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EJU01068
Operating your watercraft
EJU01069
Getting to know your
watercraft
Operating your watercraft requires skills
acquired through practice over a period of
time. Take the time to learn the basic tech-
niques well before attempting more difficult
maneuvers.
Operating your new watercraft can be a
very enjoyable activity, providing you with
hours of pleasure. However, it is essential to
familiarize yourself with the operation of the
watercraft to achieve the skill level neces-
sary to enjoy riding safely. Before operating
this watercraft, read this Owner’s/Operator’s
Manual, the Riding Practice Guide, and all
warning and caution labels on the water-
craft. Pay particular attention to the safety
information on pages 1-8 to 1-14. These
materials should give you an understanding
of the watercraft and its operation.
Remember: This watercraft is designed to
carry the operator and one passenger.
Never exceed the maximum load limit or
allow more than 2 persons to ride the water-
craft at one time.
EJU01070
Learning to operate your
watercraft
Before operating the watercraft, always
perform the pre-operation checks listed on
page 3-5. The short time spent checking the
watercraft will reward you with added safety
and reliability.
Check all local laws before operating your
watercraft.
Operate defensively at safe speeds and
keep a safe distance away from people,
objects, and other watercraft. Select a wide
area to learn in, where you have good visi-
bility and light boat traffic.
Use the buddy system—operate with
someone nearby. Scan constantly for peo-
ple, objects, and other watercraft. Be alert
for conditions that limit your visibility or block
your vision of others.
Attach the engine shut-off cord (lanyard)
to your wrist and keep it free from the han-
dlebars so that the engine stops if the opera-
tor falls off.
Wear a personal flotation device (PFD).
All riders must wear an authority-approved
PFD that is suitable for personal watercraft
use. Maximum load: 160 kg (353 lb)
Load is the total weight of cargo, opera-
tor and passenger.
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Wear protective clothing. Severe internal
injuries can occur if water is forced into body
cavities as result of falling into the water or
being near the jet thrust nozzle. Normal
swimwear does not adequately protect
against forceful water entry into rectum and
vagina. All riders must wear a wetsuit bot-
tom or clothing that provides equivalent pro-
tection.
Such clothing includes thick, tightly
woven, sturdy and snug-fitting apparel such
as denim, but does not include spandex or
similar fabrics like those used in bicycle
shorts. A full wetsuit can also protect against
hypothermia (subnormal body temperature)
and abrasions.
Footwear and gloves are recommended.
Eye protection is recommended to keep
wind, water, and glare from the sun out of
your eyes while you operate your watercraft.
Restraining straps for eyewear are made
which are designed to float should your eye-
wear fall in the water.
You should grip the handlebars firmly and
keep both feet on the floor of the footwell. Do
not attempt to ride with passengers until
your operating skills are fully developed.EJU01071
Riding watercraft with a
passenger
When a passenger is on board with the
operator, the watercraft handles differently,
and is not as easy to maneuver, so operat-
ing it requires a higher degree of skill.
Before attempting to operate the watercraft
with a passenger on board, the operator
must practice operating the watercraft alone
enough to be able to acquire the necessary
skills.
The passenger must always wear an
authority-approved PFD and a wetsuit bot-
tom or equivalent.
WARNING@ Do not apply throttle when anyone is at
rear of watercraft. Turn engine off or keep
engine at idle. Water and/or debris exit-
ing the jet thrust nozzle can cause severe
injury. The passenger should not attempt
to board the watercraft if the operator is
applying throttle.
@
Do not give a ride to a child whose feet
cannot reach the floor of the footwell. The
passenger should hold on firmly to the oper-
ator and keep both feet in the footwell.
WARNING@ When a passenger is on board, make
sure that he or she is holding on firmly
and has his or her feet in the footwell
before you start to accelerate.
@
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EJU01072
Starting the watercraft
WARNING@ Scan constantly for people, objects
and other watercraft. Be alert for con-
ditions that limit your visibility or block
your vision of others.
Operate defensively at safe speeds
and keep a safe distance away from
people, objects, and other watercraft.
Do not follow directly behind water-
craft or other boats. Do not go near
others to spray or splash them with
water. Avoid sharp turns or other
maneuvers that make it hard for others
to avoid you or understand where you
are going. Avoid areas with sub-
merged objects or shallow water.
Take early action to avoid collisions.
Remember watercraft and other boats
do not have brakes. Do not release the
throttle when trying to steer away from
objects—you need throttle to steer.
