As a rule of thumb, the top speed of Yamaha outboards averages between 5 and 90 mph. To be more precise, the average top speed within each class is as follows:
- 2.5-25 HP (Portable): 5-30 mph
- 30-115 HP (Midrange): 25-50 mph
- 150-450 HP (High-Performance): 35-90 mph
(The available speed with these motors is heavily dependent on the specifications of the boat and environmental conditions.)
If you want to find out more about the average top speed of Yamaha outboard motors, you’ve come to the right place.
We at PowerSportsGuide have compiled them into one chart!
Factors That Affect the Top Speed of a Yamaha Outboard
The top speed of an outboard-powered boat depends on a lot of other factors besides its engine power. In a nutshell, the most important factors to be taken into account are the following:
- Features of the outboard (displacement, stroke, etc.)
- Features of the boat (type, hull design, weight, dimensions)
- Load (passengers, fuel, gear, etc.)
- Prop specifications
- Water and weather conditions
Due to a number of factors, there are no hard numbers for top speed that are true in all circumstances.
For example, a 90 HP Yamaha outboard can propel a bass boat with at 40-46 mph, but the same motor can only push a pontoon boat 20-22 mph.
However, the top speed of most planing boats often falls into the same ballpark within the same powerbands.
In this post, we’ve mainly focused on the top speed of sport and fishing boats like bowriders, cabin cruisers, center console boats, aluminum fishing boats, bass boats, and other types of fishing vessels.
This means that we’ve excluded houseboats and other heavy setups, which are significantly slower than the aforementioned boat classes.
Let’s get down to the nitty-gritty and talk about how fast a boat with a Yamaha outboard can go!
How Fast is a Yamaha Outboard?
How Fast is a 2.5 HP Yamaha Outboard?
You can expect a top speed 2.5 HP Yamaha outboard on a small boat to be at 5-8 mph.
According to this real-world test at BoatingMag, this tiny power mill could propel a small dinghy at 5.4 mph. The test boat was a 9′ Walker Bay RID with two adults onboard (total weight: cca. 350 pounds).
In this test below, a 2.5 HP Yamaha outboard propels an Intex Mariner 4 RIB with one person (150 lbs.) onboard at a maximum speed of 8 mph:
How Fast is a 4 HP Yamaha Outboard?
The top speed of a 4 HP Yamaha outboard on a small dinghy or jon boat is about 5-10 mph.
As a reference, here’s a test on a 12.5’ fiberglass boat in windy conditions:
(top speed is about 5-6.5 mph)
How Fast is a 6 HP Yamaha Outboard?
The top speed of 6 HP Yamaha outboards falls into the ballpark of 8-15 mph.
Based on this test, a 6 HP Yamaha could propel a small boat at a maximum speed of 18 mph while pushing a total weight of 377 pounds (350 kg).
Its best cruise speed with this setup was 13.3 mph at 4700 rpm.
In this YouTube video, a Zodiac Cadet Fastroller 340 with a single passenger was tested with a 6 HP Yamaha outboard.
The top speed of this setup was 13 mph on a small chop.
How Fast is an 8 HP Yamaha Outboard?
You can expect the top speed of an 8 HP Yamaha outboard to be 15-21 mph under ideal conditions:
How Fast is a 10 HP Yamaha Outboard?
10 HP Yamaha outboards are the unleashed versions of their de-tuned 8 HP siblings.
Since these two classes share the same engine and features, they can provide a similar performance.
As a rule of thumb, a 10 HP Yamaha outboard can propel a lightweight boat at a top speed of 16-22 mph.
As demonstrated in this test, an Orange Marine 2.9 powerboat with a 10 HP Yamaha can hit 19.2 mph with two adults onboard.
How Fast is a 15 HP Yamaha Outboard?
The maximum speed of most 15 HP Yamaha outboards averages between 17 and 25 mph, but with a 2-stroke motor combined with a really lightweight hull you can even hit 25-30 mph.
How Fast is a 20 HP Yamaha Outboard?
Based on our research, a small boat with a 20 HP Yamaha outboard could hit a top speed of 20-28 mph.
How Fast is a 25 HP Yamaha Outboard?
The maximum speed of a 25 HP Yamaha outboard falls into the range of 22-30 mph.
FishTalkMag tested this little motor on an AlumaCraft Escape 145 that reached a top speed of 24.9 mph at 6100 RPM while its best cruise speed was 15.6 mph at 4500 RPM.
How Fast is a 30 HP Yamaha Outboard?
A Yamaha 30 HP outboard can propel a boat at a top speed of 24-35 mph with ease.
How Fast is a 40 HP Yamaha Outboard?
You can expect the top speed of 25-36 HP in a small boat powered by a 40 HP Yamaha outboard.
Most of these motors share their engine and features with their 30 HP counterparts, so these breeds often produce quite similar performances.
In the video below, a G3 V167 fishing boat was tested with a 40 HP, 2-stroke Yamaha outboard.
