2009 YAMAHA VX Owners Manual

Operation
50
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]
EJU37181
Shifting (for VX Deluxe/VX Cruiser)
WARNING
EWJ01230

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.

Make sure that there are no obstacles or
people behind you before shifting into
reverse.

Do not touch the reverse gate while the
shift lever is being operated, otherwise
you could be pinched.
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.
To shift into forward:
(1) Release the throttle lever and let the en-
gine speed return to idle.
(2) Push the shift lever away from you.
EJU32892Leaving the watercraft
If leaving the watercraft, select the lock
mode of the Yamaha Security System (for
VX Deluxe/VX Cruiser) and remove the en-
gine shut-off cord (lanyard) to reduce the
chance of accidental starting or unautho-
rized use by children or others. (See page 29
for Yamaha Security System lock and unlock
mode selection procedures.)
UF2L70E0.book Page 50 Thursday, June 19, 2008 8:38 AM

Operation
51
EJU32901
Operating your watercraft EJU32961Getting 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 9.
These materials should give you an under-
standing of the watercraft and its operation.
Remember: This watercraft is designed to
carry the operator and up to 2 passengers.
Never exceed the maximum load limit or allow
more than 3 persons (or 2 persons if a water-
skier is being pulled) to ride the watercraft at
any time.
EJU33001Learning to operate your watercraft
Before operating the watercraft, always per-
form the pre-operation checks listed on page
40. 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). All
riders 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 and vagi-
na. All riders must wear a wetsuit bottom or
clothing that provides equivalent protection.
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 Maximum load:
240 kg (530 lb)
Load is the total weight of cargo, oper-
ator, and passengers.
UF2L70E0.book Page 51 Thursday, June 19, 2008 8:38 AM

Operation
52
(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
keep both feet on the floor of the footwell. Do
not attempt to ride with passengers until your
operating skills are fully developed.
EJU33061Riding with passengers
WARNING
EWJ00541

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 de-
bris exiting the jet thrust nozzle can
cause severe injury. Passengers should
not attempt to board the watercraft if the
operator is applying throttle.

When passengers are on board, make
sure that they are holding on firmly and
have their feet on the floor of the foot-
well before you start to accelerate.
When 2 or 3 persons (including the operator)
are on board, the watercraft handles different-
ly, and is not as easy to maneuver, therefore
operating it requires a higher degree of skill.
Before attempting to operate the watercraft
with passengers on board, the operator must
practice operating the watercraft alone
enough to be able to acquire the necessary
skills.
The passengers must always wear a PFD
that is approved by the appropriate authorities
and a wetsuit bottom or equivalent.Do not give a ride to children whose feet can-
not reach the floor of the footwell. The pas-
sengers should hold on firmly, either to the
person in front of them or to the handgrip pro-
vided, and keep their feet on the floor of the
footwell. Never allow a passenger to ride in
front of the operator.
When pulling a water-skier, the spotter should
face to the rear while holding the handgrip
with both hands. The spotter should always sit
astride the seat with both feet placed firmly on
the floor of the footwell for proper balance.
Follow all local laws regarding water-skiing,
such as those for skier-down flags, rearward-
facing spotter, and other requirements.
EJU33081Starting 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
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
UF2L70E0.book Page 52 Thursday, June 19, 2008 8:38 AM

Operation
53
throttle lever when trying to steer away
from objects—you need throttle to steer.
EJU33092Boarding and starting in shallow water
(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) Board the watercraft from the side or the
rear.
(3) Attach the engine shut-off cord (lanyard)
to your left wrist, and then attach the clip
to the engine shut-off switch.
(4) Grip the handlebars with both hands,
place both feet on the floor of the footwell,start the engine, and then look in all direc-
tions before starting off.
EJU33111Boarding and starting from a dock
(1) Board the watercraft from the side.
(2) Attach the engine shut-off cord (lanyard)
to your left wrist, and then attach the clip
to the engine shut-off switch.
(3) Push the watercraft away from the dock,
grip the handlebars with both hands,
place both feet on the floor of the footwell,
start the engine, and then look in all direc-
tions before starting off.
EJU36081Boarding and starting in deep water
WARNING
EWJ01111
Be sure the operator and any passengers
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 fatigued and suffer from expo-
sure, increasing the risk of injury and
drowning.
Boarding in deep water requires more skill.
The operator and passengers should practice
boarding in shallow water before riding in
deep water.
UF2L70E0.book Page 53 Thursday, June 19, 2008 8:38 AM

