interior performance
Steeringinaboatisdierentfrommostlandvehicles,
althoughtheeectissimilar.Axisboatsareequippedwith
steeringwheels.Thestandard,xed-angle
steeringwheelisturnedinthedirectionthe
operatorwishestogo.Insteadofwheelsturn-
inginthatdirection,theboatsteeringwheel
controlsarudder,andtherudderactuallyturns
intheoppositedirection.Bycuttingthroughthe
waterwitharudderintheoppositedirection,
thebowoftheboatwillturninthedirection
thesteeringwheelhasbeenturned.Notethat,
comparedtoland-basedvehicles,theturning
processisusuallymoresluggish,lesstightly
controlledandrequiresmoreroom.It’simport-
antfornewoperatorstopracticebeforemaneuveringintightlocations.
Boatsalsodonottrackinthesamemannerasland-basedvehicles.Theyareaectedby
currents,waveaction,andnaturalmotioncreatedbythepropeller.Atslowspeeds,theeectis
morepronouncedandboatsseemtowanderslightly.Tryingtosteertheboatbackandforthto
compensateactuallyonlyworsenstheeect.Aslongasthereissuicientdepthofwaterand
therearenoobstaclescloseathand,allowtheboattofollowitscourse.Theoverallcoursewill
bedirectionallystraightifthesteeringwheelisheldinplace.
SomeAxisboatsareequippedwithatiltingmechanismonthesteeringcolumn.Thisallows
theoperatortoadjustthesteeringwheeltothemostcomfortableangleandprovideasenseof
securecontrol.Equippedsteeringcolumnshavealeverattheundersideofthecolumn.Press
downontheleveruntilthesteeringwheelismovable.Tiltitupordowntothebestangleforthe
operatorandre-engagetheleversnugagainstthesteeringcolumn.Neverforcethelever.Ifit
willnotmovewithrelativeeasebackintoplace,thesteeringwheelisnotinoneofitsacceptable
levels.Adjustingslightlyshouldallowproperactionofthetiltmechanism.
Models: All models have a standard, xed-angle steering wheel, unless equipped with an
optional tilt mechanism, which is available on Axis models.
NOTE: The engine will not start unless the shifter/
throttle control is in the neutral position!
Totherightoftheboatoperatoristheshift/
throttlelever.AnytimetheboatengineisOFF,the
levershouldbeupright,whichisNeutral(meaning
theboatisnotingear).Boatsarenotequipped
withaParkgearasland-basedvehiclesare.
Atthebaseofthethrottleisashiftlock
knob.Pullingoutontheknobdisengagesthe
transmission,therebyallowinguseofthethrot-
tlewithoutengagingthetransmission.Thisis
usedforwarm-upoftheenginewhileitisstillin
Neutral.Besuretopositionthethrottlevertical-
ly(inNeutral)beforere-engagingthetransmis-
sionbydepressingtheknob.
Whenengagingthetransmissionfromneutraleitherforwardorbackwardintoreverse,
pulluponthesafetycollarlocateddirectlybelowthethrottleleverknob.Thesafetycollarhelps
avoidunintentionalmovementintogear.
Whenshiftinggears,alwaysdososmoothlyandbriskly.Beingeithertoohardandslam-
mingthegears,ortootentativeishardontheshifter/throttlesystemandcanresultindamage
thatisnotcoveredunderwarranty.
Axis
Owners
Manual
2019
Page 88
steering
wheel
shifter/
throttle