Malibu Boats 21 VLX, Owner'S Manual

Page: 191 / 309

Because this affects the cruise control, be sure that the paddlewheel and GPS operation is unimpeded. To
verify GPS operation is correct, verify that the GPS puck has a clear line-of-site to the sky. This is located in front
of the 12” screen in the center of the dash.
Raw Water Intake/Sea Strainer:
The raw-water intake brings water out of the lake or river for cooling circulation in the engine. (It is circulated
and returned to the body of water via the exhaust system.)
Both the paddlewheel and raw-water intake/sea strainer must
ALWAYS be free of debris. Any boating that takes
place in brackish water or water with flora, should be interrupted periodically to be certain that no weeds have be -
come tangled with anything under the hull. See the Care and Maintenance section in this Owner’s Manual for informa-
tion on how to properly remove debris from the raw-water intake/sea strainer.
Debris in the body of water, including naturally occurring vegetation, can
become entwined with the components under the hull. This can result in
damage to the boat, particularly if the debris interferes with the raw water
intake, starving the drive train of necessary cooling water. Such damage is not covered under warranty.
Stern Thruster:
The stern thruster (limited availability as an option) is a propulsion device to aid in safer docking. Maneuver -
ing in tight locations is easier by allowing the operator to turn the boat to port or starboard without forward
motion. The thruster is operated by a switch on the shifter/throttle.
The thruster will operate only when the boat engine is running. Push the rocker switch on the handle UP to
direct water out of the starboard side of the tunnel,
which causes the bow to move to port (left) . Pushing the rocker
switch on the handle DOWN will direct water out of the port side of the tunnel, pushing the bow to the starboard
side.
Models: These underwater components are standard on all boats, except the thruster, which is a limited availabil-
ity option.
Shower
The shower control panel is located in the starboard motor-well storage area. The panel has an ON-OFF
toggle switch. In the ON position, the knob rotates to the left for more hot water, and to the right to add colder
water to the mix.
The shower nozzle pulls out of the deck at the transom. Twist the nozzle
counterclockwise to start the stream
2020 Malibu Boats LLC • Owner’s Manual • Page 177