A look inside the Yamaha boat building process in Japan.

[zipper]

 

[buckbuck]

Very interesting. Lots of hand work. Thanks for posting, @zipper

 

[Dave burke]

Very interesting, didn’t even know Yamaha made these kinds of boats. Much less automated than I would have guessed.

 

[zipper]

Very interesting, didn’t even know Yamaha made these kinds of boats. Much less automated than I would have guessed.

Yes, they make boats with inboard and outboard propulsion. Some are big boats. They even made a sailboat in the 80's. There is one on the hard in Shelburne, Vt.

https://jetboaters.net/threads/show-us-what-you-see.4515/page-659#post-647414

 

[CastawayRK]

Pretty cool to see. No wonder boats are so f-ing expensive.

 

[GTBRMC]

Very interesting, didn’t even know Yamaha made these kinds of boats. Much less automated than I would have guessed.

I believe the Yamaha jet boat plant in Tennessee is a bit more automated, but there is still quite a bit of hand work. Note: I have not been there.

Home - Yamaha Jet Boat Careers

yamaha-vonore.com

If you look at the jobs currently posted, they have a combination of hand and robotically applied spray lines:

 

[Scottintexas]

They used a Volvo/penta engine in a Yamaha boat ??

 

[FSH 210 Sport]

Neat vid! I’ll have to go and poke around and see if I can find a brochure for that boat. It is interesting how much wood they were using in the stringers and bulkheads. Looks like there is a heck of a keel on that boat as well.

web page: ボート - マリン製品 | ヤマハ発動機株式会社

Pretty sure the boat in the build vid was a DFR series… it appears that some of them have twin inboards.

 

[zipper]

They used a Volvo/penta engine in a Yamaha boat ??

It is a diesel. They signed a partnership a while back. Volvo Penta, Yamaha Motor Partnership

 

[JetBoatPenguin]

I believe the Yamaha jet boat plant in Tennessee is a bit more automated, but there is still quite a bit of hand work. Note: I have not been there.

Home - Yamaha Jet Boat Careers

yamaha-vonore.com

If you look at the jobs currently posted, they have a combination of hand and robotically applied spray lines:

View attachment 216078

Below is the process that was one YouTube for the US plant I believe. Slightly different...maybe given the size of the Yamaha Pilot boat in Japan versus the Jetboats in the US.Yamaha US Video

 

[FSH 210 Sport]

In my view the US made boats with their automation increases production rate with less people, controls materials better and keeps the cost down. I was just saying to a friend of mine yesterday that bang for the buck you just can’t beat the Yamaha’s. Are they perfect? Nope, perfection is a direction not a place.

 

[buckbuck]

Nope, perfection is a direction not a place.

I have filed that in my memory and will be using it myself.

 

[Smumpower]

Zipper, thanks for posting this. Very interesting process. Not as automated as I thought it would be. While I was stationed on Okinawa, I always saw DFR series around on the water and in the marinas. I wondered why they didn’t offer these good looking Pilot-boats (and walk around) models in the US. Anyone have any ideas or information about it?

 

[PTDoc]

Thanks for sharing. I was amazed at the degree of "hands on" craftsmanship vs automation.

 

[FSH 210 Sport]

I read something years ago that typically the U.S. produces a given widget at 1/4 the amount of energy than other countries. Automation and Robotics produce more consistent products, but humans are still vital to assure a quality product. I watched the video again and while I’m sure there may have been better behavior due to filming, I enjoy watching these craftswomen and craftsmen take pride and the time to produce a quality product.