Yamaha F115 Owners Manual

							 
General information 
5 
EMU25413 
Label (counter rotation models)
WARNING
 
EWM01281  
Use only a counterclockwise rotation
propeller with this engine.
Counterclockwise propellers are marked
with a letter “L” after the size indication.
The wrong type of propeller could cause
the boat to go in an unexpected direction, 
which could lead to an accident. 
EMU25500 
Basic boating rules (Rules of 
the road) 
Just as there are rules which apply when you
are driving on streets and high ways, there
are waterway rules which apply when you
are driving your boat. These rules are used
internationally, and are also enforced by the
United States Coast Guard and local agen-
cies. You should be aware of these rules,
and follow them whenever you encounter
another vessel on the water.
Several sets of rules prevail according to
geographic location, but are all basically the
same as the International Rules of the Road.
The rules presented here in your Owner’s
Manual are condensed, and have been pro-
vided for your convenience only. Consult
your local U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary or De-
partment of Motor Vehicles for a complete
set of rules governing the waters in which
you will be using your boat. 
EMU25510 
Steering and sailing rules and sound 
signals 
Whenever two vessels on the water meet
one another, one vessel has the right-of-
way; it is called the “stand-on” vessel. The
vessel which does not have the right-of-way
is called the “give-way” or “burdened” vessel.These rules determine which vessel has the
right-of-way, and what each vessel should
do. 
Stand-on vessel 
The vessel with the right-of-way has the duty
to continue its course and speed, except to
avoid an immediate collision. When you
maintain your direction and speed, the other
vessel will be able to determine how best to
avoid you. 
Give-way vessel 
The vessel which does not have the right-of-
way has the duty to take positive and timely
action to stay out of the way of the Stand-On
vessel. Normally, you should not cross in
front of the vessel with the right-of-way. You
should slow down or change directions brief-
ly and pass behind the other vessel. You
should always move in such a way that the
operator of the other vessel can see what
you are doing. 
“The general prudential rule” 
This rule is called Rule 2 in the International
Rules and says,
“In obeying and construing these rules due
regard shall be had to all dangers of naviga-
tion and collision, and to any special circum-
stances, which may render a departure from
the above rules necessary in order to avoid
immediate danger.”
In other words, follow the standard rules ex-
cept when a collision will occur unless both
vessels try to avoid each other. If that is the
case, both vessels become “Give-Way” ves-
sels. 
EMU25520 
Rules when encountering vessels 
There are three main situations which you
may encounter with other vessels which
could lead to a collision unless the Steering
Rules are followed: 
Meeting: 
 (you are approaching another ves- 
						

							 
General information 
6 
sel head-on) 
Crossing: 
 (you are traveling across the oth-
er vessel’s path) 
Overtaking: 
 (you are passing or being
passed by another vessel)
In the following illustration, your boat is in the
center. You should give the right-of-way to
any vessels shown in white area (you are the
Give-Way vessel). Any vessels in the shad-
ed area must yield to you (they are the Give-
Way vessels). Both you and the meeting
vessel must alter course to avoid each other. 
Meeting 
If you are meeting another power vessel
head on, and are close enough to run the risk
of collision, neither of you has the right-of-
way! Both of you should alter course to avoid
an accident. You should keep the other ves-
sel on your port (left) side. This rule doesn’t
apply if both of you will clear one another if
you continue on your set course and speed. 
Crossing 
When two power driven vessels are crossing
each other’s path close enough to run the
risk of collision, the vessel which has the oth-
er on the starboard (right) side must keep out
of the way of the other. If the other vessel is
on your right, you must keep out of its way;
you are the Give-Way vessel. If the other
vessel is on your port (left) side, remember
that you should maintain course and direc-
tion, provided the other vessel gives you the
right-of-way as it should. 
Overtaking 
If you are passing another vessel, you are
the “Give-Way” vessel. This means that the
other vessel is expected to maintain its
course and speed. You must stay out of its
way until you are clear of it. Likewise, if an-
other vessel is passing you, you should
maintain your speed and direction so that the
other vessel can steer itself around you. 
EMU25530 
Other special situations 
There are three other rules you should be
aware of when driving your boat around oth-
er vessels. 
Narrow channels and bends 
When navigating in narrow channels, you
should keep to the right when it is safe and
practical to do so. If the operator of a power-
driven vessel is preparing to go around a 
						

