YAMAHA FX HO 2006 Owners Manual

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EJU10680
Operating your watercraft
EJU12500
Getting to know your
watercraft
Operating your watercraft requires skills
acquired through practice over a period of
time. Take the time to learn the basic tech-
niques well before attempting more difficult
maneuvers.
Operating your new watercraft can be a
very enjoyable activity, providing you with
hours of pleasure. However, it is essential to
familiarize yourself with the operation of the
watercraft to achieve the skill level neces-
sary to enjoy riding safely. Before operating
this watercraft, read this Owner’s/Operator’s
Manual, the Riding Practice Guide, and all
warning and caution labels on the water-
craft. Pay particular attention to the safety
information on pages 1-13 to 1-20. These
materials should give you an understanding
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 water-
craft at one time.
EJU10700
Learning to operate your
watercraft
Before operating the watercraft, always
perform the pre-operation checks listed on
page 3-5. The short time spent checking the
watercraft will reward you with added safety
and reliability.
Check all local laws before operating your
watercraft.
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 you have good visi-
bility and light boat traffic.
Use the buddy system—operate with
someone nearby. Scan constantly for peo-
ple, objects, 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 wrist and keep it free from the han-
dlebars so that the engine stops if the opera-
tor falls off.
Wear a personal flotation device (PFD).
All riders must wear an authority-approved
PFD that is suitable for personal watercraft
use. Maximum load: 240 kg (530 lb)
Load is the total weight of cargo,
operator and passengers.
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Wear protective clothing. Severe internal
injuries can occur if water is forced into body
cavities as result of falling into the water or
being near the jet thrust nozzle. Normal
swimwear does not adequately protect
against forceful water entry into rectum and
vagina. All riders must wear a wetsuit bot-
tom or clothing that provides equivalent pro-
tection.
Such clothing includes thick, tightly
woven, sturdy and snug-fitting apparel such
as denim, but does not include spandex or
similar fabrics like those used in bicycle
shorts. A full wetsuit can also protect against
hypothermia (subnormal body temperature)
and abrasions.
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 designed to float should your eye-
wear 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.
EJU18654
Riding watercraft with
passengers
When 2 or 3 persons (including the oper-
ator) are on board, the watercraft handles
differently, and is not as easy to maneuver,
so operating it requires a higher degree of
skill. Before attempting to operate the water-
craft 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 an
authority-approved PFD and a wetsuit bot-
tom or equivalent.
WARNING@ Do not apply throttle when anyone is at
rear of watercraft. Turn engine off or keep
engine at idle. Water and/or debris exit-
ing the jet thrust nozzle can cause severe
injury. Passengers should not attempt to
board the watercraft if the operator is
applying throttle.
@
Do not give a ride to children whose feet
cannot reach the floor of the footwell. The
passengers should hold on firmly, either to
the person in front of them or to the handgrip
provided, and keep both feet on the floor of
footwell. Never allow a passenger to ride in
front of the operator.
WARNING@ When passengers are on board, make
sure that they are holding on firmly and
have feet in the footwell before you start
to accelerate.
@
When pulling a skier, the spotter should
face to the rear while holding the handgrip
with both hands. The spotter should always
sit astride the seat with his or her feet placed
firmly on the floor of the footwell for proper
balance. Follow all local laws regarding ski-
ing such as skier-down flags, rearward-fac-
ing spotter, and other requirements.
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EJU18370
Starting the watercraft
WARNING@
Scan constantly for people, objects,
and other watercraft. Be alert for con-
ditions 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 water-
craft 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 sub-
merged objects or shallow water.

Take early action to avoid collisions.
Remember watercraft and other boats
do not have brakes. Do not release the
throttle when trying to steer away from
objects—you need throttle to steer.

Practice reboarding in shallow water
before riding in deep water.
@
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EJU10730
Starting and boarding in shallow
water
1. Do not start the engine in less than
60 cm (2 ft) of water. Put the watercraft
in water that is deep enough, and then
board the watercraft from the side or the
rear.
2. Attach the engine shut-off cord to your
left wrist, and then install the clip to the
engine shut-off switch.
3. Grip the handlebars with both hands,
place both feet on the floor of the foot-
well, start the engine, and start off.
EJU10740
Starting from a dock
1. Board the watercraft from the side.
2. Attach the engine shut-off cord to your
left wrist, and then install 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 foot-
well, start the engine, and start off.
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EJU10750
Boarding and starting in deep
water
WARNING@
Operator and passenger should prac-
tice getting on board in shallow water
before riding in deep water. Boarding
in deep water requires more skill.

