Important manual information
EJU30191
To the owner/operator
Thank you for choosing a Yamaha watercraft.
This owner’s/operator’s manual contains in-
formation you will need for proper operation,
maintenance, and care. If you have any ques-
tions about the operation or maintenance of
your watercraft, please consult a Yamaha
dealer.
This manual is not a course on boating safety
or seamanship. If this is your first watercraft,
or if you are changing to a type of watercraft
you are not familiar with, for your own comfort
and safety, please ensure that you obtain
proper training or practice before operating
the watercraft by yourself. In addition, a
Yamaha dealer or boating organization will be
pleased to recommend local sea schools, or
competent instructors.
Because Yamaha has a policy of continuing
product improvement, this product may not be
exactly as described in this owner’s/opera-
tor’s manual. Specifications are subject to
change without notice.
This manual should be considered a perma-
nent part of this watercraft and should remain
with it even if the watercraft is subsequently
sold.
In this manual, information of particular impor-
tance is distinguished in the following ways:
The Safety Alert Symbol means ATTEN-
TION! BECOME ALERT! YOUR SAFETY IS
INVOLVED!
WARNING
EWJ00071
A WARNING indicates a hazardous situa-
tion which, if not avoided, could result in
death or serious injury.
NOTICE
ECJ00091
A NOTICE indicates special precautions
that must be taken to avoid damage to the
watercraft or other property.
TIP:
A TIP provides key information to make pro-
cedures easier or clearer.
EJU30231
WaveRunner FX SHO/FX Cruiser SHO
OWNER’S/OPERATOR’S MANUAL
©2008 by Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd.
1st Edition, May 2008
All rights reserved.
Any reprinting or unauthorized use
without the written permission of
Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd.
is expressly prohibited.
Printed in U.S.A.
UF1W71E0.book Page 3 Tuesday, June 24, 2008 11:46 AM
Table of contents
General and important labels ........... 1
Identification numbers .................... 1
Primary Identification (PRI-ID)
number ........................................... 1
Craft Identification Number (CIN) ...... 1
Engine serial number ........................ 1
Model information ........................... 2
Builder’s plate .................................... 2
Important labels .............................. 3
Warning labels ................................... 4
Other labels ....................................... 8
Safety information ........................... 10
Limitations on who may operate
the watercraft ............................ 10
Cruising limitations ....................... 11
Operation requirements ............... 12
Recommended equipment ........... 14
Hazard information ....................... 15
Watercraft characteristics ............. 15
Water-skiing ................................. 17
Safe boating rules ........................ 19
Enjoy your watercraft
responsibly ................................ 19
Features and functions ................... 21
Location of main components ...... 21
Operation of controls and other
functions .................................... 25
Seats ............................................... 25
Hood ................................................ 26
Fuel tank filler cap ........................... 26
Remote control transmitter .............. 26
Engine stop switch .......................... 27
Engine shut-off switch ..................... 27
Start switch ...................................... 28
Right handlebar switches ................ 28
Throttle lever ................................... 29
Cooling water pilot outlets ............... 29
Steering system ............................... 30
Tilt lever ........................................... 30
Shift lever ........................................ 31Quick Shift Trim System (QSTS)
selector ........................................ 31
Handgrip .......................................... 33
Reboarding step .............................. 33
Bow eye ........................................... 33
Stern eyes ....................................... 34
Pull-up cleats
(for FX Cruiser SHO) ................... 34
Yamaha Engine Management
System (YEMS) ........................... 34
Yamaha Security System ................ 34
No-wake mode ................................ 36
Cruise assist .................................... 37
Multifunction information center ...... 39
Storage compartments .................... 49
Operation ......................................... 52
Fuel and oil .................................. 52
Fuel ................................................. 52
Engine oil ......................................... 53
Pre-operation checks ................... 54
Pre-operation check list ................... 54
Pre-operation check points .............. 56
Operation ..................................... 64
Engine break-in ............................... 64
Launching the watercraft ................. 64
Starting the engine .......................... 64
Stopping the engine ........................ 65
Shifting ............................................ 66
Leaving the watercraft ..................... 66
Operating your watercraft ............ 67
Getting to know your watercraft ....... 67
Learning to operate your
watercraft ..................................... 67
Riding with passengers ................... 68
Starting the watercraft ..................... 68
Boarding and starting in deep
water ............................................ 69
Capsized watercraft ......................... 72
Turning the watercraft ..................... 73
Stopping the watercraft ................... 74
Beaching the watercraft ................... 75
Docking the watercraft ..................... 75
Reverse on waterways .................... 75
UF1W71E0.book Page 1 Tuesday, June 24, 2008 11:46 AM
General and important labels
4
EJU35911Warning labels
If any of these labels are damaged or missing, contact a Yamaha dealer for replacements.
UF1W71E0.book Page 4 Tuesday, June 24, 2008 11:46 AM
Features and functions
30
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.
EJU31291Tilt lever
The tilt lever is located in front of the glove
compartment and is used to adjust the tilt of
the handlebars. WARNING! Never pull the
tilt lever during operation, otherwise the
handlebars may suddenly change posi-
tion, which may lead to an accident.
[EWJ00041]
To adjust the tilt, pull the tilt lever up, and then
move the handlebars up or down to the de-
sired position.
Make sure that the tilt lever returns to its orig-
inal position and that the handlebars are
locked in place after adjusting them.
