2008 YAMAHA VX tow bar

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.
UF1K73E0.book Page 13 Wednesday, July 11, 2007 9:15 AM

Features and functions
27
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 youcan 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.
WARNING
EWJ00030

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.
1Handlebar
2Jet thrust nozzle
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Operation
58
ride 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 83 or “Submerged water-
craft” on page 83.)
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.
EJU33250Turning 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.
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Operation
62
(6) Drain residual water from the exhaust
system by alternately squeezing and re-
leasing the throttle lever for 10 to 15 sec-
onds while the engine is running.
CAUTION:
ECJ00561
Do not run the engine for more than 15
seconds without supplying water, other-
wise the engine could overheat.
(7) If the watercraft will be stored for a week
or more, lubricate internal engine compo-
nents to help prevent corrosion. (See
page 64 for lubrication procedures.)
(8) Rinse the engine and engine compart-
ment with a small amount of water.
CAUTION:
ECJ00570
Do not use high-pressure water when rins-
ing the engine or engine compartment as
severe engine damage could result.
(9) Wipe the engine and engine compart-
ment dry with a clean cloth (repeat step 3,
if necessary).
(10) Wipe the hull, handlebars, and jet unit dry
with a clean cloth.
(11) Spray a rust inhibitor on metallic parts to
minimize corrosion.
(12) Allow the engine compartment to air dry
completely before installing the seat.
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.
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Trouble recovery
83
WARNING
EWJ00800
Do not use fuses of higher amperage than
recommended. Substitution with a fuse
that has an improper rating can cause ex-
tensive electrical system damage and pos-
sible fire.
EJU34710Towing the watercraft
If the watercraft becomes inoperative in the
water, it can be towed to shore.
If the watercraft must be towed in an emer-
gency using a towline, the operator should
ride the watercraft, holding onto the handle-
bars.
CAUTION:
ECJ00720

Tow the watercraft at 5 mph (8 km/h) or
less, otherwise water could enter the en-
gine through the exhaust passages or
through the air intake and flood the en-
gine compartment if it is towed too fast.

Tow the watercraft using the bow eye
only.

The bow must be kept up out of the wa-
ter during towing to prevent water from
entering the engine compartment.
WARNING
EWJ00810

The watercraft should only be towed in
an emergency.

The towline should be long enough so
that the watercraft will not collide with
the towing boat when slowing down. A
good rule of thumb is a towline that is
three times the combined length of the
towing boat and the watercraft.

The operator of the towing boat must
keep speed to a minimum and avoid traf-
fic or obstacles which could be a hazard
to the rider on the watercraft.
EJU36150Submerged watercraft
If the watercraft is submerged or flooded with
water, follow the procedure below and consult
a Yamaha dealer as soon as possible. Failure
to do so could result in serious engine dam-
age!
In an emergency:
(1) Beach the watercraft and remove the
stern drain plugs to drain the water from
the engine compartment. (See page 43
for more information.) Remove the stor-
age compartment drain plugs to drain the
water from the storage compartments.
(2) Install the stern drain plugs and storage
compartment drain plugs.
(3) Disconnect the spark plug caps, and then
remove the spark plugs.
CAUTION:
ECJ00760
Do not connect the spark plugs to the
spark plug caps.
(4) Disconnect the fuel injector couplers.
CAUTION:
ECJ00770
Cover the disconnected fuel injector cou-
plers so that they do not get wet. If the cou-
1Bow eye
UF1K73E0.book Page 83 Wednesday, July 11, 2007 9:15 AM