trailer YAMAHA VX 2009 Owners Manual

Features and functions
27
EJU31260Steering system
Your watercraft can be steered by turning the
handlebars in the direction you wish to travel.
When the handlebars are turned, the angle of
the jet thrust nozzle is changed, and the direc-
tion of the watercraft is changed accordingly.
Since the strength of the jet thrust determines
the speed and degree of a turn, throttle must
always be applied when attempting a turn, ex-
cept at trolling speed.
This model is equipped with the Yamaha En-
gine Management System (YEMS) that in-
cludes an off-throttle steering (OTS) system.
It will activate at planing speeds should you
attempt to steer the watercraft after releasing
the throttle lever. The OTS system assists in
turning by continuing to supply some thrust
while the watercraft is decelerating, but youcan turn more sharply if you apply throttle
while turning the handlebars.
The OTS system does not function below
planing speeds or when the engine is off.
Once the engine slows down, the watercraft
will no longer turn in response to handlebar in-
put until you apply throttle again or you reach
trolling speed.
EJU31301Shift lever (for VX Deluxe/VX Cruiser)
The shift lever is located on the starboard
(right) side of the watercraft and is used to
control the reverse gate, which allows the wa-
tercraft to move in reverse or forward.
When the shift lever is in the reverse position,
the watercraft can be launched from a trailer,
or backed up out of tight spots where you can-
not turn around easily.
EJU31361Handgrip
The handgrip provides a handhold for board-
ing the watercraft and for a spotter when fac-
ing rearward. WARNING! Do not use the
handgrip to lift the watercraft. The hand-
grip is not designed to support the water-
craft’s weight. If the handgrip breaks, the
1Handlebar
2Jet thrust nozzle1Shift lever
2Forward position
3Reverse position
1
3
2
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Features and functions
32
the fuel tank. The display segments of the fuel
level meter disappear two at a time as the fuel
level decreases.
TIP:
The fuel level is most accurate when the wa-
tercraft is sitting level on a trailer or in the wa-
ter.
EJU31552Hour meter/voltmeter
To switch the display between the hour meter
and the voltmeter, push the select button for
at least 1 second after the meter is displayed
for more than 10 seconds.
Hour meter
The hour meter is provided to make it easy to
follow the maintenance schedule.
The meter shows the hours of engine opera-
tion that have elapsed since the watercraft
was new.Voltmeter
The voltmeter is provided to display the volt-
age of the battery.
When the battery voltage is normal, the volt-
meter displays approximately 12 volts.
If the battery voltage is less than 8.0 volts,
“LO” is displayed on the voltmeter and if the
voltage is above 18.1 volts, “HI” is displayed
on the voltmeter. If “HI” or “LO” is displayed,
return to shore and, if necessary, have a
Yamaha dealer check the charging system
and the battery.
EJU31562Fuel level warning indicator
If the fuel remaining in the fuel tank drops to
about 13 L (3.4 US gal, 2.9 Imp. gal), the low-
est two fuel level segments, the fuel level
warning indicator, and the “WARNING” light
begin to blink. The buzzer also starts sound-
ing intermittently.
If this occurs, refill the fuel tank as soon as
possible.
The warning signals will be cleared when the
engine is restarted after the fuel tank is re-
filled.1Fuel level meter
1Select button
2Hour meter/voltmeter
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Operation
48
EJU32742
Operation
WARNING
EWJ00510
Before operating your watercraft, become
familiar with all of the controls. Consult a
Yamaha dealer about any control or func-
tion that you do not fully understand. Fail-
ure to understand how the controls work
could cause an accident or prevent you
from avoiding an accident.
NOTICE
ECJ00460
Make sure that the stern drain plugs are
tightened securely before launching the
watercraft.
EJU32782Engine break-in
NOTICE
ECJ00430
Failure to follow the engine break-in pro-
cedure could result in reduced engine life
or even severe engine damage.
The engine break-in period is essential to al-
low the various components of the engine to
wear and polish themselves to the correct op-
erating clearances. This ensures proper per-
formance and promotes longer component
life.
TIP:
Be sure to check the engine oil level before
operating the watercraft for the first time. (See
page 42 for engine oil checking procedures.)
(1) Launch the watercraft and start the en-
gine. (See page 48 for engine starting
procedures.)
(2) For the first 5 minutes, run the engine at
trolling speed only. For the 30 minutes of
operation after that, keep the engine
speed below 5000 r/min. For the 1 hour of
operation after that, keep the engine
speed below 6500 r/min.
(3) Proceed with normal operation.
EJU32812Launching the watercraft
When launching the watercraft, make sure
that there are no obstacles around you.
If there are waves, someone should make
sure that the watercraft is not pushed into the
trailer after launching the watercraft.

For VX Deluxe/VX Cruiser:
Use the remote control transmitter to select
the unlock mode. (See page 29 for Yamaha
Security System lock and unlock mode se-
lection procedures.)
After the watercraft is in the water, start the
engine. Shift into reverse and move the wa-
tercraft back slowly.

For VX:
After the watercraft is in the water, turn it
around so that the bow faces the direction
you wish to go. Start the engine, and then
slowly move away from the launching area.
EJU32852Starting the engine
(1) If the lock mode of the Yamaha Security
System is selected (for VX Deluxe/VX
Cruiser), use the remote control transmit-
ter to select the unlock mode. (See page
29 for Yamaha Security System lock and
unlock mode selection procedures.)
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Operation
61
(5) Flush the cooling system to prevent it
from clogging with salt, sand, or dirt. (See
page 62 for flushing procedures.)
(6) If the watercraft will be stored for a week
or more, lubricate internal engine compo-
nents to help prevent corrosion. (See
page 63 for lubrication procedures.)
(7) 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]
(8) Wipe the engine and engine compart-
ment dry with a clean cloth (repeat step 3,
if necessary).
(9) Wipe the hull, handlebars, and jet unit dry
with a clean cloth.
(10) Spray a rust inhibitor on metallic parts to
minimize corrosion.
(11) Allow the engine compartment to air dry
completely before installing the seat.
EJU33452
Transporting
Before putting the watercraft on a trailer or
transporting it, be sure to put the shift lever in
the forward position (for VX
Deluxe/VX Cruiser). When transporting the
watercraft on a trailer, secure the tie downs to
the trailer through the bow eye and stern
eyes. NOTICE: Do not attach ropes or tie
downs to any part of the watercraft other
than the bow eye and stern eyes to secure
the watercraft to the trailer. Otherwise, the
watercraft may be damaged. Wrap the
ropes or tie downs with towels or rags
where they touch the body of the water-
craft to avoid scratches or damage. Do not
transport the watercraft with the shift lever
in the reverse position. Otherwise the re-
verse gate may hit an obstacle, which
could cause damage (for VX Deluxe/VX
Cruiser).
[ECJ00622]
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