2003 YAMAHA SUV 1200 Owners Manual

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EJU01001
Cruising limitations

Scan constantly for people, objects, and
other watercraft. Be alert for conditions
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 watercraft 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 submerged objects or
shallow water.

Ride within your limits and avoid aggres-
sive maneuvers to reduce the risk of loss
of control, ejection, and collision.

This is a high performance boat—not a
toy. Sharp turns or jumping wakes or
waves can increase the risk of back/spinal
injury (paralysis), facial injuries, and bro-
ken legs, ankles and other bones. Do not
jump wakes or waves.

Do not operate the watercraft in rough
water, bad weather or when visibility is
poor; this may lead to an accident caus-
ing injury or death. Be alert to the possi-
bility of adverse weather. Take note of
weather forecasts and the prevailing
weather conditions before setting out on
your watercraft.

As with any water sport, you should not
ride your watercraft without someone else
near by. If you ride further than swimming
distance from shore, you should ride by
another boat or watercraft, but make sure
you stay a safe distance away. It’s good
common sense!

Never operate in water that is less than
60 cm (2 ft) deep, otherwise you increase
your chance of hitting a submerged
object, which could result in injury.
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This watercraft is not equipped with light-
ing required for night operation. Do not
operate the watercraft after sunset or
before dawn, otherwise you increase the
risk of colliding with another boat, which
could result in severe injury or death.
EJU01308
Operation requirements

All riders must wear a personal flotation
device (PFD) that is approved by the
appropriate authorities and suitable for
personal watercraft use.

Wear protective clothing. Severe internal
injuries can occur if water is forced into
body cavities as a result of falling into
water or being near the jet thrust nozzle.
Normal swimwear does not adequately
protect against forceful water entry into
rectum or vagina. All riders must wear a
wetsuit bottom or clothing that provides
equivalent protection. Such clothing
includes thick, tightly woven, sturdy and
snug-fitting apparel such as denim, but
does not include spandex or similar fab-
rics, like those used in bicycle shorts.
1
Authority-approved PFD
2
Wetsuit bottom

Eye protection is recommended to keep
wind, water, and glare from the sun out of
your eyes while you operate your water-
craft. Restraining straps for eyewear are
made which are designed to float should
your eyewear fall in the water.
Footwear and gloves are recommended.
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You must decide whether to wear a hel-
met while you ride for recreation. You
should know that a helmet could help pro-
tect you in certain kinds of accidents and
that it could injure you in others.
A helmet is designed to provide some
head protection. Although helmets cannot
protect against all foreseeable impacts, a
helmet might reduce your injuries in a col-
lision with a boat or other obstacle.
A helmet may have potential safety haz-
ards, as well. Falling into the water could
risk the chance of the helmet catching
water, commonly known as “bucketing,”
and the resulting strain on your neck
could cause choking, severe and perma-
nent neck injuries, or death. A helmet
could also increase the risk of an accident
if it reduces your vision or hearing, or if it
distracts you or increases your fatigue.
How should you decide if a helmet’s
potential safety benefits outweigh its
potential risks for you? Consider your par-
ticular riding conditions. Consider factors
such as your riding environment and your
riding style and ability. Also consider the
likelihood of traffic congestion, and the
water surface conditions. If you decide to
wear a helmet based upon your riding cir-
cumstances, choose one carefully. Look
for a helmet designed for personal water-
craft use, if possible. If you will be engag-
ing in closed-course competition, follow
the helmet requirements of the sanction-
ing organization.

NEVER operate the watercraft after con-
suming alcohol or taking other drugs.

For reasons of safety and proper care of
the watercraft, always perform the pre-
operation checks listed on page 3-5
before operating the watercraft.

The operator and passengers should
always keep both feet in the footwell when
the watercraft is in motion. Lifting your
feet increases your chances of losing your
balance, and your feet being hit by objects
outside the watercraft. Do not give a ride
to children if their feet cannot reach the
floor of the footwell.

Passengers should firmly hold on to either
the person in front of them or to the side
grips provided.

Always consult your doctor on whether it
is safe for you to ride this watercraft if you
are pregnant or in poor health.
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Do not attempt to modify this watercraft!
Modifications to your watercraft may
reduce safety and reliability, and render
the watercraft unsafe or illegal for use.

Attach the engine shut-off cord (lanyard)
to wrist and keep it free from the handle-
bars so that the engine stops if the opera-
tor falls off. After riding, remove the
engine shut-off cord from the watercraft to
avoid accidental starting or unauthorized
use by children or others.

Scan carefully for swimmers and stay
away from swimming areas. Swimmers
are hard to see and you could acciden-
tally hit someone in the water.

Avoid being hit by another boat! You
should always take the responsibility to
watch for traffic; other boaters may not be
watching for you. If they do not see you,
or you maneuver more quickly than other
boaters expect, you risk a collision.

Maintain a safe distance from other boats
or watercraft, and also watch for boats’ ski
ropes or fishing lines. Obey the “Safe
boating rules,” and be sure to check
behind you before making a turn. (See
Safe boating rules on page 1-17.)
EJU01382
Recommended equipment
The following items should be carried on
board your watercraft:

Sound-signaling device
You should carry a whistle or other sound-
signaling device that can be used to sig-
nal other boats.

Visual distress signals
It is recommended that an authority-
approved pyrotechnic device be stored in
a waterproof container on your watercraft.
A mirror can also be used as an emer-
gency signal. Contact your Yamaha
dealer for more information.

Watch
A watch is helpful so you will know how
long you have been operating.

Towline
A towline can be used to tow a disabled
watercraft in an emergency.
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EJU01003
Hazard information

When transporting or storing your water-
craft, always place the fuel cock knob in
the “OFF” position, otherwise gasoline
may overflow from the carburetor.

