tow YAMAHA FX HO 2006 Owners Manual

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Do not attempt to modify this watercraft!
Modifications to your watercraft may
reduce safety and reliability, and render
the watercraft unsafe or illegal for use.

Attach the engine shut-off cord (lanyard)
to your wrist and keep it free from the
handlebars so that the engine stops if the
operator falls off. After riding, remove the
engine shut-off cord from the watercraft to
avoid accidental starting or unauthorized
use by children or others.

Scan carefully for swimmers and stay
away from swimming areas. Swimmers
are hard to see and you could acciden-
tally hit someone in the water.

Avoid being hit by another boat! You
should always take the responsibility to
watch for traffic; other boaters may not be
watching for you. If they do not see you,
or if you maneuver more quickly than
other boaters expect, you risk a collision.

Maintain a safe distance from other boats
and watercraft, and also watch for ski
ropes or fishing lines. Obey the “Safe
boating rules,” and be sure to check
behind you before making a turn. (See
Safe boating rules on page 1-21.)
EJU13820
Recommended equipment
The following items should be carried on
board your watercraft:

Sound-signaling device
You should carry a whistle or other sound-
signaling device that can be used to sig-
nal other boats.

Visual distress signals
It is recommended that an authority-
approved pyrotechnic device be stored in
a waterproof container on your watercraft.
A mirror can also be used as an emer-
gency signal. Contact your Yamaha
dealer for more information.

Watch
A watch is helpful so you will know how
long you have been operating.

Towline
A towline can be used to tow a disabled
watercraft in an emergency.
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Reverse can be used to slow down or
stop during low-speed maneuvering, such
as when docking. Once the engine is
idling, shift to reverse and gradually
increase engine speed. Make sure that
there are no obstacles or people behind
you before shifting into reverse.

Keep away from the intake grate 1 while
the engine is on. Items such as long hair,
loose clothing, or PFD straps can become
entangled in moving parts resulting in
severe injury or drowning.

Never insert any object into the jet thrust
nozzle 2 while the engine is running.
Severe injury or death could result from
coming in contact with the rotating parts
of the jet pump.

Stop the engine and remove the clip 3
from the engine shut-off switch 4 before
removing any debris or weeds, which may
have collected around the jet intake.
EJU18630
Water-skiing
You can use the watercraft for water-ski-
ing if it has the seating capacity to carry the
operator, a rearward-facing spotter, and the
water-skier when he or she is not skiing.
The watercraft must also have a cleat 1
designed to pull a ski towrope; do not attach
the towrope to any other location.
It is the watercraft operator’s responsibility
to be alert to the safety of the water-skier
and others. Know and follow all local water-
skiing regulations in effect for the waters in
which you will be operating.
The operator should be comfortable car-
rying passengers before attempting to pull a
skier.
The following are some important consid-
erations for minimizing risks while water-ski-
ing.

The skier should wear an approved PFD,
preferably a brightly colored one so boat
operators can see the skier.

The skier should wear protective clothing.
Severe internal injuries can occur if water
is forced into body cavities as a result of
falling into the water. Normal swimwear
does not adequately protect against
forceful water entry into rectum or vagina.
The skier should wear a wetsuit bottom or
clothing that provides equivalent protec-
tion.
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A second person should be on board as a
spotter to watch the skier; in many places
it is required by law. Let the skier direct
the operator’s control of speed and direc-
tion with hand signals.
The spotter should sit securely on the
passenger seat and hold onto the hand-
grip 2 with feet firmly on the floor of the
footwell for proper balance while facing to
the rear to watch the skier’s hand signals
and his or her condition.
Your control while pulling a skier is
affected by the skier’s ability, as well as
water and weather conditions.

When preparing to pull a skier, operate
the watercraft at the slowest possible
speed until the watercraft is well away
from the skier and slack in the towrope is
taken up. Make sure that the rope is not
looped around anything.
After checking that the skier is ready and
that there is no traffic or other obstacles,
apply enough throttle to raise the skier.

Make smooth, wide turns. The watercraft
is capable of very sharp turns, which
could exceed the abilities of the skier.
Keep the skier at least 50 m (150 ft),
about twice the distance of a standard
towrope, from any potential hazard.

Be alert to the hazard of the towrope han-
dle snapping back at the watercraft when
the skier falls or is unable to get up on the
skis.

