As the saying goes, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Yamaha’s personal watercraft sales figures certainly indicate it ain’t broke, so the fact that the brand returns almost its identical line to 2012 should come as little surprise. Back for another year are three familiar model lines, including the Versatility series (VX Cruiser, VX Deluxe and VX Sport), Performance series (FZR, FZS, VXR, VXS and Super Jet) and the flagship Luxury Performance series (FX Cruiser SHO, FX SHO, FX Cruiser HO and FX HO).

Yamaha reps are proud to point out a VX model is the industry’s best-selling watercraft for the eighth year in a row. The FX Cruiser SHO also ranks as the best-selling luxury-performance model, and returns for its first full year of sales after a late spring introduction in 2011. “There is not another watercraft in the industry that is as in tune with today’s luxury performance buyer as the Yamaha FX Series,” says Yamaha product manager Scott Watkins. “Not only does this series feature the largest displacement engine in the industry, but it is packed with the latest innovations and technology. From Cruise Assist to neutral gear to the theater-style seating, the FX Series offers consumers a fun, fast, comfortable ride with amenities and features that exceed what they thought was possible in a personal watercraft.”

Yamaha’s national marketing manager Bryan Seti contends the brand dominates virtually every segment of the personal watercraft industry. “We’ve focused on innovation and luxury to propel the FX Series to the top of the luxury performance segment. Our VX Series offers the reliability, performance and value that the entry-level buyer demands. And our performance models have demonstrated their leadership on the race course with multiple national and world titles. This is an exciting lineup for Yamaha and one that offers a model we know connects with every type of consumer.”

Exciting and focused yes, but it’s a lineup dealers are well familiar with. How do you keep things fresh? Marketing communications manager Andrew Cullen says the primary focus for 2013 is on two specific areas the company feels are most important to consumers — reliability and showroom appeal. The reliability portion of the equation is already proven, and returning engine packages should continue the brand’s glowing reputation. In terms of showroom appeal, it’s the small details the company hopes will make a difference. Seats have new stitching to improve both looks and longevity. Colors continue to showcase Yamaha’s deep metallic paint schemes and now include a bold new Velocity Yellow on both the FZS and VXR models.

While some industry pundits may note the lack of anything truly new in the 2013 line, Yamaha reps are quick to point out the company is feeling quite good about the current state of the industry. Indications are that the personal watercraft market overall will actually be up 3 to 4 percent over 2011.
“It’s fantastic,” says Cullen. “To see the industry jump up a few points is fantastic.” Cullen also noted that it was a pretty good year for all manufacturers, who have all enjoyed relatively strong sales without the excessive inventory that plagued recent years and resulted in widespread markdowns of product.
“It’s a good thing,” says Cullen. “It was a good year for everybody. You want an industry without heavy discounting.”