Never start the engine or let it run for any
length of time in an enclosed area.
Exhaust fumes contain carbon monoxide,
a colorless, odorless gas that may cause
loss of consciousness and death within a
short time. Always operate the watercraft
in an open area.
EJU01847
Watercraft characteristics

Jet thrust turns the watercraft. Releasing
the throttle completely produces only min-
imum thrust. If you are traveling at speeds
above trolling, you will have rapidly
decreasing ability to steer without throttle.
You may still have some turning ability
immediately after releasing the throttle,
but once the engine slows down, the
watercraft will no longer respond to han-
dlebar input until you open the throttle
again or you reach a trolling speed. Prac-
tice turning in an open area without
obstructions until you have a good feel for
this maneuver.

This watercraft is water-jet propelled. The
jet pump is directly connected to the
engine. This means that jet thrust will pro-
duce some movement whenever the
engine is running. There is no “neutral”
position. You are in either “forward” or
“reverse,” depending upon the shift lever
position.

Do not use the reverse function to slow
down or stop the watercraft as it could
cause you to lose control, be ejected, or
impact the handlebars.
This could increase the risk of back/spinal
injury (paralysis), facial injuries, and bro-
ken legs, ankles, and other bones. You
could also damage the shift mechanism.
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Reverse can be used to slow down or
stop during slow speed maneuvering,
such as when docking. Once the engine
is idling, shift to reverse and gradually
increase engine speed. Make sure that
there are no obstacles or people behind
you before shifting into reverse.

Keep away from intake grate 1 while the
engine is on. Items such as long hair,
loose clothing, or PFD straps can become
entangled in moving parts resulting in
severe injury or drowning.

Never insert any object into the jet thrust
nozzle 2 while the engine is running.
Severe injury or death could result from
coming in contact with the rotating parts
of the jet pump.

Stop the engine and remove the clip 3
from the engine shut-off switch 4 before
removing any debris or weeds, which may
have collected around the jet intake.
EJU01983
Water-skiing
You can use the watercraft for water-ski-
ing if it has the seating capacity to carry the
operator, a rearward-facing spotter, and the
water-skier when he or she is not skiing.
The watercraft must also have a cleat 1
designed to pull a ski towrope; do not attach
the tow rope to any other location.
It is the watercraft operator’s responsibility
to be alert to the safety of the water-skier
and others. Know and follow all local water-
skiing regulations in effect for the waters in
which you will be operating.
The operator should be comfortable car-
rying passengers before attempting to pull a
skier.
The following are some important consid-
erations for minimizing risks while water-ski-
ing.

The skier should wear an approved PFD,
preferably a brightly colored one so boat
operators can see the skier.

The skier should wear protective clothing.
Severe internal injuries can occur if water
is forced into body cavities as a result of
falling into the water. Normal swimwear
does not adequately protect against
forceful water entry into rectum or vagina.
The skier should wear a wetsuit bottom or
clothing that provides equivalent protec-
tion.
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A second person should be on board as a
spotter to watch the skier; in many places
it is required by law. Let the skier direct
the operator’s control of speed and direc-
tion with hand signals.
The spotter should sit securely on the
passenger seat and hold onto the hand-
grip 2 with feet firmly on the floor of the
footwell for proper balance while facing to
the rear to watch the skier’s hand signals
and his or her condition.

Your control while pulling a skier is
affected by the skier’s ability, as well as
water and weather conditions.

When preparing to pull a skier, operate
the watercraft at the slowest possible
speed until the watercraft is well away
from the skier and slack in the towrope is
taken up. Make sure that the rope is not
looped around anything.
After checking that the skier is ready and
that there is no traffic or other obstacles,
apply enough throttle to raise the skier.

Make smooth, wide turns. The watercraft
is capable of very sharp turns, which
could exceed the abilities of the skier.
Keep the skier at least 50 m (150 ft),
about twice the distance of a standard
towrope, from any potential hazard.

Be alert to the hazard of the towrope han-
dle snapping back at the watercraft when
the skier falls or is unable to get up on the
skis.

Towing heavy or bulky objects other than
skiers, such as another boat or watercraft,
can cause loss of steering control and
create a hazardous condition. If you must
tow another boat in an emergency situa-
tion, operate slowly and cautiously.
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EJU01005
Safe boating rules
Your Yamaha watercraft is legally consid-
ered a powerboat. Operation of the water-
craft must be in accordance with the rules
and regulations governing the waterway on
which it is used.
EJU01006
Enjoy your watercraft
responsibly
You share the areas you enjoy when
riding your watercraft with others and with
nature. So your enjoyment includes a
responsibility to treat these other people,
and the lands, waters, and wildlife with
respect and courtesy.
Whenever and wherever you ride, think of
yourself as the guest of those around you.
Remember, for example, that the sound of
your watercraft may be music to you, but it
could be just noise to others. And the excit-
ing splash of your wake can make waves
others won’t enjoy. Avoid riding close to
shoreline homes and waterfowl nesting
areas or other wildlife areas, and keep a
respectful distance from fishermen, other
boats, swimmers, and populated beaches.
When travel in areas like these is unavoid-
able, ride slowly and obey all laws.
Remember that pollution can be harmful
to the environment. Do not refuel or add oil
where a spill could cause damage to nature.
Remove your watercraft from the water and
move it away from the shoreline before refu-
eling. And keep your surroundings pleasant
for the people and wildlife that share the
waterways: don’t litter!
When you ride responsibly, with respect
and courtesy for others, you help ensure
that our waterways stay open for the enjoy-
ment of a variety of recreational opportuni-
ties.
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