Important manual information
EJU30192
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.
In this manual, information of particular impor-
tance is distinguished in the following ways:
This is the safety alert symbol. It is used
to alert you to potential personal injury haz-
ards. Obey all safety messages that follow
this symbol to avoid possible injury or death.
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.
EJU40410
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.
EJU30232
WaveRunner VXS / VXR
OWNER’S/OPERATOR’S MANUAL ©2012 by Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd.
1st Edition, June 2012All rights reserved.
Any reprinting or unauthorized use
without the written permission of Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd.
is expressly prohibited.
Printed in U.S.A.
UF2M72E0.book Page 2 Thursday, July 12, 2012 5:05 PM
Table of contents
Operation ......................................... 59Operating your watercraft ............. 59
Getting to know your watercraft ....... 59
Learning to operate
your watercraft ............................. 59
Riding position ................................. 60
Launching the watercraft ................. 60
Starting the engine on water ........... 60
Stopping the engine ........................ 61
Leaving the watercraft ..................... 61
Operating the watercraft .................. 61
Turning the watercraft ..................... 62
Stopping the watercraft ................... 63
Operating the watercraft in reverse ..................................... 64
Boarding the watercraft ................... 64
Starting off ....................................... 67
Capsized watercraft ......................... 68
Beaching and docking
the watercraft ............................... 69
Operating in weeded areas ............. 69
After removing the watercraft from the water .............................. 70
Care and storage ............................. 71Post-operation care ...................... 71
Flushing the cooling water
passages ...................................... 71
Cleaning the watercraft ................... 72
Battery care ..................................... 72
Long-term storage ........................ 75
Cleaning .......................................... 75
Lubrication ....................................... 75
Rustproofing .................................... 76
Maintenance..................................... 77 Maintenance ................................. 77
Tool kit ............................................. 77
Removing and installing the engine
cover ............................................ 77
Periodic maintenance chart ............. 79
Engine oil and oil filter ..................... 80
Specifications.................................. 81 Specifications ................................ 81
Trouble recovery ............................. 82 Troubleshooting ........................... 82
Troubleshooting chart ...................... 82
Emergency procedures ................ 85
Cleaning the jet intake and
impeller ........................................ 85
Jumping the battery ......................... 86
Replacing the fuses ......................... 86
Towing the watercraft ...................... 88
Submerged watercraft ..................... 88
UF2M72E0.book Page 2 Thursday, July 12, 2012 5:05 PM
Safety information
19
EJU30991
Enjoy your watercraft responsibly
You share the areas you enjoy when riding
your watercraft with others and with nature.
So your enjoyment includes a responsibility to
treat these other people, and the lands, wa-
ters, and wildlife with respect and courtesy.
Whenever and wherever you ride, think of
yourself as the guest of those around you. Re-
member, for example, that the sound of your
watercraft may be music to you, but it could be
just noise to others. And the exciting splash of
your wake can make waves others won’t en-
joy.
Avoid riding close to shoreline homes and wa-
terfowl nesting areas or other wildlife areas,
and keep a respectful distance from fisher-
men, other boats, swimmers, and populated
beaches. When travel in areas like these is
unavoidable, ride slowly and obey all laws.
Proper maintenance is necessary to ensure
that the exhaust emission and sound levels of
your watercraft will continue to be within regu-
lated limits. You have the responsibility to
make sure that the recommended mainte-
nance in this owner’s/operator’s manual is
carried out.
Remember, pollution can be harmful to the
environment. Do not refuel or add oil where a
spill could cause damage to nature. Remove
your watercraft from the water and move it
away from the shoreline before refueling. Dis-
pose of water and any fuel and oil residue in
the engine compartment according to local
regulations. And keep your surroundings
pleasant for the people and wildlife that share
the waterways: don’t litter.
When you ride responsibly, with respect and
courtesy for others, you help ensure that our waterways stay open for the enjoyment of a
variety of recreational opportunities.
UF2M72E0.book Page 19 Thursday, July 12, 2012 5:05 PM
Care and storage
75
EJU33492
Long-term storage
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.
Storage for long periods of time, such as win-
ter storage, requires preventive maintenance
to ensure against deterioration. It is advisable
to have the watercraft serviced by a Yamaha
dealer prior to storage.
However, the following procedures can be
performed easily by the owner.
EJU40762Cleaning
(1) Flush the cooling water passages. (Seepage 71 for information on flushing the
cooling water passages.)
TIP:
If you will be storing the watercraft for a pro-
longed period, such as winter storage, top off
the fuel tank with fresh gasoline and add fuel
stabilizer and conditioner to the fuel tank ac-
cording to the manufacturer’s instruction be-
fore starting the engine.
(2) Clean the watercraft. (See page 72 for in-formation on cleaning the watercraft.)
Wax the hull with a non-abrasive wax.
