OCEARCH® Announces New Relationship with Yamaha Rightwaters™, Yamaha Becomes Official Outboard

KENNESAW, Ga.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Yamaha becomes the new official outboard of OCEARCH^® as the renowned research organization forms a new relationship with Yamaha Rightwaters™. Through the three-year agreement, OCEARCH will power its chase boats with Yamaha outboards. The first boat will have twin 300-horsepower Yamaha V6 Offshore outboards, while two additional boats will have Yamaha F150 and F60 power.

Though known for biological studies of keystone marine species such as great white and tiger sharks, OCEARCH conducts a wide variety of research with the goal of promoting healthy oceans. The Yamaha-powered vessels will further this research and Yamaha Rightwaters will directly support OCEARCH research of microplastics in the ocean.

"The Yamaha Rightwaters team understands healthy marine habitats start with good research and understanding – that’s what OCEARCH is all about. We’re excited to take our relationship to the next level," said Chris Fischer, OCEARCH Founder and Expedition Leader. "The work we do from our chase boats requires extreme concentration – we don’t have time to worry about the reliability of our equipment. Yamaha power on the backs of these boats gives us the peace of mind needed to focus on the animals and research.”

OCEARCH is a global non-profit organization conducting unprecedented research in order to help scientists collect previously unattainable data in the ocean. The organization’s mission is to accelerate the ocean's return to balance and abundance through fearless innovations in critical scientific research, education, outreach and policy using unique collaborations of individuals and organizations in the U.S and abroad. Recognized as a world leader in generating scientific data related to tracking (telemetry) and biological studies of keystone marine species such as great white sharks, tiger sharks and more, OCEARCH provides a free open-sourced Global Shark Tracker^® and app that allows scientists, educators and fans alike to learn about the movements of our oceans’ animals.

“OCEARCH and Yamaha have a long-standing relationship based upon a mutual desire to preserve and restore balance to ocean marine habitats. We have the ability to strengthen that relationship through Yamaha Rightwaters,” said John O’Keefe, Senior Specialist, Government Relations, Yamaha U.S. Marine Business Unit. “The information OCEARCH can gather about microplastics in the ocean may lead to better solutions for removing them to create healthier fisheries.”

To learn more about OCEARCH, visit ocearch.org.

Yamaha Rightwaters is a national sustainability program that encompasses all of Yamaha Marine’s conservation and water quality efforts. Program initiatives include habitat restoration, support for scientific research, mitigation of invasive species, the reduction of marine debris and environmental stewardship education. Yamaha Rightwaters reinforces Yamaha’s long-standing history of natural resource conservation, support of sustainable recreational fishing and water resources and Angler Code of Ethics, which requires pro anglers to adhere to principles of stewardship for all marine resources.

Yamaha’s U.S. Marine Business Unit, based in Kennesaw, Ga., is responsible for the sales, marketing, and distribution of Yamaha Marine products in the U.S. including Yamaha Outboards, Yamaha WaveRunners^®, Yamaha Boats, G3^® Boats and Skeeter^® Boats. Supporting 2,400 dealers and boat builders nationwide, Yamaha is the industry leader in reliability, performance, technology and customer service.

REMEMBER to always observe all applicable boating laws. Never drink and drive. Dress properly with a USCG-approved personal floatation device and protective gear.

© 2022 Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A. All rights reserved.

This document contains many of Yamaha's valuable trademarks. It may also contain trademarks belonging to other companies. Any references to other companies or their products are for identification purposes only and are not intended to be an endorsement. Ocearch is a trademark of Ocearch Not-for-Profit Organization Utah.