Page 37 of 96

Features and functions
30
NOTE:
If the cooling water passages are dry, it will
take about 60 seconds for the water to
reach the outlet after the engine is started.
Water discharge may not be constant at
idle, therefore, open the throttle a little to
check that water discharges properly.
EJU31260Steering system
Your watercraft can be steered by turning the
handlebars in the direction you wish to travel.
When the handlebars are turned, the angle of
the jet thrust nozzle is changed, and the direc-
tion of the watercraft is changed accordingly.
Since the strength of the jet thrust determines
the speed and degree of a turn, throttle must
always be applied when attempting a turn, ex-
cept at trolling speed.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. The OTS system assists in
turning by continuing to supply some thrust
while the watercraft is decelerating, but you
can turn more sharply if you apply throttle
while turning the handlebars.
The OTS system does not function below
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.
EJU31300Shift lever (for VX Deluxe/VX Cruiser)
The shift lever is located on the starboard
(right) side of the watercraft and is used to
control the reverse gate, which allows the wa-
tercraft to move in reverse or forward.
When the shift lever is in the reverse position,
the watercraft can be launched from a trailer,
or backed up out of tight spots where you can-
not turn around easily.
To shift into reverse:
(1) Release the throttle lever and let the en-
gine speed return to idle.
(2) Pull the shift lever toward you.
1Handlebar
2Jet thrust nozzle
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Page 42 of 96

Features and functions
35
The fuel level meter has eight segments
which show the amount of fuel remaining in
the fuel tank.
NOTE:
The fuel level is most accurate when the wa-
tercraft is sitting level on a trailer or in the wa-
ter.
EJU31550Hour meter/voltmeter
NOTE:
To switch the display between the hour meter
and the voltmeter, push the select button for
at least 1 second after the meter is displayed
for more than 10 seconds.
Hour meter
The hour meter is provided to make it easy to
follow the maintenance schedule.The meter shows the hours of engine opera-
tion that have elapsed since the watercraft
was new.
Voltmeter
The voltmeter is provided to display the volt-
age of the battery.
When the battery voltage is normal, the volt-
meter displays approximately 12 volts.
If the battery voltage is less than 8.0 volts,
“LO” is displayed on the voltmeter and if the
voltage is above 18.1 volts, “HI” is displayed
on the voltmeter. If “HI” or “LO” is displayed,
return to shore and, if necessary, have a
Yamaha dealer check the charging system
and the battery.
EJU31560Fuel level warning indicator
If the fuel remaining in the fuel tank drops to
about 13 L (3.4 US gal, 2.9 Imp gal), the low-
est two fuel level segments, the fuel level
warning indicator, and the “WARNING” light
begin to blink. The buzzer also starts sound-
ing intermittently.
If this occurs, refill the fuel tank as soon as
possible.
The warning signals will be cleared when the
engine is restarted after the fuel tank is re-
filled.
EJU31621Oil pressure warning indicator
If the oil pressure does not rise to specifica-
tion, the “WARNING” light and the oil pres-
1Select button
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Page 59 of 96

Operation
52
(1) Launch the watercraft and start the en-
gine. (See page 52 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 6500 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.
EJU32811Launching the watercraft
When launching the watercraft, make sure
that there are no obstacles around you.
If there are waves, someone should make
sure that the watercraft is not pushed into the
trailer after launching the watercraft.
For VX Deluxe/VX Cruiser:
Use the remote control transmitter to select
the unlock mode. (See page 32 for Yamaha
Security System and low-RPM mode selec-
tion procedures.)
After the watercraft is in the water, start the
engine. Shift into reverse and move the wa-
tercraft back slowly.
For VX:
After the watercraft is in the water, turn it
around so that the bow faces the direction
you wish to go. Start the engine, and then
slowly move away from the launching area.
EJU32850Starting 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, acolorless, odorless gas that may cause
loss of consciousness and death within a
short time. Always operate the watercraft
in an open area.
(1) If the lock mode of the Yamaha Security
System is selected (for VX Deluxe/VX
Cruiser), use the remote control transmit-
ter to select the unlock mode. (See page
32 for Yamaha Security System and low-
RPM mode selection procedures.)
(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.
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Page 72 of 96
Operation
65
EJU33451
Transporting
When transporting the watercraft on a trailer,
secure the tie downs to the trailer through the
bow eye and stern eyes.
CAUTION:
ECJ00621
Do not attach ropes or tie downs to any
part of the watercraft other than the bow
eye and stern eyes to secure the water-
craft to the trailer. Otherwise, the water-
craft may be damaged.
Do not route ropes or tie downs over the
seat, as they may leave permanent
marks on the seat’s surface. Also, wrap
the ropes or tie downs with towels or
rags where they touch the body of the
watercraft to avoid scratches or dam-
age.
For VX Deluxe/VX Cruiser:
Before putting the watercraft on the trail-
er or transporting it, be sure to put the
shift lever in the forward position, other-
wise the reverse gate may hit an obsta-
cle, which may cause damage.
UF1K72E0.book Page 65 Wednesday, August 2, 2006 10:43 AM