EJU40633Lubrication
Use a suitable marine grease applicator and
spray a rust inhibitor between the inner and
outer cables to lubricate the cables and purge
out any dirt and moisture.
To keep moving parts sliding or rotating
smoothly, lubricate them with water-resistant
grease.
●Throttle cable (throttle lever end)
●Steering cable (jet thrust nozzle end)
●Shift cable (shift lever end)Recommended water-resistant grease:
Yamaha Marine Grease/Yamaha
Grease A
UF2M72E0.book Page 75 Thursday, July 12, 2012 5:05 PM
Maintenance
77
EJU33768
Maintenance
Periodic checks and lubrication will keep your
watercraft in the safest and most efficient con-
dition possible. Therefore, make sure to carry
out the periodic maintenance. Safety is an ob-
ligation of the watercraft owner. Proper main-
tenance must be carried out to keep the
exhaust emission and sound levels within the
regulated limits. The most important points of
watercraft inspection and lubrication are ex-
plained on the following pages.
See a Yamaha dealer for genuine Yamaha re-
placement parts and optional accessories de-
signed for your watercraft.
Remember, failures that are the result of the
installation of parts or accessories which are
not qualitatively equivalent to genuine
Yamaha parts are not covered by the limited warranty.
Maintenance, replacement, or repair of the
emission control devices and system may
be performed by any marine SI engine re-
pair establishment or individual. Warranty
repair, however, must be performed at an
authorized Yamaha marine dealership.
WARNING
EWJ00311
Be sure to turn off the engine when you
perform maintenance unless otherwise
specified. If you are not familiar with ma-
chine servicing, this work should be done
by a Yamaha dealer or other qualified me-
chanic.
EJU33802Tool kit
A tool kit is included with this watercraft. Place
the tool kit in a waterproof bag and always carry it with you whenever you use the water-
craft.
EJU42040Removing and installing the engine
cover
The engine cover is removable.
To remove the engine cover:
(1) Remove the seat. (See page 38 for seat
removal and installation procedures.)
(2) Remove the engine cover screws.
1 Tool bag
2 Screwdriver
3 Garden hose adapter
4 10/12 mm box wrench
5 Pliers
6 Open-end wrench
1 Engine cover screw
1
UF2M72E0.book Page 77 Thursday, July 12, 2012 5:05 PM
Maintenance
78
(3) Lift up the engine cover and remove it.
To install the engine cover:
(1) Place the engine cover in its original posi-tion, and then push it down.
(2) Install the engine cover screws, and then tighten them to the specified torque.
(3) Securely install the seat in its original po- sition.
1Engine cover
Tightening torque:
Engine cover screw:
4.5 Nm (0.46 kgf-m, 3.3 ft-lb)
1
UF2M72E0.book Page 78 Thursday, July 12, 2012 5:05 PM
Maintenance
79
EJU37062Periodic maintenance chart
The periodic maintenance chart gives general guidelines for periodic maintenance. Have a
Yamaha dealer perform the checks in the following chart. However, maintenance may need to be performed more frequently depending on your operating conditions. If you have any ques-
tions, consult a Yamaha dealer.
This “ ” mark indicates items to be checked and serviced by a Yamaha dealer.
Item OperationInitial
Thereafter every
Page
10
hours 50 hours
100
hours 200
hours
6
months 12
months 12
months 24
months
Spark plugs Check, clean, replace —
Lubrication points Lubricate —
Internal engine
components Spray lubricant
—
Intermediate hous-
ing Lubricate
—
Fuel system Check —
Fuel tank Check, clean —
Engine idling
speed Check, adjust
—
Throttle shaft Check —
Water inlet strain-
er Check, clean
—
Bilge strainer Clean —
Impeller Check —
Jet thrust nozzle
angle Check, adjust
—
Shift cable and re-
verse gate Check, adjust
—
Throttle cable Check —
Stern drain plugs Check, replace —
Battery Check, charge —
Rubber coupling Check —
Engine mount Check —
Nuts and bolts Check —
Air filter element Check —
UF2M72E0.book Page 79 Thursday, July 12, 2012 5:05 PM
Maintenance
80
EJU36942Engine oil and oil filter
WARNING
EWJ00340
Engine oil is extremely hot immediately af-
ter the engine is turned off. Coming in con-
tact with or getting any engine oil on your
clothes could result in burns.
NOTICE
ECJ00991
Do not run the engine with too much or not
enough oil in the engine, otherwise the en-
gine could be damaged.
It is recommended to have a Yamaha dealer
change the engine oil and the engine oil filter.
However, if you choose to change the oil and
filter on your own, consult a Yamaha dealer.
Engine oilReplace 80
Oil filter Replace 80
Valve clearance Check, adjust —
Item Operation
Initial Thereafter every
Page
10
hours 50 hours 100
hours 200
hours
6
months 12
months 12
months 24
months
UF2M72E0.book Page 80 Thursday, July 12, 2012 5:05 PM