Operation
51
EJU31980
Pre-operation checks EJU31990Pre-operation check list
Before operating this watercraft, perform the checks in the following check list. See the accom-
panying text in this chapter for details on how to perform the checks.
WARNING
EWJ00410
If any item in the pre-operation check list is not working properly, have it inspected and
repaired before operating the watercraft, otherwise an accident could occur.
ITEM ROUTINE PAGE
BEFORE LAUNCH OR OPERATION
Engine compartmentRemove the seats to ventilate the engine compart-
ment. Check for fuel vapors and loose electrical con-
nections.53
BilgeCheck for water and fuel and drain if necessary. 54
Stern drain plugsCheck for proper installation. 55
Throttle leverCheck that the throttle lever springs back smoothly. 57
Steering systemCheck for proper operation.
Check that the handlebars are locked in place.57
Shift lever and reverse gateCheck for proper operation. 57
QSTSCheck for proper operation. 58
Fuel and oilCheck the fuel and oil levels and replenish if neces-
sary.
Check the hoses and tanks for leakage.53, 53
Water separatorCheck for water and drain if necessary. 54
BatteryCheck the electrolyte level and battery condition. 55
HoodCheck that the hood is securely closed. 25
Front and rear seatsCheck that the seats are securely installed. 24
Hull and deckCheck the hull and deck for cracks and other dam-
age.53
Jet intakeCheck for debris and remove if necessary. 59
Fire extinguisherCheck the condition and replace if necessary. 56
Engine shut-off cordCheck the condition and replace if frayed or broken. 59
SwitchesCheck the start switch, engine stop switch, and en-
gine shut-off switch for proper operation.60
AFTER LAUNCH
Cooling water pilot outletCheck that water is discharged while the engine is
running and the watercraft is in the water.60
Multifunction information
centerCheck for warning indications and proper operation. 60
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Operation
53
EJU32280Pre-operation check points EJU32330Engine compartment
Ventilate the engine compartment before
each use.
To ventilate the engine compartment, remove
the seats. (See page 24 for seat removal and
installation procedures.) Leave the engine
compartment open for a few minutes to allow
any fuel vapors to escape.
While the engine compartment is open, check
for loose electrical connections.
WARNING
EWJ00460
Failure to ventilate the engine compart-
ment could result in a fire or explosion. Do
not start the engine if there is a fuel leak or
a loose electrical connection.
EJU32350Hull and deck
Check the hull and deck for cracks and other
damage. If any damage is found, have a
Yamaha dealer repair the watercraft.
EJU32380Fuel level
Check the fuel system for leakage, cracks,
and malfunctions before each use. (See page
83 for check points and correct procedures.)
(1) Remove the fuel tank filler cap to release
any pressure that might have built up in
the fuel tank.(2) Remove the seats. (See page 24 for seat
removal and installation procedures.)
(3) Check the fuel level in the fuel tank and
replenish if necessary. (See page 50 for
filling procedures.)
(4) Install the fuel tank filler cap and the
seats.
EJU32411Engine oil level
Check the engine oil level before each use.
CAUTION:
ECJ00390
When checking the engine oil level on
water, be careful of other watercraft,
boats, swimmers, and obstacles. The
water current and wind can cause the
watercraft to move and lead to a colli-
sion.
When checking the engine oil level on
land, supply water to the cooling water
passages. (See page 76 for procedures
on supplying water.)
Make sure that the engine has enough
oil, but do not overfill it. If there is too lit-
tle oil, the engine can be damaged. If
there is too much oil, the air filter can be-
come saturated with oil, permanently
damaging the filter and reducing engine
performance. Follow the checking pro-
cedure carefully.
Make sure that debris and water do not
enter the oil tank filler hole. Debris and
water in the engine oil can cause serious
engine damage.
To check the engine oil level:
(1) Place the watercraft in a horizontal posi-
tion or launch the watercraft, and then
start the engine.
(2) Run the engine at trolling speed for 6 min-
utes or more, and then stop the engine.
