2008 YAMAHA VX Owners Manual

Safety information
10
EJU30760
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, ob-
jects, 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 un-
derstand where you are going.

Avoid areas with submerged objects or
shallow 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 throt-
tle to steer. Always check throttle and steer-
ing controls before starting the watercraft.

Ride within your limits and avoid aggressive
maneuvers to reduce the risk of loss of con-
trol, 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 (pa-
ralysis), facial injuries, and broken legs, an-kles, and other bones. Do not jump wakes
or waves.

Do not operate the watercraft in rough wa-
ter, bad weather, or when visibility is poor;
this may lead to an accident causing injury
or death. Be alert to the possibility of ad-
verse weather. Take note of weather fore-
casts and the prevailing weather conditions
before setting out on your watercraft.

As with any water sport, you should not op-
erate your watercraft without someone else
nearby. If you operate further than swim-
ming distance from shore, you should be
accompanied 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.

This watercraft is not equipped with lighting
required for night operation. Do not operate
the watercraft after sunset or before dawn,
otherwise you increase the risk of colliding
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Safety information
11
with another boat, which could result in se-
vere injury or death.

Follow navigation rules, and state/provin-
cial and local laws that apply to watercraft.
EJU30820
Operation requirements

All riders must wear a personal flotation de-
vice (PFD) that is approved by the appropri-
ate authorities and is 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 the
water or being near the jet thrust nozzle.
Normal swimwear does not adequately pro-
tect against forceful water entry into the rec-
tum or vagina. All riders must wear a
wetsuit bottom or clothing that provides
equivalent protection. Such clothing in-
cludes 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.

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.

You must decide whether to wear a helmet
while you ride for recreation. You should
know that a helmet could help protect you in
1Authority-approved PFD
2Wetsuit bottom
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Safety information
12
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 collision 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 wa-
ter, commonly known as “bucketing”, and
the resulting strain on your neck could
cause choking, severe and permanent neck
injuries, or death. A helmet could also in-
crease 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 poten-
tial safety benefits outweigh its potential
risks for you? Consider your particular
riding conditions. Consider factors such as
your riding environment and your riding
style and ability. Also consider the likeli-
hood of traffic congestion, and the water
surface conditions.
If you decide to wear a helmet based upon
your riding circumstances, choose one
carefully. Look for a helmet designed for
personal watercraft use, if possible. If you
will be engaging in closed-course competi-
tion, follow the helmet requirements of the
sanctioning 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-opera-
tion checks listed on page 40 before operat-
ing the watercraft.

The operator and passengers should al-
ways keep their feet on the floor of the foot-
well when the watercraft is in motion. Lifting
your feet increases the chances of losing
your balance, or hitting objects outside the
watercraft with your feet. Do not give a ride
to children if their feet cannot reach the floor
of the footwell.

The passengers should hold on firmly, ei-
ther to the person in front of them or to the
handgrip provided.

Never allow a passenger to ride in front of
the operator.
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Safety information
13

Always consult your doctor on whether it is
safe for you to ride this watercraft if you are
pregnant or in poor health.

Do not attempt to modify this watercraft!
Modifications to your watercraft may reduce
safety and reliability, and render the water-
craft unsafe or illegal for use.

Attach the engine shut-off cord to your left
wrist and keep it free from the handlebars
so that the engine stops if you, the operator,
fall off. After riding, remove the engine shut-
off cord from the watercraft to avoid acci-
dental starting or unauthorized use by chil-
dren or others.

Scan carefully for swimmers and stay away
from swimming areas. Swimmers are hard
to see and you could accidentally hit some-
one 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 if you ma-
neuver more quickly than other boaters ex-
pect, you risk a collision.

Maintain a safe distance from other boats
and watercraft, and also watch for ski ropes
or fishing lines. Obey the “Safe boating
rules” and be sure to check behind you be-
fore making a turn. (See “Safe boating
rules” on page 17.)
EJU30840
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 signal
other boats.

