The Yamaha F350 caused a major stir when it was unveiled. What it really needed was a boat that could handle the power. Alex Smith gets a sneak preview of the epic Yamarin 80 DC.

Our impeccably professional facilitator at Yamaha UK had made some calls. The wheels had been set in motion and, from an entirely unrelated press event, I was whisked away in a car with two other European journalists to the wilds of Finland for a sneak preview of a boat nobody in the UK had yet seen. It was to be a boat based on a line of sports cruisers with an outstanding dynamic pedigree, from a brand quickly gaining a committed fan base in the UK. Better still, this flagship express was to be adorned with a flagship engine, in the form of Yamaha’s spectacular F350. Even if it hadn’t been for the palpable exclusivity of a secretive session, this test would still have stood out for me as one of the major highlights of my boating year.

Down on the water, things were ready. The Yamarin 80 DC, rigged and fuelled, sat alongside the pontoon nose first, European-style. The bow rail, angled in to the shore, beckoned us on board through elevated gurad rails, up a tapered wedge of foredeck teak to the screen and down into an enormous two-level cockpit. And as you might expect, we were greeted with nothing but quality and elegance. From the firm, sculpted cushions in modest colours to the teak lining on the deck and the thick stainless railings, it all made me feel like this was going to be a special day out.

Yamarin range explained

There are 25 boats in the current Yamarin line-up, ranging in length from 4.1 to 8.1 metres and split into seven different types of craft. These types include some very dynamic driving boats in the form of bow riders, console boats and walkarounds but the DC (Day Cruiser) range is by no means the sedate and ponderous sibling. On the contrary, given our experience of these craft on previous occasions, the SB&IB testing team is united in its conviction that the Yamarin DC range is among the most exciting sports cruiser line-ups available today. The 80 DC now heads that range as the brand’s flagship craft.

The details

From the outside I have to admit that the 80 DC looks a touch uninspiring. Yes, the lines are attractive and there is plenty to be said for Yamarin’s tendency toward understatement in preference to ostentation but the graphics are inescapably tame. And if I were buying Yamarin’s biggest, quickest, most expensive and most powerful craft, I would want to see a small flourish in the detail just to reaffirm the fact that this is something memorable - not much, just a small graphic twist to add to the sense of occasion and let me know that I had made the right choice.

Even so, quality is beyond question. At the driver’s end of the cockpit, you get a very fine two-man helm-seat, a broad set of moulded steps to the foredeck and a wide sliding cabin door. That leaves no real room for a chair to port so instead you get a corner seat angled inboard and moulded into the GRP structure of the boat’s topsides. It’s an excellent compromise and one which you will appreciate the moment you take a seat at the helm, because the helm station really is delightful. There is an enormous amount of space, great support, an excellent view, fine protection and a reversible seat back that allows you to turn the entire deck into a very attractive al fresco lounge.

Back aft, flanking that immense Yamaha F350 is a pair of sponsons that achieve a variety of things. Firstly, they provide the extra aft buoyancy required to cope with the weight of the big Yam. Secondly, they create an extended space for swimming, storage and watersports preparation. And thirdly, they enable any on-water engine checks to be carried out with ease and comfort. There’s also a platform just forward of the engine. It’s cleverly mounted on hinges so that, when you trim the engine all the way up, the platform moves out of the way as the top of the cowling makes contact with the rollers on the platform’s underside. It’s all very clever, well exectuted stuff.

Built for purpose

The whole point of this boat is to function as a platform for the F350 and the Yamarin achieves that with a heavyweight build, a long waterline length and a pair of sponsons that flank the engine, way aft of the transom. Add to that a hull  based on the tried and tested 76 and the result is an undeniably dynamic 50-knot plus sports cruiser with the poise to keep you comfortable on a long run and the poke to see you hitting 48 knots from a standstill in just 16 seconds. It really is a silly amount of fun.

Elsewhere, the forward part of the cockpit is elevated in order to accommodate a second berth beneath it and, while you might imagine that this increased height might cause the forward cockpit to be a little too shallow, somehow, the equally elevated screen still manages to offer first-rate protection without actually spoiling the raked angles of the boat. This set up also gives you excellent visibility from the helm but, if you sit in the aft part of the cockpit, the raised forward section prevents you from seeing the view forward of the big two-man helm seat. That’s not ideal but the pay off for this two-level accommodation is an aft cockpit that feels immensely deep and secure, making it ideal for your kids or else for sheltering from the elements.

Down below, things are bit less positive. The cabin does most of what you want it to achieve in a practical sense. It sleeps four and seats a family around a table in the V of the forward space. But while quality and style, cleanliness and modernity permeate the upper space of the 80 DC at every turn, down here, things have the feel of a granny annexe, with stripy seat backs, natty little curtain ties, a flimsy peach coloured partition serving as a wall and some of that ‘skin-print’ leatherette style fabric on the ceiling. It’s subjective I know but, on a boat of this evident calibre, I would want the materials and styling down below to match the excellence of those on deck. 