1Handlebar
2Jet thrust nozzle
1Tilt lever
1
UF1W71E0.book Page 30 Tuesday, June 24, 2008 11:46 AM
Features and functions
33
ahead acceleration when on plane and top
speed are enhanced.
In some conditions, however, the watercraft
may tend to “porpoise” (hop in the water). If
the watercraft is porpoising, select neutral or
bow down.
EJU31361Handgrip
The handgrip provides a handhold for board-
ing the watercraft and for a spotter when fac-
ing rearward. WARNING! Do not use the
handgrip to lift the watercraft. The hand-
grip is not designed to support the water-
craft’s weight. If the handgrip breaks, the
watercraft could fall, which could result in
severe injury.
[EWJ00021]
FX SHO
FX Cruiser SHO
EJU34862Reboarding step
The reboarding step provides a handhold and
footstep for boarding the watercraft.
WARNING! Do not use the reboarding step
to lift the watercraft. The reboarding step
is not designed to support the watercraft’s
weight. If the reboarding step breaks, the
watercraft could fall, which could result in
severe injury.
[EWJ01211]
NOTICE
ECJ00742
Use the reboarding step only to board the
watercraft in the water. Do not use the re-
boarding step for any other purpose. The
watercraft can be damaged.
EJU34870Bow eye
The bow eye is located at the bow of the wa-
tercraft.
1Handgrip
1Handgrip
1
1Reboarding step
1
UF1W71E0.book Page 33 Tuesday, June 24, 2008 11:46 AM
Features and functions
34
The bow eye is used to attach a rope to the
watercraft when transporting, mooring, or
towing it in an emergency.
EJU34880Stern eyes
The stern eyes are located at the stern of the
watercraft.
The stern eyes are used to attach a rope to
the watercraft when transporting or mooring it.
EJU34891Pull-up cleats (for FX Cruiser SHO)
The pull-up cleats are used to attach a rope to
the watercraft when mooring it.
To use a pull-up cleat, pull it up. WARNING!
Do not use the pull-up cleats to lift the wa-
tercraft. The pull-up cleats are not de-
signed to support the watercraft’s weight.
If the pull-up cleats break, the watercraftcould fall, which could result in severe in-
jury.
[EWJ00821]
EJU31370
Yamaha Engine Management System
(YEMS)
This model is equipped with an integrated,
computerized management system that con-
trols and adjusts ignition timing, fuel injection,
engine diagnostics, and the off-throttle steer-
ing (OTS) system.
EJU31381Yamaha Security System
The Yamaha Security System functions to
help prevent unauthorized use or theft of the
watercraft. The engine cannot be started if the
security system is in the lock mode. The en-
gine can only be started in the unlock mode.
The lock and unlock modes of the security
system are selected using the remote control
transmitter that is included with this water-
craft.
TIP:
Since the watercraft is programmed to recog-
nize the internal code from this transmitter
only, the security system setting can only be
changed with this transmitter. If you lose the
remote control transmitter or if it does not op-
erate properly, contact a Yamaha dealer.
1Bow eye
1Stern eye
1
1Pull-up cleat
1
UF1W71E0.book Page 34 Tuesday, June 24, 2008 11:46 AM
Features and functions
40
ponents for help and convenience in operat-
ing the watercraft.
When the multifunction information center
starts operating, the analog speedometer/ta-
chometer makes one sweep, all displays light
up for 2 seconds, and then the meter starts to
operate normally.
The multifunction information center will con-
tinue to operate for 25 seconds after the en-
gine stops.EJU34930Analog speedometer/tachometer and indi-
cator lights
This watercraft is equipped with the following
meter and indicator lights.
EJU36791Analog speedometer/tachometer
The analog speedometer/tachometer can be
used as a speedometer or a tachometer.
To switch between the speedometer and the
tachometer functions, push the “Speed/RPM”
button for at least 1 second when the multi-
function information center is operating.
The “SPEED” indicator light comes on when
the analog speedometer is selected. The
1Analog speedometer/tachometer and indi-
cator lights
2Left multifunction display and operation but-
tons
3Right multifunction display and operation
buttons (for FX Cruiser SHO)
1Analog speedometer/tachometer
2“SPEED” indicator light
3“WARNING” indicator light
4“RPM” indicator light
5“UNLOCK” indicator light
6“L-MODE” indicator light
UF1W71E0.book Page 40 Tuesday, June 24, 2008 11:46 AM
Features and functions
42
EJU34980“WARNING” indicator light
The “WARNING” indicator light blinks or
comes on, together with a warning indicator,
when a malfunction has occurred.
EJU34990“UNLOCK” indicator light
The “UNLOCK” indicator light comes on when
the unlock mode of the Yamaha Security Sys-
tem is selected. The watercraft can be ridden
normally when this light is on. (See page 35
for more information.)
EJU35010“L-MODE” indicator light
The “L-MODE” indicator light comes on when
the low-RPM mode is selected. (See page 36
for more information.)
EJU35021Left multifunction display and operation
buttons
The left multifunction display is equipped with
the following functions.
1“WARNING” indicator light
1“UNLOCK” indicator light1“L-MODE” indicator light
1Fuel level meter
2Fuel level warning indicator
3Hour meter/voltmeter
4Digital speedometer
5Oil pressure warning indicator
6Check engine warning indicator
7Engine overheat warning indicator
UF1W71E0.book Page 42 Tuesday, June 24, 2008 11:46 AM