Towing heavy or bulky objects other than
skiers, such as another boat or watercraft,
can cause loss of steering control and
create a hazardous condition. If you must
tow another boat in an emergency situa-
tion, operate slowly and cautiously.
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EJU10080
Location of main components
1Handlebars
Use to control direction.
2Rear seat
3Front seat
4Footwell
Use to place feet for balance.
To keep proper balance while facing to the rear
to watch the skier.
5Sponsons
6Gunwale
7Pull-up cleat (for FX Cruiser High Output)
Use to attach rope for mooring.
8Bow eye
Use to attach rope for transporting, mooring or
towing the watercraft in an emergency.
9Hood
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1Fuel tank filler cap
2Intake grate
Prevents debris from getting into the jet pump.
3Speed sensor
4Stern eye
Use to attach rope for transporting or mooring.
5Stern drain plugs
Use to drain water in the bilge when the water-
craft is on dry land.
6Reverse gate
Controls direction of jet thrust when in reverse.
7Ride plate
8Jet thrust nozzle
Changes the direction of jet thrust according
to handlebar position.9Reboarding step
(for FX Cruiser High Output)
Use to board the watercraft in water.
0Electric bilge pilot outlet
ACleat
Use to attach a towrope for pulling water-skier,
or a rope for mooring the watercraft.
BHandgrip
Use for suppor t when boarding the watercraft
or when seated facing rearward and acting as
a spotter for a water-skier.
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EJU18771
Shift lever
The shift lever is located on the starboard
(right) side of the watercraft and is used to
control the reverse gate, which allows the
watercraft to move in reverse or forward.
When the shift lever is in the reverse posi-
tion, the watercraft can be launched from a
trailer, or backed up out of tight spots where
you cannot turn around easily.
To shift into reverse:
1. Release the throttle and let the engine
speed return to idle.
2. Pull the shift lever toward you.
WARNING@
Make sure that the throttle is com-
pletely released and that the engine is
at idle before shifting into reverse.

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.

Use reverse for slow-speed maneuver-
ing only.

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 forward:
1. Release the throttle and let the engine
speed return to idle.
2. Push the shift lever away from you.
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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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EJU18112
Transporting
When transporting the watercraft on a
trailer, secure the tie downs to the trailer
through the bow eye and stern eyes.
CAUTION:@
Do not use any projections other than
the bow eye and stern eyes to secure
the watercraft to the trailer. Otherwise,
the watercraft may be damaged.

Do not route ropes or tie downs over
the seat, as they may leave permanent
marks on the seat’s surface. Also,
wrap the ropes or tie downs with tow-
els or rags where they touch the body
of the watercraft to avoid scratches or
damage.

Before putting the watercraft on the
trailer or transporting it, be sure to put
the shift lever in the forward position,
otherwise the reverse gate may hit an
obstruction, which may cause dam-
age.
@
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5
EJU11150
TROUBLESHOOTING
AND EMERGENCY
PROCEDURES
Troubleshooting ...................................... 5-1
Troubleshooting chart ............................ 5-1
Emergency procedures .......................... 5-3
Cleaning the jet intake and impeller ...... 5-3
Jumping the battery ............................... 5-5
Towing the watercraft ............................ 5-7
Submerged watercraft ........................... 5-8
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EJU19130
Towing the watercraft
If the watercraft becomes inoperative in
the water, it can be towed to shore.
If the watercraft must be towed in an
emergency using a towline, the operator
should ride the watercraft, holding onto the
handlebars.
CAUTION:@
Tow the watercraft at 5 mph (8 km/h) or
less, otherwise water could enter the
engine through the exhaust passages
or through the air intake and flood the
engine compartment if it is towed too
fast.

Tow the watercraft using the bow
eye1 only.

The bow must be kept up out of the
water during towing to prevent water
from entering the engine compart-
ment.
@
WARNING@
The watercraft should only be towed in
an emergency.

The towline should be long enough so
that the watercraft will not collide with
the towing boat when slowing down. A
good rule of thumb is a towline that is
three times the combined length of the
towing boat and the watercraft.

The operator of the towing boat must
keep speed to a minimum and avoid
traffic or obstacles which could be a
hazard to the rider on the watercraft.
@
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