Visual distress signals
It is recommended that a pyrotechnic de-
vice, which is approved by the appropriate
authorities, be stored in a waterproof con-
tainer on your watercraft. A mirror can also
be used as an emergency signal. Contact a
Yamaha dealer for more information.

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

Towline
A towline can be used to tow a disabled wa-
tercraft in an emergency.
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Safety information
14
EJU30870
Hazard information

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

Do not touch the hot oil tank, muffler, or en-
gine during or immediately after engine op-
eration; they can cause serious burns.
EJU30930
Watercraft characteristics

Jet thrust turns the watercraft. 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.
This model is equipped with the Yamaha
Engine Management System (YEMS) that
includes an off-throttle steering (OTS) sys-
tem. It will activate at planing speeds should
you attempt to steer the watercraft after re-
leasing the throttle lever. The OTS system
assists in turning by continuing to supply
some thrust while the watercraft is deceler-
ating, 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
input until you apply throttle again or you
reach trolling speed.
Practice turning in an open area without ob-
stacles 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 produce some
movement whenever the engine is running.
There is no “neutral” position. You are in ei-
ther “forward” or “reverse”, depending upon
the shift lever position (for VX Deluxe/VX
Cruiser).

For VX Deluxe/VX Cruiser:
Do not use the reverse function to slow
down or stop the watercraft as it could
cause you to lose control, be ejected, or im-
pact the handlebars.
This could increase the risk of back/spinal
injury (paralysis), facial injuries, and broken
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Safety information
15
legs, ankles, and other bones. You could
also damage the shift mechanism.

For VX Deluxe/VX Cruiser:
Reverse can be used to slow down or stop
during slow-speed maneuvering, such as
when docking. Once the engine is idling,
shift into reverse and gradually increase en-
gine speed. Make sure that there are no ob-
stacles or people behind you before shifting
into reverse.

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

Never insert any object into the jet thrust
nozzle 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 from
the engine shut-off switch before removingany debris or weeds, which may have col-
lected around the jet intake.
1Intake grate
2Jet thrust nozzle
1Clip
2Engine shut-off switch
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Safety information
16
EJU30950
Water-skiing
You can use the watercraft for water-skiing if
it has the seating capacity to carry the opera-
tor, a rearward-facing spotter, and the water-
skier when he or she is not skiing.
The watercraft must also have a cleat de-
signed to pull a ski rope; do not attach the
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 carrying
passengers before attempting to pull a skier.
The following are some important consider-
ations for minimizing risks while water-skiing.

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 the rectum or vagina. The skier
should wear a wetsuit bottom or clothing
that provides equivalent protection.

A second person should be on board as a
spotter to watch the skier; in many places itis required by law. Let the skier direct the
operator’s control of speed and direction
with hand signals.
The spotter should sit astride the rear of the
seat and hold onto the handgrip with both
feet firmly on the floor of the footwell for
proper balance while facing to the rear to
watch the skier’s hand signals and condi-
tion.

Your control while pulling a water-skier is
affected by the skier’s ability, as well as wa-
ter 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 ski-
er and slack in the ski rope is taken up.
1Cleat1Handgrip
1Handgrip
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Safety information
17
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, ap-
ply enough throttle to raise the skier.

Make smooth, wide turns. The watercraft is
capable of very sharp turns, which could ex-
ceed the abilities of the skier. Keep the skier
at least 50 m (150 ft), about twice the dis-
tance of a standard ski rope, from any po-
tential hazard.

Be alert to the hazard of the ski rope handle
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 cre-
ate a hazardous condition. If you must tow
another boat in an emergency situation, op-
erate slowly and cautiously.
EJU30970
Safe boating rules
Your Yamaha watercraft is legally considered
a powerboat. Operation of the watercraft must
be in accordance with the rules and regula-
tions governing the waterway on which it is
used.
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