Tips for Maintaining Your Yamaha® Outboard Motor

You probably have a lot of plans for the summer on your boat. Even if things aren’t quite back to “normal” getting out on the water is a safe way to enjoy the sunshine and get out of the house. But the only way you can enjoy your next boating adventure is if every part of the vessel is in peak working condition, especially the motor. Your Yamaha motor makes it easy to get around the water quickly, so make sure you’re performing all the essential maintenance expected of you as an owner.

To help you out, Bob Hewes Boats has provided some essential maintenance tips. We’re also happy to help you with any additional questions you might have. We have adjusted hours and are reducing contact, but we’re still open for business, so call one of our locations in North Miami and Pompano Beach, Florida, to see how we can help you. We also serve Miami and Fort Lauderdale.

Use Your Resources

Before you get started on anything, make sure you have all the resources you need. The most important of these is your owner’s manual. Yamaha outboard manuals are chock full of maintenance tips and instructions and it’s an absolute must-have before you get started. While we can give you some basic tips, the only way to know the specific ins and outs of your model is to reference your manual. If you don’t have your manual, head to the Yamaha Outboard website for a copy of it.

While you’re there, you might also want to check out the tutorials that Yamaha provides. They’re the experts on their own engines, and their guides can walk you through more than just basic maintenance.

Regular Motor Maintenance

Regardless of how often you use your boat or run the motor, there are a few maintenance checks and services you’ll want to be performing on a regular basis, the same as you would for your car or motorcycle engine. To access the engine, you’ll probably need to remove the cowling, or the outer cover that protects the motor from water.

One of the best things you can do, regardless of how much personal experience you have with maintenance, is to perform regular inspections. Look for signs of leaking and excessive wear and tear or damage. This can include things like the spark plugs, which will need to be replaced every twelve months or so.

Your Yamaha motor also requires regular oil changes, just like your car. Even if you don’t use your boat very often, you’ll probably still want to do this once every three months, or 20 hours, whichever comes first. You should also be checking the condition of the oil regularly. If you find the oil is dark or sludgy, you should replace it immediately, regardless of when your scheduled change is.

When to Contact a Professional

Of course, not every check can be performed from the comfort of your garage. Whether you don’t have the expertise or you don’t have the tools, you’ll want a professional service team you can call for concerns that should be addressed by a more experienced technician. Luckily, in your manual, Yamaha outlines which checks can be carried out by you and which ones are best left to the pros.

Luckily for you, you’ve got a service team waiting to help. Contact Bob Hewes Boats and we’ll help you with all your Yamaha outboard maintenance concerns, no matter what kind of experience you have! We proudly serve all those from North Miami, Pompano Beach, Miami, and Fort Lauderdale, FL, so contact us today to set up an appointment.