Cutting the Cost of Fishing

The Yamaha engine company is currently offering fuel-efficient fishing tips on its Web site. The tips are all pretty intuitive, but that doesn’t mean they’re not useful, and for some weekenders feeling the gas crunch, pretty essential.

Yamaha advocates things like fishing with buddies, finding the "sweetspot" on your engine, and researching your fishing grounds well ahead of time so you know exactly where to go. Another good idea is trolling, or drift fishing for certain types of fish.

One that is not on this particular list is reducing weight, and aligning weight properly onboard your boat to ensure that your running angles are optimal. Following as many of these tips as possible is a good way to get out there and enjoy the summertime.

The Largest Four-Stroke Outboard Yet

One of the big announcements at the 2007 Miami International Boat Show last week was made by Yamaha when the company premiered the largest four-stroke outboard available in the industry: a 350-hp V8. The 5.3-liter, 60-degree, dual-overhead cam, 32-valve powerplant has a 1.73:1 gear ratio, weighs 804 pounds, and can be used in single-, double-, and triple-engine configurations. It is available with 25- or 30-inch shaft lengths and with right-hand or left-hand rotation.

According to Yamaha, the outboard-powered market for boats more than 26 feet LOA has grown 40 percent over the last four years and this powerplant will help fill the niche for more power.