This is a recent photo of the 15 hp 2 stroke Yamaha that I got when my dad died nearly 20 years ago. I remember he got it in early 1970s when he
retired.
The other day I was trying to locate the owner's manual and called the Yamaha help number. The gentleman who answered asked me for the serial number
so he could send the proper manual. After a few quiet moments which I could hear him typing on his key board he came back and after confirming the
number, he congratulated me on having one of the motors from the very first shipment of Yamaha's to the US. He said they came over in 1972.
I'm curious if anyone has a sense if this is true or not - any Yamahas older than this?jimgrms - 5-6-2014 at 06:03 AM
I think i would do some research on it It might be worth a lot of moneyHook - 5-6-2014 at 08:11 AM
I have to say, I have never seen that particular cowling shape and color/graphic scheme on a Yammy. Looks old to me.
If the dealer went on line and looked it up, I'd say that's ironclad.willardguy - 5-6-2014 at 09:39 AM
.... but does it still catch fish?chuckie - 5-6-2014 at 10:30 AM
buddha, oh ye of little faith....WAY back in the day, I owned a Suzuki shop in Marshalltown Iowa. Suzuki introduced a line of OB motors, small
horsepower. I bought about 20, sold 5 or 6, good little motors. Panic call from my Suzuki rep! Dont sell em!!! They dont meet US standards! I had to
go buy the motors back, at a premium, then watch while the rep destroyed em all.....Where are you O Great Buddha?Hook - 5-6-2014 at 10:51 AM
An interesting read, but I doubt the early Yamaha engineers were really starting from scratch and with zero. I expect they did acquire some US
outboards on the market and began thinking of ways of improving them.
It does appear they developed outboards just ahead of Honda. I did not know that; the first Japanese o/bs I remember seeing were Hondas.Santiago - 5-6-2014 at 10:59 AM
Quote:
Originally posted by bajabuddha
.... but does it still catch fish?
This motor was in lots of salt water in Oregon and Baja as well as summertime Oregon fresh water. After I got it I had it serviced but since then,
it probably gets less that 50 hours a year in high altitude lakes in the Crystal Basin, my home water. I've never done a darn thing to it in 20 years.
Right after the photo was taken, the lead core went off and I knock the Napa Smith Pale Ale off reaching for the rod. Nice 3# brown, thank you very
much.
[Edited on 5-6-2014 by Santiago]Pompano - 5-6-2014 at 11:53 AM
Good subject, I've always enjoy talking outboards and running them.
Yammies have been around quite a while before coming to the US. They first started manufacturing only for use in Japan...and eventually started
exporting to other countries. The UK got them early on in 1960. Thereafter the US in the early 70's. Got much more popular with the 4-strokes
later on for the US market. It sure appears that your 1972 Yamaha might be one of first shipments of that style to the USA.
I've got a couple old outboards hanging in my duckshack's garage up in ND. One's a 1953 7hp Corsair and the other is a 1959 Johnson 20hp. The
Corsair (a division of Scott-Atwater Corp, Mpls, Mn.) was my boyhood motor...and you had to swivel the motor 180 degrees to run in reverse. I loved
that motor then, and still do.
The Johnson was really modern (for me) in that it actually had a hand shift for reverse. I used it on my first solo island-camping trips to northern
Canada...it was bulletproof and economical. And when a rock took you by surprise, it was so easy to fix a broken shear pin with a 8 penny nail.
All are collector items these days..not worth a fortune at auction, but still worth a million bucks of nostalgia.
Photos show the Corsair on Canada fishing trip and at home lake in ND..circa 1954.
Both motors still start & run good to this day, but don't get too much use.
Of interest maybe....Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan are great places to research and/or attend Old Outboard Shows & Auctions. Here's one in
Michigan a couple years back.