The engine

The F350 was the first ever V8 four-stroke outboard engine. It has since been joined by various other 350hp units but with a big displacement of 5.3 litres, its 365kg bulk (plus prop) makes it the heaviest engine in its class, with a big block that makes even 400hp a distinct possibility in the future. But either way, on the end of the 80 DC the performance of the F350 is superb at every point in the rev range, with a rare blend of savagery and refinement that is everything you could want from a modern performance engine. The fly by wire controls are tremendously efficient and the intuitive displays are absolutely spot on. A challenging fuel flow rate at WOT of 128 litres per hour does limit the useable range to less than 100 miles but you can easily increase that by 50 per cent with one of the most relaxing 30 knot cruises you will ever experience.

On the move

It is a common theme among real drivers’ boats that the helm station is so good you don’t notice it. There’s no awkwardness. Everything is in the right place, all the dials can be seen and used without distracting you from the water and no matter what kinds of seas you’re negotiating, your body is held firm, giving you the confidence to drive hard and creating a steady base from which to helm with accuracy. I am delighted to find exactly that situation here.

At a shade over 4000 rpm, we are easing towards 33 knots with around 50 litres per hour disappearing from the tank. That gives us good pace with plenty of throttle response in reserve, plus a useable range in excess of 150 nautical miles and a thoroughly cosseting and comfortable ride. Everything is tight and heavily built and yet, with that power on tap, the 80 is as vigorous as it is planted. From a standstill we are hitting 48 knots in just 16 seconds and, while the last three or four knots to a top end of 51.9 take time and tweaking to achieve, every other area in the rev range sees her responding to helm input with the eagerness of a boat half her size. Fast, sweeping turns show tremendous urge and minimal loss of momentum and, although you may have reason to wonder whether a single prop will be able to transmit all that power to the water, the test boat feels expertly balanced in all dynamic respects.

In fact, the more you drive this boat, the more you realise that, despite the power on tap, this 80 DC is not about the gluttonous abandonment of common sense in favour of sensual gratification. It’s actually much more sensible and realistic than that. It’s a heavyweight express cruiser making excellent use of one of the world’s most ferocious production engines. In almost every way, that’s mission accomplished.

What about the 76?

The superseded flagship of the DC range, the 76 DC, is about 50cm shorter than the 80 but it shares the same beam, the same order of performance and the same capacity to sleep four and accommodate eight. With the 250 on the transom, it’s cheaper to run, about £12,000 cheaper to buy and it also enjoys a slightly longer cruising range on a single tank of fuel. And therein lies the happy dilemma. Do you overlook the appeal of the big F350 and side with the excellent 76? Or do you give into temptation and go for the flagship craft with its extra pace and power?

Verdict

Okay, so the cabin is a bit fluffy, the fuel tank is a bit small and the graphics are a little understated but even so, the 80 DC is a great boat with a great engine. It’s beautifully built and it runs with tremendous potency allied to a cosseting ride and excellent composure. You feel special the moment you set foot in the cockpit and you feel even more special the moment you ease that throttle into gear. As a demonstration of what can be done with a Yamaha F350, there’s no doubt that the 80 DC is a triumph.

There are, of course, some people out there, me included, who would prioritise sense and economy above power and prestige. And for us, the 80 DC might be relegated to second place behind the excellent 76 DC. But if you are one of those for whom possession of that seismic F350 is everything, there is little to worry about here. Your new powerplant has found a very worthy partner indeed . . .

Why you would

Soft ride

Great pace

Immense engine

Enormous cruising ability

Excellent build

Surprisingly accessible price

Why you wouldn’t

Limited range

Mediocre cabin

The smaller 76 DC saves you £12,000

Acceleration

0-30 knots: 6 seconds

0-48 knots: 16 seconds

Performance

RPM            Speed            Fuel Flow      Range

(kn)            (lph)               (nm)

1000            5.0            5.8            201.7

1500            6.5            10.0            152.1

2000            7.6            16.7            106.5

2500            9.5            24.2            91.9

3000            15.0            31.5            111.4

3500            24.4            39.2            145.7

4000            32.0            49.4            151.6

4500            37.0            64.5            134.2

5000            43.2            83.1            121.6

5500            47.0            105.0            104.7

5900            51.9            127.8            95.0

Specifications

Length            8.1m

Width            2.6m

Weight            1,850 kg

Capacity            eight

Power range            250 - 350 hp

Fuel Tank            260 litres

Engine            Yamaha F350

Price as tested            £77,179

Options list

Mooring canopy

Transport cover

Anchor winch at rear

Wallas 1800 heater

Stereo system

Chart plotter

Contacts

www.yamarin.fi

www.yamaha-motor.co.uk