Operation
54
EJU35231Boarding alone
(1) Swim to the rear of the watercraft and
place both hands on the boarding plat-
form, pull yourself up, and then grasp the
handgrip with one hand.
(2) Pull yourself up to a kneeling position on
the platform, and then move to the seat
and sit astride.
(3) Attach the engine shut-off cord (lanyard)
to your left wrist, and then attach the clip
to the engine shut-off switch.
(4) Grip the handlebars with both hands,
place both feet on the floor of the footwell,start the engine, and then look in all direc-
tions before starting off.
TIP:
If your watercraft is equipped with the re-
boarding step (for VX Cruiser), you can lower
the step to make reboarding easier. The step
returns automatically to the up position after
you have boarded.
EJU33164Boarding with passengers
WARNING
EWJ00660
Severe internal injuries can occur if water
is forced into body cavities as a result of
being near the jet thrust nozzle. Do not ap-
ply throttle until the passengers are seated
with their feet on the floor of the footwell
and are securely holding on to the person
in front of them or to the handgrip provid-
ed.
TIP:
The heavier the total weight of the operator
and passengers, the more difficult it will be to
balance the watercraft. Do not operate the
watercraft when the total weight exceeds 240
kg (530 lb) including any cargo.
UF2L70E0.book Page 54 Thursday, June 19, 2008 8:38 AM

Operation
55
(1) Climb on board as noted in the previous
section, and sit astride the seat.
(2) Attach the engine shut-off cord (lanyard)
to your left wrist, and then attach the clip
to the engine shut-off switch.
(3) Have the passengers move to the rear of
the watercraft.
(4) Have a passenger board and sit astride
the seat. If a second passenger is board-
ing, have him or her follow the same pro-
cedure. When a passenger is boarding,both the passengers and the operator
should try to balance the watercraft.
(5) Check that the passengers have their
feet on the floor of the footwell and are
securely holding on to the person in front
of them or to the handgrip provided. Nev-
er allow a passenger to ride in front of the
operator.
(6) Start the engine, look in all directions, and
then accelerate to planing speed.
To board when it is difficult to balance the wa-
tercraft at a standstill:
(1) While the passengers are steadying the
watercraft, pull yourself up onto the
boarding platform into a kneeling posi-
UF2L70E0.book Page 55 Thursday, June 19, 2008 8:38 AM

Operation
56
tion, and then move to the seat and sit
astride to balance the watercraft.
(2) Have a passenger pull him or herself up
onto the boarding platform into a kneeling
position, then move to the seat and sit
astride to balance the watercraft.
(3) Attach the engine shut-off cord (lanyard)
to your left wrist, and then attach the clip
to the engine shut-off switch.
(4) Start the engine and keep it at idle.
(5) Have the second passenger pull him or
herself up onto the boarding platform into
a kneeling position, then crawl onto the
seat as the watercraft accelerates.(6) Gradually increase the speed to balance
the watercraft.
EJU33231Capsized 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. Pull the
watercraft over with your left hand on the
ride plate while pushing down on the gun-
wale with your right hand or foot.
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,
UF2L70E0.book Page 56 Thursday, June 19, 2008 8:38 AM

Operation
57
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 80 or “Submerged watercraft” on
page 80.) 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]
EJU33251
Turning the watercraft
WARNING
EWJ00770

Do not release the throttle lever when
trying to steer away from objects—youneed 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 and passengers
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.
UF2L70E0.book Page 57 Thursday, June 19, 2008 8:38 AM