My experience with Yanmar marine leisure:

While my catamaran Leopard 39 was in the Seychelles, mid 2023, I decide to replace 2 old Yanmar 3ym30ae (including SD25 sail drives) by 2 new ones, that I find at Mauritius Yanmar official dealership. Then they navigate 700 hours in 2 months to come to France, with professional skippers, who did oil changes, filters, etc.

A few months later, beginning of 2024, I discover water in the port SD25 saildrive, so I ask a local Yanmar service center to check.

Finally, one of them accepted to come, recognize that something is wrong, asks me justifications of purchase, maintenance, and more, and tells me that Yanmar refuses warranty.

You need to know that the SD25 saildrive needs oil change every 100 hours (100, truly), and that it cannot be done in the water, the boat has to be on the dry to drain oil.

Then, the job is done, and a little rubber gasket is discovered faulty, the repair invoice being about 5000 euros (yes, five thousands).

Yanmar, through their dealer, refuses to pay, even a share, claiming a mismount of the installer (700 hours of navigation before). I tried to contact them, never an answer, not even a call or a mail.

Conclusions:

The SD25 saildrive must not be installed on boats who navigate more than 100 hours between two lifts ( most of us, I guess).

Yanmar supposed worldwide warranty is not a reality.

Yanmar online worldwide 3 years warranty extension, which did accept to register my two new motors, does not function as you would think it does.