This setup ran about 30 mph with one person and 25-26 mph with 2-3 people and gear onboard.
How Fast is a 50 HP Yamaha Outboard?
Depending on the size and weight of the boat it propels, the top speed of a 50 HP Yamaha outboard varies greatly.
When it comes to V-hull boats the maximum speed falls into the ballpark of 26-38 mph while you can only expect 16-22 mph on a pontoon boat.
For example, an 18′ pontoon with a Yamaha 50 HP motor could only hit about 20 HP.
In contrast, a 17′ aluminum fishing boat can reach 30-32 mph, but while cruising it goes 22-24 mph.
Interestingly, a lightweight 15’ center console boat can even reach 35-39 mph with a 2-stroke 50 HP Yamaha.
Other examples:
- G3 Pro 175 with 50 HP Yamaha 4-stroke: 32 mph
- Stratos 176 with 50 HP Yamaha 2-stroke: 37 mph
How Fast is a 60 HP Yamaha Outboard?
The top speed of a 60 HP Yamaha outboard averages between 28 and 40 HP on a planing boat.
Some examples:
- Bennington 18SX pontoon + 60 HP Yamaha: 16.5 MPH
- Lowe Skorpion 17’ (alu) + 60 HP Yamaha: 35 mph
- Triton TC17 Tin + 60 HP Yamaha: 35 mph
- 17’ center console aluminum boat + 60 HP Yamaha: 34 mph
How Fast is a 90 HP Yamaha Outboard?
As reported by BoatTest.com, a 1000-pound boat with a 90 HP Yamaha 4-stroke can exceed a top speed of 40 mph with a fuel economy of 5.75 mpg.
In this review FishingWorld.com tested a Bar Crusher 535XS center console that topped out at 39 mph with a Yamaha F90.
We also found that a typical planning boat with a 90 HP Yamaha outboard tops out at 34-44 mph depending on the boat and its load.
How Fast is a 115 HP Yamaha Outboard?
The Yamaha VF115 V MAX SHO is claimed to be the “the fastest 4-stroke 115 HP outboard ever” with a top speed of almost 51 mph.
Sure, this is a high-performance outboard paired with a lightweight bass boat, which is far more than an average setup.
Combining standard Yamaha 115 HP outboards with heavier boats you can expect to reach a top speed of 35-45 HP while bulky pontoons with this engine can only reach 20-22 mph.
Examples:
- Key West 186DC + Yamaha F115: 35 mph
- Dauntless 160 + Yamaha F115: 38 mph
- Alumacraft Dominator 185 Sport + Yamaha F115: 39 mph
- SX180 + Yamaha F115: 40 mph
- Skeeter TZX170 + VF115 V MAX SHO: 51 mph
How Fast is a 150 HP Yamaha Outboard?
You can expect the top speed of a 150 HP Yamaha outboard to range 36-57 mph.
According to FishTalkMag, an Alumacraft Dominator 185 Sport paired with a Yamaha F150 could hit 48.1 mph at WOT, but while cruising it goes 27 mph.
In contrast, the same boat with a Yamaha F115 can only reach 39 mph.
As reported by Yamaha Marine, a Skeeter ZX190 bass rigged with the high-performance Yamaha SHO Max Inline-4 175 HP outboard tops out at 57 mph.
Other examples:
- Parker 21 Special Edition (SE) + Yamaha F150: 42 mph
- Talon Eagle 19 DLX + Yamaha F150: 45 mph
- Bar Crusher 560C + Yamaha F150: 46.6 mph
- Key West 2020DC + 150 HP Yamaha 2-stroke: 48 mph
- Alumacraft Dominator 185 Sport + Yamaha F150: 48 mph
- Skeeter ZX190 + Yamaha V MAX SHO 175: 57 mph
How Fast is a 175 HP Yamaha Outboard?
Matched with an optimal hull, a 175 HP Yamaha outboard can hit a top speed of 38-62 mph.
According to this test, a Capelli Tempest 700 Sun RIB rigged with a Yamaha F175 C could hit a top speed of 46 mph.
Yamaha also claims the top speed of its V MAX SHO 175 outboard to be a class-leading 62 mph. (Tested on a Skeeter ZX190 with two people onboard.)
Other examples:
- Sea Jay 6.2 Freedom + F150AETX: 41.6 mph
- Ocean Cat Offshore 26 + F175: 42 mph
- Surtees 650 Game Fisher + F175XA: 42 mph
- Sea Jay Trojan 650HT + F175: 43 mph
- Baysport Sports 640 + F150XB: 45 mph
- Bar Crusher 670c + F175: 46 mph
- CruiseCraft Explorer 625HT + F175XA: 46 mph
- Cruise Craft F360 + F175: 46 mph
- Capelli Tempest 700 Sun + F175: 46 mph
- Skeeter ZX190 + Vmax 175: 62 mph
How Fast is a 200 HP Yamaha Outboard?