							 
General information 
7 
bend that may obstruct the view of other wa-
ter vessels, the operator should sound a pro-
longed blast on the whistle (4 to 6 seconds).
If another vessel is around the bend, it too
should sound the whistle. Even if no reply is
heard, however, the vessel should still pro-
ceed around the bend with caution. If you
navigate such waters with your boat, you will
need to carry a portable air horn, available
from local marine supply stores. 
Fishing vessel right-of-way 
All vessels which are fishing with nets, lines
or trawls are considered to be “fishing ves-
sels” under the International Rules. Vessels
with trolling lines are not considered fishing
vessels. Fishing vessels have the right-of-
way regardless of position. Fishing vessels
cannot, however, impede the passage of
other vessels in narrow channels. 
Sailing vessel right-of-way 
Sailing vessels should normally be given the
right-of-way. The exceptions to this are:
1. When the sailing vessel is overtaking
the power-driven vessel, the power-driv-
en vessel has the right-of-way.
2. Sailing vessels should keep clear of any
fishing vessel.
3. In a narrow channel, a sailing vessel
should not hamper the safe passage of
a power-driven vessel which can navi-
gate only in such a channel. 
Reading buoys and other markers 
The waters of the United states are marked
for safe navigation by the lateral system of
buoyage. Simply put, buoys and markers
have an arrangement of shapes, colors,
numbers and lights to show which side of the
buoy a boater should pass on when navigat-
ing in a particular direction. The markings on
these buoys are oriented from the perspec-
tive of being entered from seaward (the boat-er is going towards the port). This means that
red buoys are passed on the starboard
(right) side when proceeding from open wa-
ter into port, and black buoys are to port (left)
side. When navigating out of port, your posi-
tion with respect to the buoys should be re-
versed; red buoys should be to port and
black buoys to starboard.
Many bodies of water used by boaters are
entirely within the boundaries of a particular
state. The Uniform State Waterway Marking
System has been devised for these waters.
This system uses buoys and signs with dis-
tinctive shapes and colors to show regulato-
ry or advisory information. These markers
are white with black letters and orange
boarders. They signify speed zones, restrict-
ed areas, danger areas, and general infor-
mation.
Remember, markings may vary by geo-
graphic location. Always consult local boat-
ing authorities before driving your boat in
unfamiliar waters. 
						

							 
General information 
8 
EMU25540 
Fueling instructions
WARNING
 
EWM00010  
GASOLINE AND ITS VAPORS ARE HIGH-
LY FLAMMABLE AND EXPLOSIVE! 
 
Do not smoke when refueling, and keepaway from sparks, flames, or other
sources of ignition. 
 
Stop engine before refueling. 
 
Refuel in a well-ventilated area. Refuel
portable fuel tanks off the boat. 
 
Take care not to spill gasoline. If gaso-
line spills, wipe it up immediately with
ZMU01708 
						

							 
General information 
9 
dry rags. 
 
Do not overfill the fuel tank. 
 
Tighten the filler cap securely after re-
fueling. 
 
If you should swallow some gasoline,
inhale a lot of gasoline vapor, or get
gasoline in your eyes, get immediate
medical attention. 
 
If any gasoline spills onto your skin, im-
mediately wash with soap and water.
Change clothing if gasoline spills on it. 
 
Touch the fuel nozzle to the filler open-
ing or funnel to help prevent electro- 
static sparks.
CAUTION:
 
ECM00010  
Use only new clean gasoline which has
been stored in clean containers and is not
contaminated with water or foreign mat- 
ter. 
EMU25570 
Gasoline 
If knocking or pinging occurs, use a different
brand of gasoline or premium unleaded fuel. 
Gasohol 
There are two types of gasohol: gasohol con-
taining ethanol and that containing metha-
nol. Gasohol containing ethanol can be used
if ethanol content does not exceed 10% and
the fuel meets minimum octane ratings.
Yamaha does not recommended gasohol
containing methanol because it can cause
fuel system damage or engine performance
problems. 
EMU31440 
Engine oil
NOTE:
 
If the recommended engine oil grades are
not available, select an alternative from the
following chart according to the average 
temperatures in your area.
CAUTION:
 
ECM01050  
All 4-stroke engines are shipped from the 
factory without engine oil. 
Recommended gasoline:
Regular unleaded gasoline with a min-
imum octane rating of 86 (Pump Oc-
tane Number) = (R+M)/2
Recommended engine oil:
YAMALUBE 4-M FC-W oil or 4-stroke 
motor oil with a combination of the fol-
lowing SAE and API oil classifications
Engine oil type SAE:
10W-30 or 10W-40
Engine oil grade API:
SE, SF, SG, SH, SJ, SL
Engine oil quantity (excluding oil filter):
4.3 L (4.55 US qt) (3.78 Imp.qt) 
						

							 
General information 
10 
EMU25700 
Battery requirement
CAUTION:
 
ECM01060  
Do not use a battery that does not meet
the specified capacity. If a battery which
does not meet specifications is used, the
electric system could perform poorly or
be overloaded, causing electric system 
damage. 
For electric start models, choose a battery
which meets the following specifications. 
EMU25711 
Battery specifications
NOTE:
 
