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Operation
50
WARNING
EWJ00530
When a passenger is on board, make sure
that the passenger is holding on firmly and
has both feet on the floor of the footwell
before you start to accelerate.
EJU33080Starting the watercraft
WARNING
EWJ00710
Scan constantly for people, objects, and
other watercraft. Be alert for conditions
that limit your visibility or block your vi-
sion 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 shal-
low water.
Take early action to avoid collisions. Re-
member, watercraft and other boats do
not have brakes. Do not release the
throttle lever when trying to steer away
from objects—you need throttle to steer.
Practice reboarding in shallow water be-
fore riding in deep water.
EJU33090Boarding and starting in shallow water
(1) Launch the watercraft in water free from
weeds and debris and at least 60 cm (2 ft)
deep.
WARNING
EWJ00640
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:
ECJ00500
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.
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Operation
51
(2) Board the watercraft from the side or the
rear.
(3) Attach the engine shut-off cord to your left
wrist, and then attach the clip to the en-
gine shut-off switch.
(4) Grip the handlebars with both hands,
place both feet on the floor of the footwell,
start the engine, and then look in all direc-
tions before starting off.
EJU33110Boarding and starting from a dock
(1) Board the watercraft from the side.
(2) Attach the engine shut-off cord to your left
wrist, and then attach the clip to the en-
gine shut-off switch.
(3) Push the watercraft away from the dock,
grip the handlebars with both hands,
place both feet on the floor of the footwell,
start the engine, and then look in all direc-
tions before starting off.
EJU33130Boarding and starting in deep water
WARNING
EWJ00620
The operator and passenger should
practice boarding in shallow water be-
fore riding in deep water. Boarding in
deep water requires more skill.
The fatigue and exposure that could re-
sult after unsuccessful attempts to get
back on the watercraft may increase the
risk of injuries and drowning.
EJU33140Boarding 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 left
wrist, and then attach the clip to the en-
gine shut-off switch.
(4) Grip the handlebars with both hands,
place both feet on the floor of the footwell,
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52
start the engine, and then look in all direc-
tions before starting off.
WARNING
EWJ00610
Before starting off, make sure that there
are no boats, swimmers, or obstacles
around you.
EJU33150Boarding with a passenger
WARNING
EWJ00650
Severe internal injuries can occur if water
is forced into body cavities as a result of
being near the jet thrust nozzle. Do not ap-
ply throttle until the passenger is seated
with both feet on the floor of the footwell
and is securely holding on to the operator.
(1) Climb on board as noted in the previous
section, and sit astride the seat.(2) Attach the engine shut-off cord to your left
wrist, and then attach the clip to the en-
gine shut-off switch.
(3) Have the passenger move to the rear of
the watercraft.
(4) Have the passenger board and sit astride
the seat.NOTE:
When the passenger is boarding, both the
passenger and the operator should try to bal-
ance the watercraft.
(5) Check that the passenger has both feet
on the floor of the footwell and is securely
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Operation
53
holding on to the operator. Never allow a
passenger to ride in front of the operator.
(6) Start the engine, look in all directions, and
then accelerate to planing speed.
WARNING
EWJ00610
Before starting off, make sure that there
are no boats, swimmers, or obstacles
around you.
NOTE:
The heavier the total weight of the operator
and passenger, 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 standstill, pro-
ceed as follows:
(1) While the passenger is steadying the wa-
tercraft, pull yourself up onto the boarding
platform into a kneeling position, andthen move to the seat and sit astride to
balance the watercraft.
(2) Attach the engine shut-off cord to your left
wrist, and then attach the clip to the en-
gine shut-off switch.
(3) Start the engine and keep it at idle.
(4) Have the passenger pull him or herself up
onto the boarding platform into a kneeling
position, then crawl onto the seat as the
watercraft accelerates.
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Operation
54
(5) Gradually increase the speed to balance
the watercraft.
EJU33210Capsized watercraft
If the watercraft capsizes, turn it over immedi-
ately.
Be sure to carefully follow the procedures be-
low to prevent injury, or damage to the water-
craft.
WARNING
EWJ00670
IMPROPER UPRIGHTING CAN CAUSE IN-
JURY:
Be sure to shut the engine off by pulling
on the engine shut-off cord to remove
the clip from the engine shut-off switch.
Do not put your hands in the intake
grate.
(1) Remove the clip from the engine shut-off
switch.
(2) Swim to the rear of the watercraft. Pull the
watercraft over with your left hand on theride plate while pushing down on the gun-
wale with your right hand or foot.
