YAMAHA FX SHO WAVERUNNER

By Captain John B. Wenz

I’ve got to confess this - I find the Yamaha Waverunner naming system just a little confusing. They’ve got the FX HO, the FX Cruiser HO, the FX Cruiser SHO and the FX SHO. I find it difficult to keep my Xs and Os sorted out, especially when I’m evaluating their products. I won’t pretend to have a solution, though. I’ll leave that up to the creative minds in Yamaha’s product team, but I just wish they’d come up with something better.

This much I can say about Yamaha; if the biggest criticism someone can level is in regard to the name of the product and not the product itself, then they must be doing something right. In Yamaha’s case, when it comes to their personal watercraft and boats, they’re doing plenty right.



I’m talking about the FX SHO Waverunner. This top-of-the-line watercraft is aimed at the discriminating buyer who is looking for the total package of luxury, features, and most of all, performance.

The FX SHO is Yamaha’s luxury performance class. Originally introduced a few seasons back, this platform has seen the introduction of several “industry firsts.” This model, and her sister the “Cruiser” model, have been freshened up for 2009 with new colors and graphics.



Recognizably Yamaha, the sleek profile gives the FX SHO a rich, upscale look. She’s 131.5” long, has a beam of 48.4”, and a height of 48.8”. She carries 1, 2, or 3 persons for a total capacity of 529 pounds, and has storage space totaling 26.4 gallons. Some of the features are also recognizably Yamaha; things like the pop-up docking cleats are features we’ve seen and commented positively on in the past.

An Extensive List of Features

A close look at the FX SHO reveals some of the signature Yamaha stuff you may already be familiar with. The comfortable three-person seat, combined with the adjustable tilt steering and raised foot chocks allow both driver and passengers to simply relax and enjoy the ride. And if you’re towing, the spotter has some secure handgrips to hold onto. There’s a remote controlled security system and a low rpm mode which can be activated from up to 30 feet away. Along with the comprehensive digital instrument package, a new addition is the industry’s only on board fuel flow meter, so you can easily monitor your fuel consumption.



The Thrills and Excitement of the 1812cc Engine

That’s right, 1.8 liters of supercharged, four-stroke Yamaha marine engine. This is the largest displacement engine ever built into a production PWC. Surprise of surprises, this little beauty is optimized to run on regular unleaded gas - it’s got an 18.5 gallon tank. Yamaha has a reputation for reliability, and I wouldn’t expect anything less from this engine. Given the fact that Yamaha builds both their boats and their PWCs around their engines, you can conclude correctly that there’s a nice synergy between hull and motor design teams. The SHO engine includes an onboard computer, making this the first PWC with an electronic throttle - what we call “fly-by-wire” technology.

Along with performance enhancements like the throttle being more responsive, there are some other benefits that fall into the comfort and convenience category. How about the industry’s first cruise control, Yamaha’s “Cruise Assist” for starters? A little thumb button sets the throttle at whatever rpm you’re at, so you can relax while still holding the handgrip. Increasing or decreasing rpms is accomplished by the touch of “up” or “down” buttons, and a slight move of your hand disengages the cruise control. It takes a little practice, but it’s simple to use. This kind of feature is directed at those who like to cruise all day - and it works!

In addition to the cruise control feature, there’s another exclusive called the “No-Wake Mode.” It’s a pre-set throttle speed, engaged by depressing a button at your fingertips. I’ve used this feature on Yamaha’s boats and I can tell you that it’s really handy whether you’re making your way through a long no-wake zone or just doing a little side-by-side sightseeing. As if that wasn’t enough, yet another benefit of the electronic control package is Yamaha’s “Reverse Traction Control”. This is another simple but effective tool, made possible by the new technology. Basically an rpm limiter when the reverse bucket is engaged, it really helps tame steering and maneuverability in reverse. Close quarters handling has terrorized more than one novice PWC operator in the past and the SHO engine from Yamaha goes a long way toward eliminating that problem.



NanoXcel - The Future

Nanotechnology- it’s the latest in industrial technology, and Yamaha is the first PWC builder to use it in their manufacturing process. What it involves is engineering at the molecular level. What it means to you and me are huge benefits created by some broad advances in the properties of manufactured materials like plastics, for example. In the Waverunner line-up, this translates to up to a 25% saving in the weight of hull, deck, and liner, and this means increased speed, acceleration, and responsiveness. It’s easier to maintain and it looks better, too.



The Test

Once again this year, Yamaha promised to impress me like they’ve done in the past. First of all, both the Atomic Blue Metallic and the Stealth Black color schemes look great, and at an MSRP of $12,599, the price is attractive, too. Once I got onboard, the advantages of the Cruise Assist function and the No-Wake Mode were clear and straightforward. But what I actually noticed was that the Nano tech hull seemed to be superior. From my first acceleration, I felt a big difference. The FX SHO took off like a rocket. Once I got started, the feel of this watercraft was solid. Yet the ride was lively and handling nimble. Acceleration, turning response and top speed were all improved over a previous model with the same engine package and a conventional fiberglass hull.



In terms of the data, we recorded a top speed of 66.3 mph at 7400 rpm. As far as acceleration goes, best we could figure is that the FX SHO reached 30 in about 1.8 seconds (the acceleration rate of most PWCs is very difficult to precisely measure)! At a cruising speed of about 35.6 mph at 5000 rpm you can figure that the FX SHO will burn fuel at a rate of 5.6 mpg, yielding a range of 94 miles on a full tank of gas.

Like the guys at Yamaha promised, I was very impressed. The FX SHO is a really complete top-end PWC package that delivers performance, style, comfort, convenience, and reliability. If you consider yourself among discriminating buyers, then the FX SHO from Yamaha may be just the ride you’re looking for.



To see a list of all of the Yamaha FX SHO’s features...click here.

• Top speed for the Yamaha FX SHO (2009-10) is 66.6 MPH (N/A KPH), burning 18.4 gallons per hour (GPH) or 69.64 liters per hour (LPH).


• Best cruise for the Yamaha FX SHO (2009-10) is MPH ( KPH), and the boat gets miles per gallon (MPG) or N/A kilometers per liter (KPL), giving the boat a cruising range of miles (N/A kilometers).


• Tested power is Yamaha supercharged 1812 cc, 4-stroke engine.


• Time from 0 to 30 of the Yamaha FX SHO (2009-10) is 1.8 sec. seconds.

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