What do you do when it's stuck in reverse? - Moderated Discussion Areas

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Author Topic:   What do you do when it's stuck in reverse?

triblet posted 12-08-2002 10:18 PM ET (US)
My drysuit is still in the shop for new
seals, so Admiral Linda and a friend took
the whaler out at Pt. Lobos while I stayed
on the beach and took bird pictures. When
they got done diving and went to pull the
hook, they found it was stuck in reverse.
Linda backed it the .4 mile from the dive
site to the ramp and anchored. A buddy of
mine swam out and put it in forward at the
engine, and Linda put it on the trailer
first try (second and even third tries are
not uncommon on this ramp, it's in a narrow
slot with big rocks on each side and
cross swells.)
One comment: FRS radios rock. We were
planning on using them so she could let me
know when they were done and I'd go get the
trailer (parking is a quarter mile or more
from the ramp) and have it ready when she
got back. The FRS radios let us work through
the problem at long range.

Chuck

(looks like a broken cable, or maybe
disconnected at the console end)
whalersman posted 12-08-2002 10:53 PM ET (US)
I thought at first your post was a question because it had a question mark after the statement???
After reading this, I have no idea if you are asking a question or making a statement about radios, or how you docked the boat the first time, or how Admiral Linda backed the boat in .4 miles, or how good your friend can swim and work on engines....
Please Advise....???? !!!!!!! ?????
jimh posted 12-09-2002 08:59 AM ET (US)
Your incident reminds me a a similar one that occurred shortly after we bought our first Whaler and outboard.
We had a long weekend at Walloon Lake, famous for its association with Earnest Hemmingway. When we got the boat off the trailer, we discovered it was only able to go into forward or neutral.
We enjoyed a short cruise around the lake, then put the boat back on the trailer so we could see if it could be fixed. The local dealers were all swamped with work as it was the end of the season--no one could even glance at our problem.
Now we carry an arsenal of tools and spares with us, but back then we didn't even have a decent adjustable wrench with us. We drove about 70 miles to the nearest Sears store and got a set of Craftsman wrenches. I pulled the lower unit off and checked for proper alignment of the shift shaft. Everything looked good, but still no reverse.
We gave up on boating for the rest of the weekend. I found a good book and read for three days. The dog had a great time swimming in the lake--it was too cold for us.
When we got back home I dropped the boat off at my dealer. He looked at it and said it was working fine--nothing wrong with it. I guess the vibration of the 300-miles trip home cured whatever was wrong.
Bigshot posted 12-09-2002 10:24 AM ET (US)
Cable!
Happened in my Checkmate one day. I beached it and was gonna fool with it until I realized....better to be stuck in Forward than neutral or reverse. We just pointed the bow and started her up and went home at the end of the day. The shift cable snapped....no biggie.
ratherwhalering posted 12-09-2002 01:32 PM ET (US)
Reminds me when I took my boss and his wife out for a ride on my "new" whaler last year. I was completing a gradual turn when I heard a thump, and the engine RPMs went through the roof. No forward or reverse at all. I lifted the engine cover and saw the shift position in forward. Hmmmm. Checked the prop and the hub wasn't spinning. Hmmm. Cursed the engine out, with no luck...hmmm. Luckily I got a 2 mile tow from a sailboat, back to the Marina. Turned out I has sheared the drive shaft. No limping back or easy fixes there, but at least we both saved the $250.00 for a tow!
Steve Leone posted 12-09-2002 02:04 PM ET (US)
This is where a little 4.5 aux. comes in real handy. Consider all of the moving parts on an outboard (ie:parts failure). Sprinkle in a dash of human error and whallah, stranded. An anchor and a eggbeater can get you out of a jam in a hurry. No tools, no waiting for radio reply, no monkey biz, just go. The added weight really does not affect the performance that much. Mounted directly to the transom with accomodations for an even keel (weight distribution)the Whaler is narry the worse for wear. Steve

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Author	Topic: What do you do when it's stuck in reverse?
triblet	posted 12-08-2002 10:18 PM ET (US) My drysuit is still in the shop for new seals, so Admiral Linda and a friend took the whaler out at Pt. Lobos while I stayed on the beach and took bird pictures. When they got done diving and went to pull the hook, they found it was stuck in reverse. Linda backed it the .4 mile from the dive site to the ramp and anchored. A buddy of mine swam out and put it in forward at the engine, and Linda put it on the trailer first try (second and even third tries are not uncommon on this ramp, it's in a narrow slot with big rocks on each side and cross swells.) One comment: FRS radios rock. We were planning on using them so she could let me know when they were done and I'd go get the trailer (parking is a quarter mile or more from the ramp) and have it ready when she got back. The FRS radios let us work through the problem at long range. Chuck (looks like a broken cable, or maybe disconnected at the console end)
whalersman	posted 12-08-2002 10:53 PM ET (US) I thought at first your post was a question because it had a question mark after the statement??? After reading this, I have no idea if you are asking a question or making a statement about radios, or how you docked the boat the first time, or how Admiral Linda backed the boat in .4 miles, or how good your friend can swim and work on engines.... Please Advise....???? !!!!!!! ?????
jimh	posted 12-09-2002 08:59 AM ET (US) Your incident reminds me a a similar one that occurred shortly after we bought our first Whaler and outboard. We had a long weekend at Walloon Lake, famous for its association with Earnest Hemmingway. When we got the boat off the trailer, we discovered it was only able to go into forward or neutral. We enjoyed a short cruise around the lake, then put the boat back on the trailer so we could see if it could be fixed. The local dealers were all swamped with work as it was the end of the season--no one could even glance at our problem. Now we carry an arsenal of tools and spares with us, but back then we didn't even have a decent adjustable wrench with us. We drove about 70 miles to the nearest Sears store and got a set of Craftsman wrenches. I pulled the lower unit off and checked for proper alignment of the shift shaft. Everything looked good, but still no reverse. We gave up on boating for the rest of the weekend. I found a good book and read for three days. The dog had a great time swimming in the lake--it was too cold for us. When we got back home I dropped the boat off at my dealer. He looked at it and said it was working fine--nothing wrong with it. I guess the vibration of the 300-miles trip home cured whatever was wrong.
Bigshot	posted 12-09-2002 10:24 AM ET (US) Cable! Happened in my Checkmate one day. I beached it and was gonna fool with it until I realized....better to be stuck in Forward than neutral or reverse. We just pointed the bow and started her up and went home at the end of the day. The shift cable snapped....no biggie.
ratherwhalering	posted 12-09-2002 01:32 PM ET (US) Reminds me when I took my boss and his wife out for a ride on my "new" whaler last year. I was completing a gradual turn when I heard a thump, and the engine RPMs went through the roof. No forward or reverse at all. I lifted the engine cover and saw the shift position in forward. Hmmmm. Checked the prop and the hub wasn't spinning. Hmmm. Cursed the engine out, with no luck...hmmm. Luckily I got a 2 mile tow from a sailboat, back to the Marina. Turned out I has sheared the drive shaft. No limping back or easy fixes there, but at least we both saved the $250.00 for a tow!
Steve Leone	posted 12-09-2002 02:04 PM ET (US) This is where a little 4.5 aux. comes in real handy. Consider all of the moving parts on an outboard (ie:parts failure). Sprinkle in a dash of human error and whallah, stranded. An anchor and a eggbeater can get you out of a jam in a hurry. No tools, no waiting for radio reply, no monkey biz, just go. The added weight really does not affect the performance that much. Mounted directly to the transom with accomodations for an even keel (weight distribution)the Whaler is narry the worse for wear. Steve