2020 YAMAHA VX DELUXE engine

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Contents
Introduction............................................................................ 1
Important information........................................................... 2
How to use this guide to practice........................................ 4
Exercise 1: Controls............................................................... 6
Exercise 2: Starting and stopping engine............................ 7
Exercise 3: Boarding and balancing................................... 11
Exercise 4: Trolling speed maneuvering............................ 14
Exercise 5: Sub-planing speed maneuvering.................... 15
Exercise 6: Full acceleration and stopping....................... 18
Exercise 7: Planing speed operation.................................. 19
Exercise 8: Crossing wakes and swells............................. 21
Exercise 9: Operating with passengers............................. 22
Postscript............................................................................. 24
WaveRunner
VX-C / VX / VX Deluxe / VX Cruiser / VX Limited
RIDING PRACTICE GUIDE
©2020 by Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd.
1st Edition, June 2019
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.
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Important information
This practice guide does not replace the Owner’s/Operator’s Manual or the labels
on the watercraft.
Be sure to study these instructional materials thoroughly before you begin to oper-
ate this watercraft.
WWARNING
Collisions result in more injuries and deaths than any other type of accident for per-
sonal watercraft (PWC).
To avoid collisions:
Scan constantly for people, objects, and other watercraft. Be alert for conditions that
limit your visibility or block your vision of others.
Operate defensively at safe speeds and keep a safe distance away from people,
objects, and other watercraft.
Do not follow directly behind PWCs or other boats.
Do not go near others to spray or splash them with water, go too close to other
boats, or go too fast for the traffic conditions.
Avoid areas with submerged objects or shallow water.
VX-C: Avoid sharp turns or other maneuvers that make it hard for others to avoid
you or understand where you are going.
VX / VX Deluxe / VX Cruiser / VX Limited: Avoid sharp turns, slowing down rapidly
by squeezing the Reverse with Intuitive Deceleration Electronics (RiDE) lever
forcefully, and other maneuvers that make it hard for others to avoid you or under-
stand where you are going.
The RiDE system is an electronic system for controlling the engine speed and
reverse gate, which is located near the jet thrust nozzle. The RiDE lever located at
the left handlebar grip can be used to change the direction of the jet thrust so that
the watercraft moves in reverse or is in neutral. The RiDE system assists the oper-
ator when slowing down and during slow-speed maneuvering, such as launching,
beaching, and docking.
Take early action to avoid collisions. Remember, PWCs and other boats do not have
brakes.
VX / VX Deluxe / VX Cruiser / VX Limited: The RiDE system is not a braking device for
avoiding dangerous situations.
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Exercise 1: Controls
Objective:
This exercise trains you to locate and operate the watercraft’s controls without looking or
hesitating. You must master this skill so you can scan constantly for people, objects, and
other watercraft as you maneuver, rather than taking away concentration to find a control.
Skills:
Knowing where every control is and how to use it without having to stop and think about
it.
Directions:
Drill 1: Identifying the components and controls
Read your Owner’s/Operator’s Manual to identify the watercraft’s main components and
controls.
Do not just assume you know how a control works, read the instructions to be sure!
Drill 2: Pre-operation checks
Practice performing the pre-operation checks listed in your Owner’s/Operator’s Manual.
You learned where everything is in Drill 1.
Now make sure everything is working properly. Pay particular attention to the steering
controls and the throttle lever.
Drill 3: Operating positions
With the watercraft on land and the engine off, board and become familiar with the cor-
rect operating positions described in your Owner’s/Operator’s Manual. Then, with your
eyes facing straight ahead, locate each control and verify that you know how to use it.
Continue this drill until you feel comfortable with the controls.
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Exercise 2: Starting and stopping engine
Objective:
This exercise teaches you about how the engine starts and stops and how the watercraft
behaves after starting and while idling.
Skills:
Identifying and performing engine starting and stopping controls and procedures.
Directions:
Launch the watercraft and practice this exercise while standing next to it in water free
from weeds or debris and at least 60 cm (2 ft) deep from the bottom of the watercraft.
Never operate in water that is less than 60 cm (2 ft) deep, otherwise pebbles or sand
could be sucked into the jet intake, causing impeller damage or engine overheating.
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Exercise 2: Starting and stopping engine
Drill 1: Starting the engine
1. VX Deluxe / VX Cruiser / VX Limited: Press the unlock button 1 on the remote control
transmitter to deactivate the security system. (See the “Yamaha Security System” sec-
tion in the owner’s/operator’s manual for more information.)
VX-C / VX: Skip to step 2. (Your watercraft is not equipped with Yamaha Security Sys-
tem.)
2. Attach the engine shut-off cord 2 to your wrist. Insert the clip 3, under the engine
shut-off switch 4. Make sure to keep the engine shut-off cord free from the handlebars
so the engine stops if the operator falls off. The clip may not pull free if the cord is
wrapped around the handlebars.
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2
3
4
2
VX-C VX / VX Deluxe / VX Cruiser / VX Limited
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Exercise 2: Starting and stopping engine
3. Push the start switch 5 (green button).
VX-C:
Do not squeeze the throttle lever. Otherwise, the engine will not start.
The engine is connected directly to the drive unit, so be prepared for forward thrust
when the engine starts. Apply only enough throttle to keep the engine running.
VX / VX Deluxe / VX Cruiser / VX Limited:
Do not squeeze either the throttle lever or RiDE lever. Otherwise, the engine will not
start.
4. Release the start switch as soon as the engine starts to run.
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VX-C VX / VX Deluxe / VX Cruiser / VX Limited
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Exercise 2: Starting and stopping engine
Drill 2: Stopping the engine
1. Release the throttle lever and let the engine slow to idle.
2. Push the engine stop switch 1 (red button). The ignition circuit opens and stops the
engine immediately.
3. Practice pulling the engine shut-off cord to remove the clip from the engine shut-off switch.
Tips:
1. Attach the engine shut-off cord to your left wrist before starting the engine. To prevent
accidental starting, always remove the clip from the engine shut-off switch when the
engine is not running.
2. Do not operate the start switch for more than 5 seconds at a time. Never push the start
switch while the engine is running.
3. If the engine does not start in 5 seconds, release the start switch and try again after
15 seconds. Continuous cranking for more than 5 seconds will discharge the battery
and the engine will not start.
4. When the engine starts, thrust from the jet unit will move the watercraft. Squeezing the
throttle lever produces more thrust. Apply only enough throttle to keep the engine run-
ning.
1
STOP
1
VX-C VX / VX Deluxe / VX Cruiser / VX Limited
VX-C VX / VX Deluxe / VX Cruiser / VX Limited
STOP
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Exercise 3: Boarding and balancing
Objective:
This exercise trains you to board the watercraft in deep water after falling off, and to
upright a capsized watercraft. Repeat these exercises until you can perform them without
difficulty.
Skills:
Boarding in deep water and balancing at a standstill.
Directions:
Practice this exercise near shore before going out into open water.
The heavier the weight of an operator, the more difficult it will be to balance the watercraft.
These exercises should be done without starting the engine.
Attach the engine shut-off cord to your wrist and keep the watercraft afloat in water that
is at least chest deep.
Drill 1: Boarding the watercraft
1. Swim to the rear of the watercraft and place both hands on the boarding platform, 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.
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