O'Brien COMPETITOR, PODIUM, VORTEX, WAKESTAR, JR. CELEBRITY User Manual

Read This Manual First Before Using This Product!! This

Manual Contains Important Product and Safety Information

WATER SKI & BINDING

OWNERS MANUAL

Congratulations on your purchase of one of the nest watersports products available.
O’Brien uses the very best materials to help insure a long-lasting, quality product.
Please complete and remove the warranty card included with your new ski, and mail it
within 10 days of purchase.
Before using your new product, please take a minute to read the following warning
and safety information. Also enclosed are instructions on how to ne tune your new
ski and bindings. These instructions will help you obtain the most enjoyment possible
from your new O’Brien product.

!

WARNING

Use of this product and participation in the sport involves inherent risks of injury or
death. To reduce risks:

• Ski in control and do not ski at speeds that exceed the skier’s ability. BEGIN­NERS SHOULD USE EXTRA CAUTION.

• Use correct size ski and binding. Wet binding and foot with water before use.
Adjust binding for a snug, not tight, t.

• Even if properly tted, the binding may or may not release in a fall which could

result in injury.

• Attempting land or dock starts can increase the risk of injury or death. USE
ONLY ON WATER.

• Do not use in shallow water or near shore, docks, pilings, swimmers or other
watercraft.

• Always wear a U.S. Coast Guard approved Type III (PFD) Life Jacket.

• Read the Operator’s Manual before use.

!

WARNING

This water sports product contains chemicals known to the State of California to
cause birth defects and other reproductive harm.

WATERSPORTS SAFETY CODE

Watersports are fun and challenging but involve inherent risks of injury or death. To increase
your enjoyment of the sport and to reduce your risks, use common sense and follow these rules:

Before you start:

• Familiarize yourself with all applicable federal, state and local laws, the risks inherent in the
sport and the proper use of the equipment.

• Know the waterways.

• Always have a person other than the driver as an observer.

• Skier/rider, observer and driver must agree on hand signals.

• Never start out until skier/rider signals he/she is ready.

• Carbon Monoxide (CO) poisoning from engine exhaust may cause injury or death. Do not sit
on the boat transom or boarding platform while the engine is running. These activities may lead
to excessive CO exposure which may cause injury or death. If you can smell engine exhaust
while in the boat, do not stay seated in that position for prolonged periods. Never “Platform
Drag” by holding onto the boarding platform or be dragged directly behind the boat. An im­properly tuned engine will produce excessive exhaust. Have your engine checked and corrected
by a mechanic. Changing boat speed or direction relative to the wind can reduce or increase
boat exhaust from accumulating near the boat and rider. Consult your boat Owners Manual, or
the United States Coast Guard’s website: www.uscgboating.org for more information on how to
help protect others and yourself from the dangers of CO poisoning

• Use caution and common sense.

• Do not exceed the weight guidelines of your boat. Only use water ballast and people for ad­ditional weight. Do not allow passengers to hang outside the boat or sit on the gunwales outside
the normal seating area of the boat. Uneven weight distribution or additional weight may affect
the handling of the boat. Never allow water to overow the gunwales of your boat.

Your equipment and your tow rope:

• Inspect all equipment prior to use. Check bindings, ns, tube and attachment point, and ota­tion device prior to each use. Do not use if damaged.

• Always wear a U.S. Coast Guard Type III (PFD) Life Jacket.

• Rope should be attached to the watercraft in an approved fashion with hardware designed for
towing. Refer to your watercraft manual for instructions on proper tow rope attachment.

• Tow ropes stretch during use. If a rope breaks or is suddenly released, it can snap back into
the watercraft. Warn all riders, skiers and occupants of the danger of rope recoil.

• When in the boat, keep away from the tow rope to avoid injury. Passengers can be hit, or
become entangled in the rope.

• Inspect tow rope and its attachments before using. Do not use tow rope if frayed, knotted or
damaged. Replace when signs of excessive deterioration are indicated by discoloration, broken
laments, unraveling or other obvious signs of wear on the rope or hardware.

• Use proper tow rope for the activity.

• Ensure tow rope is clear of all body parts prior to starting out or during use.

• Keep persons and ropes away from propeller when engine is running, even in neutral. Should
rope become entangled in propeller, SHUT OFF ENGINE AND REMOVE IGNITION KEY

BEFORE RETRIEVING ROPE.

When you ski or ride:

• Attempting land or dock starts can increase the risk of injury or death.

USE THIS PRODUCT ONLY ON WATER.

• Always remove any slack in the rope between watercraft and skier/ rider before starting.
Sudden shock loads may cause injury to skier/rider or failure of rope, resulting in snap-back or
breakage.

• Do not ski or ride in shallow water, near shore, pilings, docks, rafts, swimmers, other boats or
other obstacles. Such obstacles are examples of risks that are inherent in the sport.

• The driver and skier/rider must watch for and be able to stop or turn to avoid obstacles.

• Always ski or ride in control and at speeds appropriate for your ability. Ski or ride within your
limits. Do not ski or ride over ramps or jumps without prior instruction.

• Falling and the injuries that may result are inherent risks in the sport.

• Use a ag to signal to others that a skier or rider is in the water.

• Driver must use extra caution approaching a fallen skier/rider and keep eye contact on fallen
skier/rider at all times.

• Put the boat in neutral when near a fallen skier/rider. Turn the engine off when people are get­ting into or out of the boat, or in the water near the boat.

• Do not operate watercraft, ski or ride under the inuence of alcohol or drugs.

THE WARNINGS AND PRACTICES SET FORTH ABOVE IN THE WATERSPORTS
SAFETY CODE REPRESENT SOME COMMON RISKS ENCOUNTERED BY USERS.
THE CODE DOES NOT PURPORT TO COVER ALL INSTANCES OF RISK OR DAN­GER. PLEASE USE COMMON SENSE AND GOOD JUDGMENT.

Please contact us if you have any questions on the proper selection, function, or safe use of

this product. write to O’Brien or call:

[phone] OBRIEN P.O. Box 97087, Redmond, WA 98073

If your ski is equipped with a high performance binding, please read the following warning:

WARNING

HIGH PERFORMANCE BINDING: FOR USE BY EXPERIENCED SKIERS ONLY.
Use of this product and participation in the sport involves inherent risks of
injury or death. Even if properly fitted, the binding may or may not release
in a fall which could result in injury. To reduce risks: 1) Binding should be
properly fitted for a snug, not tight, fit. 2) Binding must not be used by others
for whom it was not properly fitted. 3) Read Operator’s Manual before use.

Watersports can be safe and fun for all levels of enthusiasts. The Operator’s Manual is present­ed to enhance your enjoyment of the sport. It is intended to alert you to some of the potentially
dangerous conditions that can arise in all watersports.
The binding, even if properly adjusted, may or may not release in a fall which could result in
injury to the ankle, knee, leg or other parts of the body.

To reduce your risk of injury or death, follow these guidelines:

• Use correct size ski and binding. Binding should be adjusted for a snug, not tight, t.

• Wet binding and feet with water before use.

• Inspect skis, ns and bindings for loose screws, wear, cracks, delamination or tearing.

• Check foot straps (bindings) and ns prior to each use to insure they are fastened securely to

the ski.

• The faster you ski, the greater your risk of injury. Exercise additional caution when skiing
at competitive speeds. Beginners should be towed at slower speeds that allow for reasonable
control and stability.

• Water skiing instruction is recommended before use. Instruction will teach general safety
guidelines and proper skiing techniques, which may reduce your risk of injury.