2009 YAMAHA SUPERJET Owners Manual

Operation
34
tor to be thrown overboard. [EWJ00591]
NOTICE: Never push the start switch
while the engine is running. Do not op-
erate the start switch for more than 5
seconds, otherwise the battery will be
discharged and the engine will not
start. Also, the starter motor could be
damaged.
[ECJ01040]
(7) After the engine has warmed up, push
the choke knob in to its original position.
TIP:
If the choke knob is left pulled out, the engine
will stall.
EJU32861Stopping the engine
To stop the engine, release the throttle lever,
and then push the engine stop switch (red
button). WARNING! You need throttle to
steer. Shutting the engine off can cause
you to hit an obstacle you are attempting
to avoid. A collision could result in severe
injury or death.
[EWJ00601]EJU32871
Leaving the watercraft
If leaving the watercraft, remove the engine
shut-off cord (lanyard) to reduce the chance
of accidental starting or unauthorized use by
children or others.
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Operation
35
EJU32901
Operating your watercraft EJU32921Getting to know your watercraft
Operating your watercraft requires skills ac-
quired through practice over a period of time.
Take the time to learn the basic techniques
well before attempting more difficult maneu-
vers.
Operating your new watercraft can be a very
enjoyable activity, providing you with hours of
pleasure. However, it is essential to familiar-
ize yourself with the operation of the water-
craft to achieve the skill level necessary to
enjoy riding safely.
Before operating this watercraft, read this
owner’s/operator’s manual, the Riding Prac-
tice Guide, the Riding Instruction card, and all
labels on the watercraft. Pay particular atten-
tion to the safety information on page 7.
These materials should give you an under-
standing of the watercraft and its operation.
Remember: This watercraft is designed to
carry the operator only. Never have more than
one person on the watercraft at any time.
EJU32981Learning to operate your watercraft
WARNING
EWJ00500

Do not apply throttle when anyone is at
the rear of the watercraft—turn the en-
gine off or keep it at idle. Water and/or
debris exiting the jet thrust nozzle can
cause severe injury.

Avoid the forceful jet thrust and make
sure that your visibility is not limited
while reboarding. Get to a standing or
kneeling position quickly, but do not ex-
pose yourself to the forceful jet thrust.
Before operating the watercraft, always per-
form the pre-operation checks listed on page
26. The short time spent checking the water-craft will reward you with added safety and re-
liability.
Check local laws before operating your water-
craft.
Operate defensively at safe speeds and keep
a safe distance away from people, objects,
and other watercraft. Select a wide area to
learn in, where there is good visibility and light
boat traffic.
Use the buddy system—operate with some-
one nearby. Scan constantly for people, ob-
jects, and other watercraft. Be alert for
conditions that limit your visibility or block your
vision of others.
Attach the engine shut-off cord (lanyard) to
your left wrist and keep it free from the handle-
bars so that the engine stops if you, the oper-
ator, fall off.
Wear a personal flotation device (PFD). The
operator must wear a PFD that is approved by
the appropriate authorities and is suitable for
personal watercraft use.
Wear protective clothing. Severe internal inju-
ries can occur if water is forced into body cav-
ities as a result of falling into the water or
being near the jet thrust nozzle. Normal swim-
wear does not adequately protect against
forceful water entry into the rectum or vagina.
The operator must wear a wetsuit bottom or
clothing that provides equivalent protection.
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Operation
36
Such clothing includes thick, tightly woven,
sturdy and snug-fitting apparel such as den-
im, but does not include spandex or similar
fabrics, like those used in bicycle shorts. A full
wetsuit can also protect against hypothermia
(subnormal body temperature) and abra-
sions.
Footwear and gloves are recommended.
Eye protection is recommended to keep wind,
water, and glare from the sun out of your eyes
while you operate your watercraft. Restraining
straps for eyewear are made which are de-
signed to float should your eyewear fall in the
water.
You should grip the handlebars firmly and get
to a standing or kneeling position quickly.
Keep both feet or knees on the riding tray
when the watercraft is in motion.
EJU33170Operating positions
After you are underway, you may choose to
kneel or stand, depending upon watercraft
speed, your skill level, and your preference.
Here are some guidelines.
EJU33181Kneeling
It is easier to maintain your balance when
kneeling than when standing. This position is
recommended when traveling at sub-planing
speeds. (At sub-planing speeds, there is a
wake, but the watercraft is moving through the
water rather than skimming on top of it.)At very slow speeds, it may be necessary to
support your upper-body weight with your el-
bows resting on the gunwales, trailing your
legs in the water.
EJU33190Standing
After you are comfortable handling the water-
craft from a kneeling position, try standing as
the watercraft gains speed. The watercraft will
become easier to balance as the speed in-
creases, because jet thrust provides stability
as well as directional control. When you are
moving slowly, or preparing to stop, you will
probably need to return to the kneeling posi-
tion to maintain your balance.
EJU33071Starting the watercraft
WARNING
EWJ00711
To avoid collisions:

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
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Operation
37
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.
The watercraft is less stable when at a stand-
still or at a slow speed. It takes skill to keep the
watercraft upright when starting.
Even though it is easier to start in shallow wa-
ter, you must learn deep-water boarding first.
You will inevitably fall off, so be sure you know
how to get back on the watercraft once you
are away from shore.
EJU33102Boarding and starting in shallow water
Be sure to learn the deep-water starting meth-
od before operating the watercraft in water
where it is too deep for you to stand. (See
page 38 for the deep-water starting method.)
(1) Launch the watercraft in water free from
weeds and debris and at least 60 cm (2 ft)
deep from the bottom of the watercraft.
NOTICE: Never operate in water that is
less than 60 cm (2 ft) deep from the
bottom of the watercraft, otherwise
pebbles or sand could be sucked into
the jet intake, causing impeller dam-
age and engine overheating.
[ECJ00471]
(2) Attach the engine shut-off cord (lanyard)
to your left wrist, and then attach the clip
to the engine shut-off switch.
(3) Grip the handlebars with both hands.
Place one knee on the riding tray and bal-
ance there.
(4) Start the engine and begin to accelerate.
(5) Pull your other knee up onto the riding
tray as the watercraft speed increases.
(6) Move as far forward as possible without
interfering with the movement of the han-
dlebars. Keep your body perpendicular to
the water, with your weight forward and
low.
TIP:
The watercraft will become easier to balance
as the speed increases, because jet thrust
provides stability as well as directional control.
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Operation
38
EJU33121Boarding and starting in deep water
WARNING
EWJ01260
Be sure the operator have practiced
boarding from the water while still close to
shore before riding. A person who has
made many unsuccessful attempts to get
back on the watercraft may become fa-
tigued and suffer from exposure, increas-
ing the risk of injury and drowning.
(1) Swim to the rear of the watercraft. Attach
the engine shut-off cord (lanyard) to your
left wrist, and then attach the clip to the
engine shut-off switch.
(2) Grip the handlebars with both hands. Pull
your body up onto the riding tray and bal-
ance there, using your elbows on the
gunwales for leverage.
(3) Start the engine and begin to accelerate.(4) Continue to pull your body up onto the
watercraft as the watercraft speed in-
creases.
(5) Bring your knees up onto the riding tray
and change to a kneeling position as
soon as you can do so. WARNING!
Avoid forceful jet thrust and limited
visibility while reboarding. Get to a
standing or kneeling position quickly,
but do not expose yourself to the
forceful jet thrust.
[EWJ00631]
(6) Move as far forward as possible without
interfering with the movement of the han-
dlebars. Keep your body perpendicular to
the water, with your weight forward and
low.
(7) Once the bow drops, and the watercraft
has leveled out in the water and reached
planing speed, back off the throttle and
select your desired speed.
TIP:

The watercraft will become easier to bal-
ance as the speed increases, because jet
thrust provides stability as well as direction-
al control.

It will take longer for a heavier operator to
reach planing speed than it will for a light
operator.
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Operation
39
EJU33201Capsized watercraft
WARNING
EWJ00671
Improper uprighting can cause injury.

Be sure to shut the engine off by pulling
on the engine shut-off cord (lanyard) to
remove the clip from the engine shut-off
switch.

Do not put your hands in the intake
grate.
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.
(1) Remove the clip from the engine shut-off
switch.
(2) Swim to the rear of the watercraft and up-
right it by turning it clockwise only.
If the port (left) side of the capsized wa-
tercraft is tilting up, push down on the
gunwale so that the port (left) side is
down before turning the watercraft clock-
wise. NOTICE: Do not turn the water-
craft over counterclockwise,
otherwise water can enter the engine,which can result in severe damage.
[ECJ00541]
(3) Start the engine and operate the water-
craft as straight as possible and above
planing speed for at least 2 minutes to
discharge any water remaining in the en-
gine compartment. (If the engine does
not start, see “Towing the watercraft” on
page 65 or “Submerged watercraft” on
page 65.) NOTICE: Do not operate the
engine at full throttle for at least 1
minute after the engine has been re-
started. Excessive water in the engine
compartment can splash into the en-
gine, which can result in severe dam-
age.
[ECJ00551]
To stabilize the watercraft when acceler-
ating to planing speed, maintain a low
center of gravity by operating it in the
kneeling position.
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Operation
40
EJU33241Turning the watercraft
WARNING
EWJ00761

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 overboard, which
could cause an injury.
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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Operation
41
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.
To maintain your balance, lean into a turn.
How much you lean depends on the sharp-
ness of the turn and your traveling speed. In
general, the higher the speed or the sharper
the turn, the more you lean.EJU33270Stopping 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 90 m (300 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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