Shark researchers pick Yamaha

A team of researchers studying shark behaviour on the environmentally sensitive Great Barrier Reef have selected the Yamaha F150 as its engine of choice. The joint program involving the Australasian Natural History Unit, CSIRO Marine Research and Undersea Explorer is studying the movement patterns of grey whalers, whitetip reef and tiger sharks in the remote far northern areas of the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea.

Shark researcher and cinematographer Richard Fitzpatrick told BoatPoint the project's goal is to better understand the behaviour of sharks and to ultimately provide protection from overfishing.

Fitzpatrick's Osprey research boat is powered by the four-stroke Yamaha and he says the greatest appeal is that it always goes when it is needed.

"When you are chasing a four metre tiger shark you definitely need a reliable motor," Fitzpatrick says, "The reliability is major safety factor in the high risk work we do."

"The Yamaha four stroke is powerful, economical, and beautifully quiet, all big plusses for our long days at sea," added Fitzpatrick.

He explained that the Yamaha-powered vessel is principally used to capture and tag sharks. Capturing a tiger shark involves luring it alongside the boat using bait and then clamping its tail using a three-metre pole.

Once secured alongside, a lightweight satellite tracking system is fastened to the dorsal fin. When the shark's fin breaks the water, an identifying code is transmitted by satellite to a land station and the shark's movement is plotted.

The longest transmission to date has been 14 months but the vast distances travelled by large sharks have amazed the researchers.

Prior to picking Yamaha engines for their project, the scientists did some outboard research and discovered that many tourism vessels and most of those used by the Queensland National Parks are powered by Yamaha.

Yamaha's national sales and marketing manager Brett Hampson says it is a privilege to support the work of the researchers.

"We are delighted to be playing our part is assisting this vital work," Hampson says, "Yamaha fully supports any projects that help conserve and protect the marine environment. It is extremely important to us and our customers."