Going astern with an outboard

MarkJohnson12345

MarkJohnson12345

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Location
Swansea Wales UK
www.markjohnsonafloat.org.uk
I have just bought a 2nd hand 14 foot fishing boat, with a 15hp Mercury.

I tried it out last w/e, worked well until I came onto a pontoon. I put the engine into astern to slow / stop the boat.

Alas the engine just rose up out of the water, giving no or litte brake power.

Going astern from stop is ok as long as I keep the revs down.

Should there be some sort of lock to keep the outboard down and effective when goind astern?

Tia

mj
 
Many thanks for the link. It worked and know I know what too look for.

The engine is a 2001 vintage, looks and sounds good.

Just had it serviced, mechanics never mentioned that there was a problem. He said that the weight of the engine would stop it rising. Gues I shall find someone who knows more about outboards to service it next time.

Many thanks for pointers.

Regards

Mark J
 
I may make myself look like an arse here but there is a pin that locks the outboard motor to the transom mount part of the outboard , if this pin is missing or nicked like mine has been then the reverse when using at revs will kick the outbourd out of the water . Its the bit of metal thats has a bent end and a pin going through an adjustable wobbley end thing .
Can you lift your outboard up and down without removing a pin ? if you can then this is what is missing / not fitted right . If its still there take it out and make sure it goes through the holes in the outboard aswell as the transom part of the outboard .
Now ive said all that i have to admit thats the only thing i know about outboards /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
Just had a good look at the private parts of the outboard, and can see no pins at all. Cannot see what its supposed to lock into anyway.

Vital bit must be missing. Engine is five years old, so presumably has been treated with ignorance in its short pas.

I have searched the net without much luck for a manual for the engine. Any ideas where to locate one?

regards
 
Keypart in Watford stock Sealoc manuals, they're the Haynes of the boating world. Chas Newens in putney also.

The "pin" people are talking about goes thru a set of holes in the transom clamp. On the outside of the boat at the bottom of it is a set of holes. The pin goes thru these. There should be about 4 holes either side. They are set out in such a way they each pair gives various angle settings to the leg ie altering the trim.

The pin will be an elongated L shape with a small toggle at one end. There should also be a small spring on it to keep the tension on the toggle. If its not there a threaded stud/bolt will be a quick fix for now.
 
If you can't find a manual in the UK, try this from the site I linked to before:

EDIT: I can't get link to work properly here. But go to the page I link to above and look at the top right. Towards the end of the list, click on 'Manuals' - if the link is working.
 
You're looking for the bit the red arrow points at on the transom bracket

tilt.jpg


outboardtilt.jpg


It's a bit grainy looking, (cropped out of a bigger picture)
 
My engine is an 8hp Mariner, but it should be the same.

There is a simple adjustment which you may need to make to lock the tilt mechanism when in reverse.

Between the clamp gubbins and the leg of the outboard you should be able to find the gear shift linkage. It is a stainless rod, about 4mm diameter, and it goes down from the powerhead to the gearbox. About 8inches of the the rod should be visible. Twiddle the gear change and this rod will move up and down.
Attached to the rod should be a small block which consists of two halves clamped together with a single nut and bolt. This is the part which needs adjusting.

If you can find the gear linkage then shout up and I'll tell you how to adjust it.

If you can't find it, I can't help!
 
My cock-up so to speak was that I was using the shallow water position to motor in. I thought that that bit of plastic was there for all motoring.

Thus in reverse the hooks were unable to reach the bar/pin.

Through all of your postings, I pressed the handle or catch that controls this spacer, and let the engine rest on the pin which Lake Sailors diagram showed.

Hey presto in reverse or astern, two little hooks creep out of the shadows, and engage the pin. In forward they disapear from whence they came.

Thus the engine operation was com[plete, twas just my ignorance on how to operate it.

I will know next time...........................

Regards

Mj
 
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