Operation
68
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
steer away from a boat or other obstacle
that comes into your path.
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.
EJU40371Operating the watercraft in reverse
Pull the shift lever rearward to the reverse po-
sition. The watercraft will move in reverse.
(See page 30 for information on the reverse
system.)
Make sure that there are no obstacles or peo-
ple behind you before shifting into reverse.
TIP:
This model is equipped with a function which
limits the engine speed in reverse.
EJU41450Boarding the watercraft
WARNING
EWJ00621
Be sure the operator and passenger have
practiced boarding from the water while
still close to shore before riding. A person
who has made many unsuccessful at-
tempts to get back on the watercraft may
become fatigued and suffer from expo-
sure, increasing the risk of injury and
drowning.
Board 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
run the engine in water that is less than 60
cm (2 ft) deep from the bottom of the wa-
tercraft, otherwise pebbles or sand could
be sucked into the jet intake, causing im-
peller damage and engine overheating.
[ECJ00472]
TIP:
This watercraft is equipped with a reboarding
step, which can be lowered and used to make
reboarding easier. (See page 40 for informa-
tion on operating the reboarding step.)
1Shift lever
2Reverse position
1
2
60 cm (2 ft)
UF2R71E0.book Page 68 Monday, July 13, 2009 11:28 AM
Operation
69
EJU37463Boarding alone
(1) From the rear of the watercraft, place
both hands on the boarding platform, pull
yourself up, and then grasp the reboard-
ing grip with one hand.
(2) Pull yourself up to a kneeling position on
the boarding 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 and
place both feet on the floor of the footwell.
(5) Look in all directions, start the engine,
and then start off slowly.
EJU33155Boarding with a passenger
WARNING
EWJ00650
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 passenger is seated
with both feet on the floor of the footwell
and is securely holding on to the operator.
The heavier the total weight of the operator
and passenger, the more difficult it will be to
balance the watercraft. Do not operate the
watercraft when the total weight exceeds 160
kg (353 lb) including any cargo.
UF2R71E0.book Page 69 Monday, July 13, 2009 11:28 AM
Operation
71
To board when it is difficult to balance at a
standstill:
(1) Have the passenger steady the water-
craft, and then board as noted in the pre-
vious section “Boarding alone”.
(2) Grip the handlebars with both hands,
place both feet on the floor of the footwell,
and balance there.
(3) Attach the engine shut-off cord (lanyard)
to your left wrist, and then attach the clip
to the engine shut-off switch.
(4) Look in all directions, and then start the
engine and operate at trolling speed.
(5) Have the passenger pull themselves up
onto the boarding platform into a kneeling
position and balance there. Look in all di-
rections, and then gradually accelerate.
Then, have the passenger crawl onto the
seat while maintaining their balance.
(6) Have the passenger sit astride the seat,
place their feet on the floor of the footwell,securely hold on to the operator, and bal-
ance there.
(7) Make sure that the passenger has their
feet on the floor of the footwell and is se-
curely holding on to the operator, and
then gradually increase the speed to bal-
ance the watercraft.
EJU33082Starting off
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
UF2R71E0.book Page 71 Monday, July 13, 2009 11:28 AM
Operation
72
throttle lever when trying to steer away
from objects—you need throttle to steer.
NOTICE
ECJ01340
Never run the engine 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, caus-
ing impeller damage and engine overheat-
ing.
EJU40232Starting off from a trailer
(1) Launch the watercraft and move the shift
lever to the reverse position. (See page
30 for information on the reverse sys-
tem.)
(2) Attach the engine shut-off cord (lanyard)
to your left wrist, and then attach the clip
to the engine shut-off switch.
(3) Look in all directions, start the engine,
and then start off slowly.
EJU33113Boarding and starting off 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, and
place both feet on the floor of the footwell.
(4) Look in all directions, start the engine,
and then start off slowly.
EJU33234Capsized 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.
To upright the watercraft:
(1) Remove the clip from the engine shut-off
switch.
(2) Swim to the rear of the watercraft. Turn
the watercraft over clockwise by pulling
on the ride plate with your left hand while
pushing down on the gunwale 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-
UF2R71E0.book Page 72 Monday, July 13, 2009 11:28 AM
Operation
73
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 at planing speed to drain water in the
engine compartment. (See page 49 for
information on draining the bilge water. If
the engine does not start, see “Towing
the watercraft” on page 92 or “Sub-
merged watercraft” on page 92.)
NOTICE: Do not run the engine at full
throttle for at least 1 minute after the
engine has been restarted. Bilge water
in the engine compartment can splash
into the engine, which can result in se-
vere damage.
[ECJ00553]
EJU37521
Beaching and docking the watercraft
To beach the watercraft:
(1) Make sure that there are no boats, swim-
mers, or obstacles near the beach.(2) Release the throttle lever to reduce
speed about 130 m (430 ft) before you
reach the intended beaching area.
(3) Slowly approach the beach and stop the
engine just before reaching land.
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 se-
vere injury or death.
[EWJ00601] NOTICE:
Never run the engine 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.
[ECJ00472]
(4) Get off the watercraft and pull it up on the
beach.
To dock the watercraft:
(1) Make sure that there are no boats, swim-
mers, or obstacles near the dock.
(2) Release the throttle lever to reduce
speed about 130 m (430 ft) away from the
dock.
(3) Slowly approach the dock and stop the
engine just before coming alongside it.
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 se-
vere injury or death.
[EWJ00601]
(4) Come alongside the dock and get off the
watercraft.
