Traveller21

Many thanks - i'll pass this on 🙂

Thank you - Its my son's boat - he's not so good at interpreting the mechanics of the boat hence me posing the questions - he's now got the cable installed (himself) and it's now selecting all the gears but he thinks it still needs some tweaking but he's onto the mechanics and what he needs to now....thank you all again...it's so useful to have the advice and help on here. Very much appreciated!

Indeed! The cable has been damaged....so a new one ordered and being fitted this week and hopefully that should sort it 🙂

Thanks Bee - when the sun comes out again and the rain stops we'll get the cable off and see if we can get the lever moving again 🙂

I think you may well have a/the solution and many thanks for your looking at and responding to the problem we have. Hopefully next week being dry will give us a chance to have a proper look and get the thing sorted and back and up and running (and moving forward as well as back!). Thank you again, Matthew

Thanks Tony - we'll check this - I fitted the alternator a few months back (you may even recall the thread?)...and I can see it needs re-tensioning. The old one was fitted incorrectly and kept snapping the belts so at least we cured that one!

It started with the tent getting fouled in the prop/screw - it may have had little or no oil in the gearbox? He'll locate the gearbox oil filler cap/dipstick tomorrow in the light and see what's in there.....if it's fused I'm guessing its a proper mechanic time?

Hi Alan, Many thanks for that - this maybe the root cause of why it's happened/happening.....one lives and learns! 🙂 From an answer comes a question.... Which oil would be best for the gearbox? It's my son's boat - he filled the engine oil but didn't realise there was a separate gearbox oil

Thats what he's found so far - that the mechanism is seemingly jammed. I'll pass this onto him.....the detent mechanism is what is making it feel jammed. 😄

Hi Tracy! I'm so so sorry, I had misread the email headers! We'll have a go with the advice given. Is it worth trying to shift the lever on the gearbox with the engine started as I doesnt seem to want to budge when it's off? Another maybe dumb question - would the gearbox have a separate oil filler cap than the engine? Ie, there is engine oil and gearbox oil?

Hi Tony, Many thanks once again for your brilliant advice - I'll copy and paste your reply to my son and either he'll have a go or I'll try and get down to him this weekend. Best wishes, Matthew

Should be photos now?

Hi Tony, Many thanks for your initial thoughts. I'm not with the boat right now but son can't see the make of gearbox but has sent me these photos. Hopefully they might be helpful Cheers, Matthew

Hi, I wonder if anyone can help with this. My son's 1986 Les Allen 48ft boat snagged a fly tipped tent into its prop/screw the other day which being nylon managed to stall the engine. The tent was fully removed and the engine started as usual on the first touch but is now stuck in reverse? We've tried the gear lever and it looks like it's pulling the right levers? Any ideas on how we might get it out of reverse would be very welcome. Best wishes to all for the new year. Matthew

Brilliant - many thanks 🙂