Yamaha Outboard Marine Engines

Procurement Summary

The Southeast Fisheries Science Center (SEFSC) urgently requires two Yamaha Outboard Engines, models F150XB and LF150XB, with controls, to replace the existing engines on the R/V Whaler, a small boat based in Pascagoula, Mississippi. The R/V Whaler is vital for conducting marine mammal abundance surveys and collecting biopsy samples for stock structure studies in inshore and coastal waters, supporting the Marine Mammal Protection Act and multiple Deepwater Horizon Restoration (DWH) project objectives. Keeping the vessel fully operational is critical to these missions.The current engines, Yamaha F150XCA models, have accumulated over 900 hours, primarily from intensive fieldwork for the DWH Alabama Estuarine Dolphin Population and Health Restoration Project over three years. Although these engines retain roughly half their serviceable hours, replacing them with updated Yamaha F150XB and LF150XB models ensures seamless compatibility with existing systems. These new engines are interchangeable with the current ones, allowing a single engine swap in case of a malfunction, which minimizes downtime compared to replacing both engines and controls with those from another manufacturer. Switching brands would also waste the remaining serviceable hours of the current engines.Yamaha is a leading brand in the U.S. outboard motor market and the standard for most NOAA Fisheries outboards, offering proven reliability and performance. However, these engines are not manufactured in the United States in sufficient commercial quantities or quality. Yamaha marine outboards are produced in Japan, primarily at the Fukuroi South Factory in Shizuoka Prefecture and Yamaha Kumamoto Products Co., Ltd. in Kumamoto Prefecture.The urgency of this need stems from the necessity to keep the R/V Whaler operational for critical research missions. Any delays or equipment failures could disrupt data collection and compliance with federal requirements. Acquiring these specific Yamaha engines and controls ensures operational continuity, efficiency, and minimal disruption to ongoing and future marine mammal research efforts.

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