UF1X71E0.book Page 53 Tuesday, September 26, 2006 9:52 AM
Operation
56
Check that the battery leads are tightened se-
curely and that there is no corrosion on the
battery terminals.
WARNING
EWJ00450
The battery must always be fully
charged and in good condition. Loss of
battery power may leave you stranded.
Never operate the watercraft if the bat-
tery does not have sufficient power to
start the engine or if it shows any other
signs of decreased power.
Be sure to connect the breather hose to
the battery. Fire or explosion could re-
sult if the breather hose is damaged, ob-
structed, or not connected properly.
Make sure that the battery is securely held in
place.
EJU32580Fire extinguisher
Check that there is a full fire extinguisher on
board.
The fire extinguisher container is located in
the seat storage compartment.
To open the fire extinguisher container, turn
the cap counterclockwise.
To close the fire extinguisher container, insert
the fire extinguisher into the container, and
then install the cap and tighten it securely.
NOTE:
To check the fire extinguisher, see the in-
structions supplied by the fire extinguisher
manufacturer. Always keep the fire extin-
guisher in the fire extinguisher container.
Always carry a fire extinguisher on board. A
fire extinguisher is not standard equipment
with this watercraft. If you do not have one,
1Positive (+) battery terminal: Red lead
2Negative (–) battery terminal: Black lead
3Breather hose
1Fire extinguisher container
2Fire extinguisher container cap
UF1X71E0.book Page 56 Tuesday, September 26, 2006 9:52 AM
Operation
57
contact a Yamaha dealer or a fire extin-
guisher dealer to obtain one meeting the
proper specifications.
EJU32590Throttle lever
Check the throttle lever for proper operation.
Squeeze and release the throttle lever several
times to make sure that there is no hesitation
in its travel. It should be smooth over the com-
plete range and spring back to the idle posi-
tion when released.
WARNING
EWJ00490
Before starting the engine, always check
the operation of the throttle lever.
EJU32610Steering system
Check the handlebars for looseness.
Turn the handlebars as far as possible to the
right and left to make sure that operation is
smooth and unrestricted throughout the
whole range. Also, make sure that the jet
thrust nozzle moves as the handlebars areturned, and that there is no free play between
the handlebars and the jet thrust nozzle.
Check that the handlebars are locked in
place. (See “Tilt lever” on page 29 for more in-
formation.)
EJU32630Shift lever and reverse gate
Check the shift lever and reverse gate for
proper operation.
Make sure that the reverse gate goes down
completely when the shift lever is pulled up.
UF1X71E0.book Page 57 Tuesday, September 26, 2006 9:52 AM
Operation
58
Also, make sure that the reverse gate goes up
completely when the shift lever is pushed
down.
WARNING
EWJ00480
Make sure that the throttle lever is com-
pletely released and that the engine is at
idle before shifting into reverse.
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.
Use reverse for slow-speed maneuver-
ing only.
Make sure that there are no obstacles or
people behind you before shifting into
reverse.
Do not touch the reverse gate while the
shift lever is being operated, otherwise
you could be pinched.
EJU32641Quick Shift Trim System (QSTS)
Operate the QSTS selector lock lever and the
QSTS selector several times to check that
they operate properly.
(1) Squeeze the QSTS selector lock lever
and check that it returns smoothly to its
original position when released.
(2) Check that the QSTS selector turns
smoothly when the lever is squeezed and
check that the selector locks in place at
each position when the lever is released.
(3) Check that the angle of the jet thrust noz-
zle changes when the QSTS selector is
UF1X71E0.book Page 58 Tuesday, September 26, 2006 9:52 AM
Operation
59
shifted from neutral to bow up or bow
down.
If the mechanism does not work properly,
have a Yamaha dealer service it.
EJU32650Jet intake
Carefully check the jet intake for weeds, de-
bris, or anything else that might restrict the in-
take of water. If the jet intake is clogged,
cavitation could occur, reducing jet thrust, and
possibly damaging the jet pump.
