While misery sometimes enjoys company, I want to share our recent experiences with our Yamaha F300. While not as catastrophic as your issue, our F300 has provided us with more than frustration. We have a 2023 R27 that we purchased new in Spring 2024. In July 2025, after only 60 hours of use, our F300’s lower unit suffered a catastrophic bevel gear disintegration in 2-3 foot following seas after leaving the Cape Cod canal: we were towed to the New England Rendezvous. In July 2026, after only 118 hours of operation, our tilt/lift motor failed and with the new motor we can only lower the engine due to an unknown wiring issue in the engine.
Both of these issues occurred right when we were beginning our 4 week Summer cruises. if it weren’t for the heroic efforts of both our Ranger Tugs dealer (Winter Island Yacht Yard in Salem, MA) and our boat yard (Barden’s Boat Yard in Marion, MA), we would have had to cancel our cruises and forfeit about $10,000 in reservations and lose 2 entire summer cruising seasons. Yamaha offered no help in either situation, except to provide rude and insolent responses. BTW, we have an extended warranty on the Yamaha F300.
I understand that things break and may wear out prematurely, but I can accommodate those relatively rare events. However, its not the situation that is the issue, but rather how the situation is dealt with. Yamaha’s response or, perhaps, complete lack of response denotes a company whose culture cares little about its customers. Thanks to our Dealer and Boat Yard, we were able to use our boat and not lose two entire boating seasons. However, the necessary repair parts were back ordered with no indication of when the inventory would be available. Moreover, when a Yamaha rep actually visited the boat, the snotty attitude that accompanied the visit conveyed the reality that is Yamaha.
In 2025, our dealer cannibalized an R27 in inventory so we would have a lower unit. When the replacement lower unit came in 2.5 months later, Yamaha refused to deliver the new lower unit to our boat yard 80 miles away and required our boat be hauled to Salem, MA. BTW, our boat yard in Marion, MA, has many boats with Yamaha engines and are routinely visited by Yamaha techs. Heck, I spoke with one doing a 100 hour service on a boat with twin 300’s.
In 2026, our boat yard scoured the country for a new lift/tilt motor and found one in FL. The manager had to beg to have the item overnighted because of there only seemed to be 7 of these motors anywhere in the country. However, the new lift/tilt motor did not solve the problem, as a more serious electrical issue became apparent. The boat yard arranged for a qualified Yamaha technician to come to the yard to analyze the engine. We disrupted our cruise to return to Marion only to find out that the Yamaha tech canceled at the last minute.
Is our Yamaha F300 a lemon? Maybe, but at this juncture, we’ll never know as Yamaha apparently doesn’t give a rats behind about its customers or stand behind its warranty. We are preparing to do a Great Loop style cruise to Florida and back in 2027-2028, and we trust our Ranger Tugs R27: in fact we love our R27. However, we have no faith in our Yamaha F300, and in Yamaha’s ability to stand behind its products.
I have asked my boat yard to arrange for a Yamaha teck to come to the yard after our boat is hauled in September to analyze and resolve the problem. This will be the final chance for Yamaha to honor its warranty and its supposed “reliability” and customer service reputation. If they fail to show, other avenues of redress are available which I would rather not go down.
While this is not a Ranger Tugs issue, the Yamaha is attached to my R27OB. It does little to the RT reputation to have a wonderfully designed boat either sitting in a boat yard unused or, worse, being towed to a Rendezvous. I am glad that your situation was resolved. I am hoping for a satisfactory resolution, but my faith/trust in Yamaha has been destroyed by their insolent lack of response.
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