The fatigue and exposure that could
result after unsuccessful attempts to
get back on the watercraft may
increase the risk of injuries and drown-
ing.
@
EJU22290
Boarding 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 to your
left wrist, and then install the clip to the
engine shut-off switch.
4. Grip the handlebars firmly with both
hands, place both feet on the floor of the
footwell, start the engine, and then look
in all directions before starting off.
NOTE:@ If your watercraft is equipped with the
reboarding step (for FX Cruiser High Output),
you can lower the step to make reboarding
easier. The step returns automatically to the
up position after you have boarded.
@
WARNING@ Before starting off, make sure that there
are no boats, obstructions, or swimmers
around you.
@
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EJU21132
Boarding with passengers
WARNING@ Severe internal injuries can occur if
water is forced into body cavities as a
result of being near the jet thrust nozzle.
Do not apply throttle until the passen-
gers 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 provided.
@
1. Climb on board as noted in the previous
section, and sit astride the seat. Attach
the engine shut-off cord to your left wrist,
and then install the clip to the engine
shut-off switch.
2. Have the passengers move to the rear of
the watercraft.
3. Have the passenger get on board and sit
on the seat. If a second passenger is
getting on, have him or her follow the
same procedure.
NOTE:@ When a passenger is getting on board, both
the passenger and the operator should try to
balance the watercraft.
@
4. The operator should check to see that
the passengers have their feet on the
floor of the footwell and that they are
securely holding on to the person in front
of them or to the handgrip provided.
Never allow a passenger to ride in front
of the operator.
5. Start the engine, look in all directions,
and then accelerate to planing speed.
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WARNING@ Before starting off, make sure that there
are no boats, obstructions, or swimmers
around you.
@
NOTE:@ 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. If it is
difficult to balance the watercraft at a stand-
still, proceed as follows:
1. The passenger must steady the water-
craft while the operator is boarding. The
operator pulls him or herself up to a
kneeling position on the platform, and
then moves to the seat and sits astride to
balance the watercraft.
2. The operator attaches the engine shut-
off cord to his or her left wrist, and then
installs the clip to the engine shut-off
switch.
3. The operator starts the engine and lets it
run at idle.
4. The passenger pulls him or herself up to
a kneeling position, and then crawls onto
the seat as the watercraft accelerates.
5. The operator gradually increases speed
to balance the watercraft.
@
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EJU18102
Capsized watercraft
If the watercraft capsizes, turn it over
immediately.
Be sure to carefully follow the procedures
below to prevent injury or damage to the
watercraft.
WARNING@ IMPROPER UPRIGHTING CAN CAUSE
INJURY:

Make sure that the engine shut-off
cord is removed from the engine shut-
off switch.

Do not put your hands in the intake
grate.

Watch so you are not hit by the water-
craft as it comes over.
@
CAUTION:@ If the watercraft capsizes, release the
throttle lever immediately. Oil could flow
into the air filter case and the engine
could be damaged.
@
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
gunwale with your right hand or foot.
NOTE:@ If the port (left) side of the capsized water-
craft is tilting up, push down on the gunwale
so that the port (left) side is down before
turning the watercraft clockwise.
@
CAUTION:@ Do not turn the watercraft over counter-
clockwise, otherwise water can leak into
the engine, which can result in severe
damage.
@
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3. Start the engine and operate the water-
craft to discharge any water remaining in
the engine compartment. (If the engine
does not start, see page 5-7, “Towing the
watercraft” or page 5-8, “Submerged
watercraft.”)
CAUTION:@ Do not operate the engine at full throttle
for at least one minute after the engine
has been restarted. Excessive water in
the bilge can splash into the engine,
which can result in severe damage.
@
NOTE:@ To efficiently discharge water from the
engine compartment, operate the watercraft
as straight as possible and above planing
speed for at least 2 minutes.
@
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EJU19960
Turning the watercraft
Steering control depends on the combi-
nation of handlebar position and the amount
of throttle.
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 produced.
The amount of jet thrust, in addition to the
position of the handlebars, determines how
sharply you turn.
A. More throttle produces higher thrust, so
the watercraft will turn more sharply.
B. Less throttle produces lower thrust, so
the watercraft will turn more gradually.
C. Releasing the throttle lever completely
produces only minimum thrust. If you are
traveling at speeds above trolling, you
will have rapidly decreasing ability to
steer without throttle. You may still have
some turning ability immediately after
releasing the throttle lever, but once the
engine slows down, the watercraft will no
longer respond to handlebar input until
you apply throttle again or you reach
trolling speed.
At trolling speed, the watercraft can be
turned gradually by handlebar position
alone using just the amount of thrust
available at idle.
D. If the engine is stopped while riding,
there is no thrust. The watercraft will go
straight even though the handlebars are
turned.
You need throttle to steer.
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