Practice reboarding in shallow water
before riding in deep water.
@
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F0X0316
F0X0317
F0X0318
EJU01075
Boarding and starting in deep
water
WARNING@ Operator and passenger should prac-
tice getting on board in shallow water
before riding in deep water. Boarding
in deep water requires more skill.
The fatigue and exposure that could
result after unsuccessful attempts to
get back on the watercraft may
increase the risk of injuries and drown-
ing.
@
EJU01076
Boarding alone
1. Swim to the rear of the watercraft and
place both hands on the boarding plat-
form, pull yourself up, and then grasp the
handgrip with one hand.
2. Pull yourself up to a kneeling position on
the platform, and then move to the seat
and sit astride.
3. Attach the engine shut-off cord to your
wrist, and then install the clip to the
engine shut-off switch.
4. Grip the handlebars firmly with both
hands, place both feet in footwell, start
the engine, and look in all directions
before starting off.
WARNING@ Before starting off, make sure that there
are no boats, obstructions, or swimmers
around you.
@
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F0X0319
EJU01077
Boarding with a passenger
WARNING@ Severe internal injuries can occur if
water is forced into body cavities as a
result of being near the jet thrust nozzle.
Do not apply throttle until the passenger
is seated with his or her feet on the floor
of the footwell and is holding on to the
operator.
@
1. Climb on board as noted in the previous
section, and sit astride the seat. Attach
the engine shut-off cord to your wrist,
and then install the clip to the engine
shut-off switch.
2. Have the passenger move to the rear of
the watercraft.
3. Have the passenger get on board and sit
on the seat.
NOTE:@ When a passenger is getting on board, both
the passenger and the operator should try to
balance the watercraft.
@
4. The operator should check to see that
the passenger has his or her feet on the
floor of the footwell and that he or she is
securely holding on to the operator.
5. Start the engine, look in all directions,
and then accelerate to planing speed.
WARNING@ Before starting off, make sure that there
are no boats, obstructions, or swimmers
around you.
@
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NOTE:@ The heavier the total weight of the operator
and passengers, the more difficult it will be
to balance the watercraft. Do not operate the
watercraft when the total weight exceeds
160 kg (353 lb) including any cargo. If it is
difficult to balance the watercraft at a stand-
still, proceed as follows:
1. The passenger must steady the water-
craft while the operator is boarding. The
operator pulls himself up onto the plat-
form into a seating position, then bal-
ances the watercraft.
2. Attach the lanyard to your left wrist, then
install the clip on the lanyard to the
engine shut-off switch. Start the engine
and keep it at idle.
3. The passenger pulls himself up on the
platform, kneels down, then crawls onto
the seat as the watercraft accelerates.
4. The watercraft can now be accelerated
to planing speed, then the operator can
reduce the throttle to the desired running
speed.
@
EJU01078
Capsized watercraft
If the watercraft capsizes, follow the pro-
cedures below carefully to prevent damage
or injury.
WARNING@ IMPROPER UPRIGHTING CAN CAUSE
INJURY:
Shut engine off, and be sure engine
shut-off cord is removed from the
engine shut-off switch.
Do not put hand in intake grate.
Watch so you are not hit by the water-
craft as it comes over.
@
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WARNING@ Do not release the throttle when trying
to steer away from objects—you need
throttle to steer. A collision could
result in severe injury or death.
When operating at higher speeds,
make gradual turns or slow down
before turning. Sharp high-speed turns
may cause the watercraft to slide side-
ways or spin, throwing the operator
and passengers overboard which
could cause an injury.
@
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EJU01080
Stopping the watercraft
The watercraft is not equipped with a sep-
arate braking system. It is stopped by water
resistance when the throttle lever is
released. From full speed, the watercraft
comes to a complete stop in approximately
125 m (410 ft) after the throttle is released
and the engine is stopped, although this dis-
tance will vary depending on many factors,
including gross weight, water surface condi-
tions, and wind direction. The watercraft
slows down as soon as the throttle lever is
released, but will coast for a distance before
fully stopping. If you are not sure you can
stop in time before hitting an obstacle, apply
throttle and turn in another direction.
WARNING@ Allow adequate stopping distance.
Take early action to avoid collisions.
Remember, watercraft and other boats
do not have brakes.
Operate defensively at safe speeds
and keep a safe distance away from
people, objects, and other watercraft
to give you time to stop.
Do not shut the engine off when slow-
ing down in case you need engine
power to steer away from a boat or
other obstacle that comes into your
path.
@
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