EJU37193Operating in weeded areas
Always avoid using your watercraft in areas
where weed growth is thick. If operating in
weeded areas is unavoidable, alternately
squeeze the throttle lever and relax your grip
on the throttle lever to vary the engine speed.
Weeds tend to become clogged more when
operating at a steady speed and at trolling
UF2R71E0.book Page 73 Monday, July 13, 2009 11:28 AM
Care and storage
75
EJU37145
Post-operation care
WARNING
EWJ00330
Always place the watercraft upright in a
horizontal position when storing it, other-
wise fuel could leak out into the engine or
engine compartment, which could create a
fire hazard.
After using the watercraft, always take it out of
the water, clean it, and store it. Leaving the
watercraft in the water for extended periods
will accelerate the rate of normal deterioration
of the jet pump and hull. Marine organisms
and corrosion are some of the conditions that
can shorten the life of many watercraft com-
ponents.
EJU37562Flushing the cooling water passages
NOTICE
ECJ01310
Do not run the engine over 4000 r/min on
land. Also, do not run the engine for more
than 15 seconds without supplying water,
otherwise the engine could overheat.
Flush the cooling water passages to prevent
them from clogging with salt, sand, or dirt.
(1) Place the watercraft in a horizontal posi-
tion.
(2) Remove the seats and watertight storage
compartment. (See page 39 for seat re-
moval and installation procedures and
page 44 for information on the watertight
storage compartment.)(3) Connect the garden hose adapter to a
garden hose.
(4) Loosen the flushing hose connector cap
and remove it. Insert the garden hose
adapter into the flushing hose connector
and turn it until it is securely connected.
(5) Connect the garden hose to a water tap.
(6) Make sure that the area around the wa-
tercraft is clear, and then start the engine.
Immediately after the engine starts, fully
turn the water supply on so that water
1Garden hose adapter
1Garden hose adapter
2Flushing hose connector cap
3Flushing hose connector
231
UF2R71E0.book Page 75 Monday, July 13, 2009 11:28 AM
Care and storage
76
flows out continually from the jet thrust
nozzle.
(7) Run the engine at idling speed for about
3 minutes watching the engine condition.
If the engine stops while flushing, turn the
water supply off immediately and perform
the procedure again from step 6.
NOTICE: Do not supply water to the
cooling water passages when the en-
gine is not running. The water could
flow back through the muffler into the
engine, causing severe engine dam-
age.
[ECJ00122]
(8) Turn the water supply off.
(9) Discharge the remaining water out of the
cooling water passages by alternately
squeezing and releasing the throttle lever
quickly for 10 to 15 seconds.
(10) Stop the engine.
(11) Remove the garden hose adapter, and
then securely install the flushing hose
connector cap by tightening it until it
stops.
(12) Securely install the watertight storage
compartment and seats in their original
positions.
EJU33735Cleaning the watercraft
(1) Remove the seats. (See page 39 for seat
removal and installation procedures.)
(2) Rinse the engine and engine compart-
ment with a small amount of water.NOTICE: Do not use high-pressure
water when rinsing the engine or en-
gine compartment as severe engine
damage could result.
[ECJ00571]
(3) Drain the water from the engine compart-
ment. (See page 49 for information on
draining the bilge water.)
(4) Wipe the engine and engine compart-
ment with a dry cloth.
(5) Wash down the hull, deck, and jet pump
with fresh water.
(6) Wipe the hull, deck, and jet pump with a
dry cloth.
(7) Wipe all vinyl and rubber components,
such as the seats and engine compart-
ment seals, with a vinyl protectant.
(8) To minimize corrosion, spray metallic
parts of the hull, deck, and engine with a
rust inhibitor.
(9) Allow the engine compartment to air dry
completely before installing the seats.
(10) Securely install the seats in their original
positions.
EJU33686Battery care
If the watercraft will not be used for more than
a month, remove the battery from the water-
craft, check it, and then store it in a cool, dry
place.
WARNING
EWJ00791
Battery electrolyte is poisonous and dan-
gerous, causing severe burns, etc. Elec-
trolyte contains sulfuric acid. Avoid
contact with skin, eyes, or clothing.
Antidotes
External: Flush with water.
Internal: Drink large quantities of water or
milk. Follow with milk of magnesia, beaten
egg, or vegetable oil. Call a physician im-
mediately.
UF2R71E0.book Page 76 Monday, July 13, 2009 11:28 AM
Care and storage
78
To store the battery:
(1) Clean the battery case using fresh water.
(2) If the battery terminals are dirty or corrod-
ed, clean them using a wire brush.
(3) Apply Yamaha Marine Grease or
Yamaha Grease A to the battery termi-
nals.
(4) Store the battery in a cool, dry place.
NOTICE: Storing the battery in an un-
charged condition can cause perma-
nent battery damage. Check the
battery periodically.
[ECJ00102]
To install the battery:
(1) Place the battery in the battery compart-
ment and hook the battery bands onto the
holders.
(2) Connect the positive (+) battery lead (red)
to the positive (+) battery terminal.
NOTICE: Reversal of the battery leads
will damage the electrical parts.
[ECJ00261]
(3) Connect the negative (–) battery lead
(black) to the negative (–) battery termi-
nal.
(4) Connect the breather hose to the battery.
WARNING! Fire or explosion could re-
sult if the breather hose is damaged,obstructed, or not connected proper-
ly.
[EWJ00451]
(5) Make sure that the battery is securely
held in place.
1Battery terminal
Recommended water-resistant grease:
Yamaha Marine Grease/Yamaha
Grease A
UF2R71E0.book Page 78 Monday, July 13, 2009 11:28 AM