The engine cannot be started if battery volt- 
age is too low. 
EMU25742 
Propeller selection 
The performance of your outboard motor will
be critically affected by your choice of propel-ler, as an incorrect choice could adversely
affect performance and could also seriously
damage the motor. Engine speed depends
on the propeller size and boat load. If engine
speed is too high or too low for good engine
performance, this will have an adverse effect
on the engine.
Yamaha outboard motors are fitted with pro-
pellers chosen to perform well over a range
of applications, but there may be uses where
a propeller with a different pitch would be
more appropriate. For a greater operating
load, a smaller-pitch propeller is more suit-
able as it enables the correct engine speed
to be maintained. Conversely, a larger-pitch
propeller is more suitable for a smaller oper-
ating load.
Yamaha dealers stock a range of propellers,
and can advise you and install a propeller on
your outboard that is best suited to your ap-
plication.
NOTE:
 
Select a propeller which will allow the engine
to reach the middle or upper half of the oper-
ating range at full throttle with the maximum
boat load. If operating conditions such as
light boat loads then allow the engine r/min to Minimum cold cranking amps (CCA/
SAE):
380.0 A
Minimum marine cranking amps (MCA/
ABYC):
502.0 A
Minimum reserve capacity (RC/SAE):
124 minutes
ZMU01710
 
1. Propeller diameter in inches
2. Propeller pitch in inches
3. Type of propeller (propeller mark)
ZMU04608
- x
123 
						

							 
General information 
11 
rise above the maximum recommended
range, reduce the throttle setting to maintain 
the engine in the proper operating range.
For instructions on propeller removal and in-
stallation, see page 69. 
EMU25770 
Start-in-gear protection 
Yamaha outboard motors or Yamaha-ap-
proved remote control units are equipped
with start-in-gear protection device(s). This
feature permits the engine to be started only
when it is in neutral. Always select neutral
before starting the engine. 
						

							 
12 
Basic components 
EMU25799 
Main components
NOTE:
 
* May not be exactly as shown; also may not be included as standard equipment on all mod- 
els. 
F115, LF115
1
22
3
4
5
6 7 8 911
121314
1516
1718 19
ZMU04773
10
 
1. Top cowling
2. Top cowling lock lever(s)
3. Drain screw
4. Anti-cavitation plate
5. Trim tab (anode)
6. Propeller*
7. Cooling water inlet
8. Anode
9. Flushing device
10. Water separator
11. Power trim and tilt switch
12. Remote control box (side mount type)*
13. Remote control box (binnacle mount type)*
14. Switch panel (for use with binnacle type)*15. Tachometer*
16. Trim meter*
17. Digital speedometer*
18. Digital tachometer*
19. Fuel management meter* 
						

							 
Basic components 
13 
  
EMU26180 
Remote control 
The remote control lever actuates both the
shifter and the throttle. The electrical switch-
es are mounted on the remote control box.
1
46 3
2
5
ZMU05429
 
1. Tachometer unit (Square type)*
2. Tachometer unit (Round type)*
3. Speedometer unit (Square type)*
4. Speed & fuel meter unit (Square type)*
5. Speed & fuel meter unit (Round type)*
6. Fuel management meter (Square type)*
1. Power trim and tilt switch
2. Remote control lever
3. Neutral interlock trigger
4. Neutral throttle lever
5. Main switch / choke switch
6. Engine stop lanyard switch
7. Throttle friction adjuster 
						

							 
Basic components 
14 
EMU26190 
Remote control lever 
Moving the lever forward from the neutral po-
sition engages forward gear. Pulling the le-
ver back from neutral engages reverse. The
engine will continue to run at idle until the le-
ver is moved about 35° (a detent can be felt).
Moving the lever farther opens the throttle,
and the engine will begin to accelerate. 
EMU26201 
Neutral interlock trigger 
To shift out of neutral, first pull the neutral in-
terlock trigger up. 
EMU26211 
Neutral throttle lever 
To open the throttle without shifting into ei-
ther forward or reverse, put the remote con-
trol lever in the neutral position and lift the
neutral throttle lever. 
1. Remote control lever
2. Power trim and tilt switch
3. Free accelerator
4. Throttle friction adjuster
1. Neutral “ ”
2. Forward “ ”
3. Reverse “ ”
4. Shift
5. Fully closed
6. Throttle
7. Fully open
2
3
2
1
4
ZMU04569
 
1. Neutral “ ”
2. Forward “ ”
3. Reverse “ ”
4. Shift
5. Fully closed
6. Throttle
7. Fully open
1. Neutral interlock trigger
N
1
F
7 62R
3 44
6
5
7 5
ZMU04573