awards judging committee is comprised of BWI members who perform product testing throughout the year and have specific expertise in marine OEM products and equipment. “We are delighted with this honor,” said Ben Speciale, Yamaha Marine Group President. “Innovation is a necessity if you want to break paradigms, and that’s what we did with the VMAX SHO®. We have a four stroke with breakthrough weight that out performs two strokes in many ways and provides best-in-class acceleration.” Very seldom in engineering does adding one material to another result in a decrease in weight and an increase in efficiency, but that’s what one innovative new process does in the Yamaha VMAX SHO®. Its powerhead uses plasma fused sleeveless cylinders instead of steel sleeves.