NOTE:
If the port (left) side of the capsized watercraft
is tilting up, push down on the gunwale so that
the port (left) side is down before turning the
watercraft clockwise.
CAUTION:
ECJ00540
Do not turn the watercraft over counter-
clockwise, otherwise water can enter the
engine, which can result in severe dam-
age.
(3) Start the engine and operate the water-
craft to discharge any water remaining in
the engine compartment. (If the engine
does not start, see “Towing the water-
craft” on page 78 or “Submerged water-
craft” on page 79.)
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Operation
55
CAUTION:
ECJ00550
Do not operate the engine at full throttle
for at least 1 minute after the engine has
been restarted. Excessive water in the
bilge can splash into the engine, which
can result in severe damage.
NOTE:
To efficiently discharge water from the engine
compartment, operate the watercraft as
straight as possible and above planing speed
for at least 2 minutes.
EJU36050Turning the watercraft
Steering control depends on the combination
of handlebar position and the amount of throt-
tle.
Water sucked in through the intake grate is
pressurized by the impeller in the jet pump. As
the pressurized water is expelled from the
pump through the jet thrust nozzle, it creates
thrust to move and steer the watercraft. The
higher the engine speed, the more thrust pro-
duced.
The amount of jet thrust, in addition to the po-
sition of the handlebars, determines how
sharply you turn.
A. More throttle produces higher thrust, so
the watercraft will turn more sharply.B. Less throttle produces lower thrust, so
the watercraft will turn more gradually.
C. Releasing the throttle lever completely
produces only minimum 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 lever, but once the engine
slows down, the watercraft will no longer
respond to handlebar input until you ap-
ply throttle again or you reach trolling
speed.
At trolling speed, the watercraft can be
turned gradually by handlebar position
alone using just the amount of thrust
available at idle.
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D. If the engine is stopped while riding, there
is no thrust. The watercraft will go straight
even though the handlebars are turned.
You need throttle to steer.
WARNING
EWJ01100
Do not release the throttle lever 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 turn-
ing. Sharp high-speed turns may cause
the watercraft to slide sideways or spin,
throwing the operator and passenger
overboard, which could cause an injury.
This model is equipped with the Yamaha En-
gine Management System (YEMS) that in-
cludes an off-throttle steering (OTS) system.
It will activate at planing speeds should you
attempt to steer the watercraft after releasing
the throttle lever (see condition C above).
The OTS system assists in turning by continu-
ing to supply some thrust while the watercraft
is decelerating, but you can turn more sharply
if you apply throttle while turning the handle-
bars. The OTS system does not function be-
low planing speeds or when the engine is off.
Once the engine slows down, the watercraft
will no longer turn in response to handlebar in-put until you apply throttle again or you reach
trolling speed.
EJU35980Stopping the watercraft
The watercraft is not equipped with a sepa-
rate braking system. It is stopped by water re-
sistance 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 lever is released or the en-
gine is stopped, although this distance will
vary depending on many factors, including
gross weight, water surface conditions, 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 ob-
stacle, apply throttle and turn in another direc-
tion.
WARNING
EWJ00720
Allow adequate stopping distance.
Take early action to avoid collisions. Re-
member, 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 slowing
down in case you need engine power to
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Operation
57
steer away from a boat or other obstacle
that comes into your path.
EJU35940Beaching the watercraft
(1) Make sure that there are no boats, swim-
mers, or obstacles near the beach. Re-
lease the throttle lever about 125 m (410
ft) before you reach the intended beach-
ing area.
(2) Approach the beach slowly and stop the
engine before reaching land.
Remember, you need throttle to steer.
(3) Get off the watercraft and pull it up on the
beach.
CAUTION:
ECJ00490
Small pebbles, sand, seaweed, and other
debris can be sucked into the jet intake
and impair or damage the impeller. Always
stop the engine and get off the watercraft
before beaching it.
EJU33310Docking the watercraft
(1) Make sure that there are no boats, swim-
mers, or obstacles near the watercraft.
Reduce speed about 125 m (410 ft) away
from the dock.
(2) Slowly approach the dock and stop the
engine just before coming alongside it.
EJU33340Rough water operation
The force of landing after jumping can cause
a strong impact on both the watercraft and the
operator and passenger. It is possible for the
operator to hit his or her chest or jaw on the
watercraft or handlebars and be injured. The
passenger could also impact the watercraft
and be injured.
Do not operate the watercraft with your chin
right above the handlebars. In addition, the
operator and passenger should keep their
feet on the floor of the footwell.Operating in rough water or jumping waves
can also crack the watercraft hull and deck,
and damage internal parts. Avoid operating in
rough water or bad weather conditions.
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