While a 200 HP Yamaha outboard can push a cabin cruiser at a top speed of 38-50 mph, the same engine on a lightweight bass boat can hit an amazing 60-65 mph.
Examples:
- Jeanneau Merry Fisher 795 F200XCA: 38 mph
- Sea Jay 6.20 Pursuit + F200F: 44 mph
- Seafarer 62 Vagabond + F200AETX: 45 mph
- Bar Crusher 640C + F200: 45.5 mph
- Cruise Craft Explorer 595 HT + F200: 46 mph
- Skeeter ZXR 20 + V6 VMAX SHO 200: 62 mph
How Fast is a 225 HP Yamaha Outboard?
Depending on the size and the weight of the boat, the top speed of a 225 HP Yamaha outboard varies greatly.
On a cruiser these outboards offer a top speed of 40-50 mph while bass boats with the same engines can hit 65-70+ mph with ease.
Examples:
- Stabicraft 2250 Centre Cab/Yamaha F225: 43 mph
- Haines Hunter 625 Horizon/Yamaha F225: 48 mph
- Seajay 670 Trojan HT/Yamaha F225: 48 mph
- AMM 68 Weekender/Yamaha F225A: 50 mph
- Triton 21’ TrX/Yamaha Vmax 225: 70 mph
- Skeeter ZX225/Yamaha Vmax 225: 71 mph
How Fast is a 250 HP Yamaha Outboard?
A boat rigged with a 250 HP Yamaha outboard can reach a top speed of 40-86 mph.
The top speed of cabin cruisers averages between 40 and 50 mph. On the other end of the spectrum, you can find the fastest bass boats reaching 70-86 mph.
Examples:
- AMM 7000 Tournament/Yamaha F250: 42 mph
- Cruise Craft Explorer 720 HT/ Yamaha F250: 48 mph
- Noosacat 3100/Yamaha F250: 48 mph
- Bar Crusher 730HT/Yamaha F250: 49 mph
- Skeeter FX21/Yamaha 250SHO: 75.4 mph
- Bassport XB21/Yamaha 250SHO: 86 mph
How Fast is a 300 HP Yamaha Outboard?
Boats with high-performance 300 HP Yamaha outboards can go as fast as 45-90 mph.
According to this test by BoatSales, a Cruise Craft 720 Explorer rigged with a Yamaha 300 HP V6 Offshore can hit 48.7 mph.
Other offshore cabin boats with this engine can also reach about 45-55 mph on good days, while high-performance sport boats can reach a whopping 80-90 mph.
Examples:
- Formosa 740/Yamaha F300 XCA: 48 mph
- SeaJay 7.6 Pursuit/Yamaha F300B: 48 mph
- Cruise Craft 720 Explorer/Yamaha V6 Offshore 300 HP: 49 mph
- AMM 7400 Weekender/Yamaha F300AETX: 50 mph
- Cruise Craft 685 HT/Yamaha F300: 51.5 mph
How Fast is a 425-450 HP Yamaha Outboard?
Yamaha’s 425-450 HP XTO outboards features massive, 5559cc, V8 engines. Due to their heavy weight, these motors are rarely used on bass boats or sport boats.
Instead, they fit perfectly on larger offshore boats that typically top out at 50-90 mph with these power sources.
BoatingMag tested a Sportsman 267 Bay Boat rigged with a single Yamaha XTO Offshore 425; the top speed of this setup was more than 60 mph.
Other examples:
- Extreme 885 Gamefisher/Yamaha XTO 425: 50 mph
- Sportsman 267 Bay Boat/Yamaha XTO 425: 61 mph
Takeaway – Yamaha Outboard Top Speed Chart
As a takeaway, we’ve compiled the average top speeds of Yamaha outboards into one list.
Note that these numbers refer to the top speed of sport and fishing boats like jon boats, bass boats, center console boats, bowriders, and offshore outboard boats.
Houseboats, pontoon boats, and other heavy setups are excluded from this list.
| HP | Approx. Top Speed (mph) |
| 2.5 HP | 5-8 mph |
| 4 HP | 5-10 mph |
| 6 HP | 8-18 mph |
| 8 HP | 15-21 mph |
| 10 HP | 16-22 mph |
| 15 HP | 17-25 mph |
| 20 HP | 20-28 mph |
| 25 HP | 22-30 mph |
| 30 HP | 24-35 mph |
| 40 HP | 25-36 mph |
| 50 HP | 26-38 mph |
| 60 HP | 28-40 mph |
| 70 HP | 29-41 mph |
| 75 HP | 32-42 mph |
| 90 HP | 34-44 mph |
| 115 HP | 35-51 mph |
| 150 HP | 36-57 mph |
| 175 HP | 38-62 mph |
| 200 HP | 38-65 mph |
| 225 HP | 40-70 mph |
| 250 HP | 40-86 mph |
| 300 HP | 45-90 mph |
| 425 HP | 45-90+ mph |
| 450 HP | 45-90+ mph |
Reference:
yamaha-motor.com.au, yamahaoutboards.com