In some cases, the engine may overheat be-
cause of lack of cooling water, and damage to
the engine could result. Cooling water is fed to
the engine by the jet pump. (See page 94 for
jet intake cleaning procedures.)
WARNING
EWJ00470
Keep away from the intake grate while
the engine is on. Items such as long hair,
loose clothing, or PFD straps can be-come entangled in moving parts, result-
ing in severe injury or drowning.
Stop the engine and remove the clip
from the engine shut-off switch before
removing any debris or weeds, which
may have collected around the jet in-
take.
EJU32660Engine shut-off cord
Check that the engine shut-off cord is not
frayed or broken. If the cord is damaged, re-
place it; never try to repair it or tie it together.
UF1X71E0.book Page 59 Tuesday, September 26, 2006 9:52 AM
Operation
61
EJU32740
Operation
WARNING
EWJ00510
Before operating your watercraft, become
familiar with all of the controls. Consult a
Yamaha dealer about any control or func-
tion that you do not fully understand. Fail-
ure to understand how the controls work
could cause an accident or prevent you
from avoiding an accident.
CAUTION:
ECJ00460
Make sure that the stern drain plugs are
tightened securely before launching the
watercraft.
EJU36140Engine break-in
The engine break-in period is essential to al-
low the various components of the engine to
wear and polish themselves to the correct op-
erating clearances. This ensures proper per-
formance and promotes longer component
life.
CAUTION:
ECJ00440
Be sure to check the engine oil level be-
fore operating the watercraft for the first
time. (See page 53 for engine oil checking
procedures.)
(1) Launch the watercraft and start the en-
gine. (See page 61 for engine starting
procedures.)
(2) For the first 5 minutes, run the engine at
trolling speed only. For the 30 minutes of
operation after that, keep the engine
speed below 5000 r/min. For the 1 hour of
operation after that, keep the engine
speed below 8000 r/min.
(3) Proceed with normal operation.
CAUTION:
ECJ00430
Failure to follow the engine break-in pro-
cedure could result in reduced engine life
or even severe engine damage.
EJU32801Launching the watercraft
When launching the watercraft, make sure
that there are no obstacles behind you.
Use the remote control transmitter to select
the unlock mode. (See page 33 for Yamaha
Security System lock and unlock mode selec-
tion procedures.)
After the watercraft is in the water, start the
engine. Shift into reverse and move the water-
craft back slowly. If there are waves, some-
one should make sure that the watercraft is
not pushed into the trailer before backing
away.
EJU36340Starting the engine
WARNING
EWJ00560
Never start the engine or let it run for any
length of time in an enclosed area. Ex-
haust 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.
UF1X71E0.book Page 61 Tuesday, September 26, 2006 9:52 AM
Operation
62
(1) If the lock mode of the Yamaha Security
System is selected, use the remote con-
trol transmitter to select the unlock mode.
(See page 33 for Yamaha Security Sys-
tem lock and unlock mode selection pro-
cedures.)
(2) Launch the watercraft in water free from
weeds and debris and at least 60 cm (2 ft)
deep.
WARNING
EWJ00570
Never operate in water that is less than 60
cm (2 ft) deep, otherwise you increase
your chance of hitting a submerged ob-
ject, which could result in injury.
CAUTION:
ECJ00470
Never operate in water that is less than 60
cm (2 ft) deep, otherwise pebbles or sand
could be sucked into the jet intake, caus-
ing impeller damage and engine overheat-
ing.
(3) Attach the engine shut-off cord to your left
wrist, and then attach the clip to the en-
gine shut-off switch.
WARNING
EWJ00580
Check that the engine shut-off cord is not
frayed or broken, and keep it free from the
handlebars so that the engine stops if the
operator falls off. The engine shut-off cord
may not pull free if wrapped around the
handlebars when the operator falls off, al-
lowing the watercraft to continue to run
and cause an accident.
NOTE:
It is not possible to start the engine with the
clip removed from the engine shut-off switch.
1Clip
2Engine shut-off switch
3Engine shut-off cord
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